What is JABEE? －the Regional Environmental Science Course

Would you like to have a career as Geological Engineer in future? If so, to study in JABEE (Japan Accreditation Board for Engineering Education) accredited course is very important and it can be the direct road to your goal. Many recent JABEE graduates have successfully started their careers in the field related to geoscience. This trend is even more pronounced for JABEE graduates who pursued master program in our Graduate school.
JABEE is the organization which promotes professional education and fosters international professionals. Since 2004 the educational curriculum of the Regional Environmental Science Course in our department has passed the strict examination and it was accredited as a professional education programs in higher education institutions fostering professionals by JABEE. Only a few geoscience departments across the country have received accreditation. A big advantage of JABEE graduates is to be exempted of the first stage of the national professional engineer examination.
JABEE is one of the signatories of the Washington Accord, an international agreement among bodies responsible for accrediting engineering degree programs. The JABEE accredited program is approved by the Washington Accord as the substantial equivalence of accreditation systems offered by the other signatories.

The “Geological Engineer”: We aim to cultivate to the Regional Environmental Science Course

This course gives you a thorough knowledge of Earth science, supported by many experiences in the field. The aim of this course is to foster the international Geological Engineer. Here are four good reasons to study with us:
The prefecture of Yamaguchi is like an open-air geology textbook
The prefecture of Yamaguchi is famous for its geological features.. A large variety of igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks and geological layers from Paleozoic to present are just a field trip away! The karstic Akiyoshi plateau and its neighboring area, Mine, are world famous fossil sites. Under the plateau is Japan’s largest cave, Akiyoshid?. And there are some young active volcanoes such as Mt Abu Kazan-gun in the northern area.
Natural resources and their related techniques and cultures
Yamaguchi also has many resources and materials, such as the Ube coalfields and the Naganobori mine, whose copper has been used for the construction of the Great Buddha at Todaiji in the middle of 8th century. Clay is still used nowadays for the famous pottery “Hagi-yaki”. Knowledge of geoscience is absolutely necessary for resource exploration, and it will be key to solve the problems related to natural resources in future.
Understanding of natural hazards－Earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides etc
In recent years seismic activity has increased in western Japan, with the 2000 western Tottori earthquake, the 2001 Geiyo earthquake and the 2005 western Fukuoka coast earthquake. Interest is growing in the tectonics of western Japan, and analysis is being performed through studies of active faults and terraces. Tsunamis occurring with earthquake yield catastrophic disasters. Understanding of deep-sea environment, such as sediments and landform, is also important, as is the investigation of the old tsunami deposits. Moreover, landslides often occur on the Yuya Peninsula in northwest Yamaguchi, and uncovering the mechanisms responsible is a crucial issue.

 Geoengineer with a global vision
There is no other region with such a varied geological environment. We train engineers with a strong background in regional geology, actively utilizing the unique properties of this environment as an educational tool. Our graduates are active in a variety of fields including geological engineering and related specialized professions. At Yamaguchi University, through educating specialists that can respond and adapt to a variety of geological environments, we create independent engineers who can identify problems and consider solutions on their own.
Moreover, we also emphasize English and communication abilities. To improve English ability we offer the lecture “Geological English”. In addition, all students have to exceed the prescribed TOEIC score before they graduate.