A Double Degree Program (DDP) is an education program in which students study at two different universities (their home university and a partner university) in parallel, and through which they can obtain two degrees from the universities upon graduation. Comparatively, the DDP reduces the amount of time in school by allowing students to earn two degrees simultaneously rather than separately.
What is also different from other study-abroad programs is that the DDP is conducted under close consultation between supervisors from their home university and the partner university, so that students can avoid a mismatch in their study area, and they do not have to worry alone when they have problems.
Kyushu University students with classmates in a lecture hall at Bandung Institute of Technology.
The master's program at Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) is a two-year program similar to that of Kyushu University, and the credit system is almost the same as that of Kyushu University, with one credit awarded for 46 hours of study per semester (one credit for 45 hours at Kyushu University). This makes it easy to transfer credits between the two universities, allowing double degree students to not only attend lectures, but also to devote sufficient time to research activities under the guidance of their host professors. In addition, Bandung Institute of Technology adopts a two-semester system (February to June and September to January), and Kyushu University students travel to the university in late August after the summer term of their first year of the master's program. During the approximately one-year study abroad period, students return to their home country after completing the requirements for completion (30 credits or more), excluding the master's thesis. In the third year of the master's program, they submit their master's thesis written in English to both universities and are examined by each university before receiving their master's degree from both universities.
Since 2014, three students from Kyushu University and five students from Bandung Institute of Technology have participated in this program and have been awarded master's degrees from both universities.
Kyushu University students participating in a field training session with graduate students from Bandung Institute of Technology in Indonesia
Kyushu University students with their teacher, Dr. Syafrizal, at the graduation ceremony of Bandung Institute of Technology.
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Gadjah Mada University Student at the Kyushu University graduation ceremony (September, 2019)
The master's program at Gadjah Mada University is a two-year program similar to that of Kyushu University, and the credit system is almost the same as that of Kyushu University, with one credit awarded for 46 hours of study per semester (one credit for 45 hours at Kyushu University). This makes it easy to transfer credits between the two universities, allowing double degree students to not only attend lectures, but also to devote sufficient time to research activities under the guidance of their host professors. Gadjah Mada University adopts a two-semester system (February to June and September to January), and Kyushu University students travel to the university in late August after the summer term of their first year of the master's program.
During the approximately one-year study abroad period, students return to their home country after completing the requirements for completion (30 credits or more), excluding the master's thesis. In the third year of the master's program, they submit their master's thesis written in English to both universities, and are examined by each university before receiving their master's degree from both universities.
This double degree agreement was concluded in 2015, and dispatch and acceptance of students began the following year in 2016. Although there have been no students dispatched from Kyushu University, six students from Gadjah Mada University have been accepted through this program, and all of them have been awarded master's degrees from both universities.
Implementation structure of the double degree program (for students at Kyushu University)
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Kyushu University and National Taiwan University have established a Double Degree Program (DDP) agreement since 2023.
Students from all laboratories in the Department of Civil Engineering are eligible to participate, regardless of their specific research field. There is a long-standing history of joint research between faculty members of both universities, and strong collaboration is maintained between academic advisors.
By enrolling in the graduate programs of both Kyushu University and National Taiwan University for a total of three years, students can obtain master’s degrees from both institutions. The program aims to foster highly skilled individuals who can succeed on the global stage by not only earning two master’s degrees from universities in different countries, but also by experiencing higher education in distinct cultural regions of Asia.
Participants are not required to pay the screening fee, admission fee, or tuition at National Taiwan University. The master’s thesis is written at Kyushu University (in English), and the thesis defense is held at either NTU or Kyushu University, with both academic advisors in attendance.
The master’s program at NTU, like that of Kyushu University, lasts two years (the doctoral program typically takes 3–4 years). However, NTU places more emphasis on coursework and tends to be more classwork-oriented, incorporating many case studies and practical exercises into its lectures. In contrast, Kyushu University’s master’s program is more research-oriented, with more time devoted to seminars, discussions, independent research, and thesis writing.
Students selected for the DDP spend the first semester of their first year at Kyushu University and travel to NTU in time for the orientation held in late August (students required to take pre-departure English courses travel around mid-August). They then attend classes at NTU for 2–3 semesters (a minimum of 2 semesters is required, but 3 are recommended), earn the necessary credits, and return to Kyushu University to resume their master’s program. They return during the summer to winter period of their first year, so there is no concern about falling behind in job hunting or internships. In the second year (third year overall), they undergo the thesis defense at Kyushu University (with the NTU advisor also participating). Upon completing all required credits, passing the thesis defense, and submitting the thesis, students are awarded degrees from both universities.
Implementation structure of the double degree program (for students from Kyushu University)
Contact
kotio(at-mark)jimu.kyushu-u.ac.jp
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