Program Description
Students will dialogue with Japanese university professors and farmers, visit experimental agriculture sites and a natural park, learn alongside local university students through group discussions, and process their experiences through daily journal reflections. Through these activities, students will develop skills in utilizing the One Health framework for interdisciplinary and systems-level problem-solving in addition to cross-cultural communication and collaboration for better management of agriculture and natural resources.
Student Learning Outcomes / Objectives:
- Describe how One Health approaches connect agriculture, human well-being, and environmental health to address global challenges.
We will achieve this objective through…
- Pre-trip classes (three weeks) to introduce the One Health approach and current issues in agriculture and natural resources.
- Presentations and discussions with Japanese university faculty and students on One Health approaches to solve agriculture and natural resources issues in the United States
- Nature park tour at Mt. Takao to discuss the role of biodiversity in One Health
- Giant Japanese salamander tour and biometric data collection to discuss the role of biomarkers in gauging environmental health
- Reflection journal to log impressions and learning throughout the trip
- Recognize the role of agroecological practices in building resilient food systems and promoting environmental sustainability.
We will achieve this objective through…
- Attending related lectures at NODAI and Nagoya University
- Planting rice at Atsugi field and discussing agroecology and the environment
- Compare Japanese agricultural and conservation practices with those in the U.S. or their home country.
We will achieve this objective through…
- Attending related lectures at NODAI and Nagoya University
- Attending a symposium with Japanese, Cambodian, and Thai students at NODAI
- Field trip to Togo field experimental agriculture plots
- Field trip to Nishio tea farm
- Reflection journal to log impressions and learnings throughout the trip
- Post-trip paper summarizing their ideas on employing the One Health approach for sustainable agriculture and natural resource management
- Communicate across cultures to address shared One Health challenges and possible solutions.
We will achieve this objective through…
- Presenting at a symposium with Japanese, Cambodian, and Thai students at NODAI.
- Touring Kyoto sites with students from the Kyoto University of Advanced Technology.
- Discussions with Nagoya University students at the Togo fields experimental agriculture plots.
- Touring farms, dairies, and sake breweries with Cambodian university students and discussing food safety and labor challenges.
Human, animal, plant, and environmental health are inextricably connected when considering modern agricultural systems and natural resource management. The One Health concept recognizes that health issues must be addressed cohesively instead of independently. This convergence approach is essential when considering that approximately 70 percent of emerging infectious disease cases in humans and livestock are a consequence of spillover events from wildlife. Similarly, humans play a role in animal disease emergence by facilitating global transfer of infectious agents, altering landscape conditions, and adding environmental disturbances. This study abroad course in Japan offers a robust overview of Japanese agriculture and natural resource systems through the lens of the One Health approach to modern challenges. We will visit leading Japanese universities, research laboratories, agricultural sites, nature parks, grocery stores, and cultural and historical landmarks in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kyoto.
The pre-trip orientation will include an introduction to the One Health approach for sustainable agriculture, opportunities and challenges in agriculture shared between Japan and Tennessee, and basic Japanese language/cultural etiquette and considerations. During the trip, the students will learn, discuss, and reflect on content through site visits and hands-on activities. Students will have the opportunity to engage in cross-cultural dialogues on transnational One Health issues with their counterparts from Japan, Cambodia, and Thailand during a symposium hosted by the Tokyo University of Agriculture. After the trip, the students will prepare a report summarizing their reflections from the trip as they relate to employing the One Health approach for sustainable agriculture and natural resource management both at home and abroad.
Course Dates: May 31 – June 12, 2026
Application Deadline: February 1, 2026
Course: AGNR 491, 3 Credits
Course:
AGNR 491 – One Health in Japan: Integrating Human, Animal, and Environmental Health in Agriculture and Natural Resources
3 credit hours (1 Spring Semester credit, 2 Summer Semester credits)
Academic Information
The course is eligible for 3 credit hours toward the One Health minor and International Agriculture and Natural Resources minor. The course will be taught both in the classroom and through on-site visits to key agricultural, environmental, and cultural locations in Japan. Students will engage in lectures, discussions, and experiential learning at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Nagoya University, as well as during visits to farms, and cultural sites. Classes may also be held in informal settings, such as parks, field sites, or hotel meeting spaces.
Students will be required to give a ten-minute presentation for the symposium at Tokyo University of Agriculture and a reflection paper based on their experiences. Access to a computer will be necessary for research, written assignments, and the development of presentation materials.
You should see the class as a comfortable environment where you are free to express your opinions and discuss different values, attitudes, and ideas you may have about agriculture and natural resources management and the associated issues. However, you should be aware that your views and opinions may differ from some of your classmates. At all times you should be respectful of and try to understand others’ points of view. This will help us establish a collaborative learning environment in which we can gain from each other’s experiences.
Students who successfully complete the program will receive a total of three UTK credits.
- Must be in Good Academic Standing and Good Conduct Standing with The University of Tennessee.
- Must attend all program meetings
Current costs are still to be determined, please come back later or reach out to the course contacts for more information.
