PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering Program

Hiroshima University's three-year doctoral program in Civil and Environmental Engineering, based in Hiroshima, Japan, is taught in English and accepts new doctoral candidates in April or October. As a national institution established in a city defined by its history as the site of the first atomic bombing, Hiroshima University follows a founding principle centered on unity, freedom, and the pursuit of peace, and today it counts 12 schools, 4 graduate schools, an attached research institute, a university hospital, and 11 attached schools among its structure. Its recognition as one of 13 universities in the 2014 Top Global University Project and one of 13 universities in the 2018 WISE Program reflects an institutional emphasis on internationally engaged doctoral education. Within civil and environmental engineering, doctoral research commonly addresses structural design, water and wastewater systems, geotechnical analysis, transportation infrastructure, and environmental impact assessment, with candidates producing an original dissertation supervised by faculty active in these subfields. Doctoral-level study in this discipline typically combines seminar coursework with hands-on laboratory or field investigation, since much engineering research depends on testing and data collected outside the classroom. Career paths for graduates include infrastructure engineering, environmental consulting, public works administration, and university-level teaching and research, all fields where advanced technical training in civil and environmental systems is directly applicable. For doctoral candidates coming from outside Japan, this program offers an English-taught research track at an institution formally recognized under two national initiatives aimed at strengthening Japan's position in international higher education and doctoral training.