Kyoto Prefectural University was established in 1895 but gained its university status in 1949 as Saikyo University in Kyoto, Japan. Their university status arose with the merging of Kyoto Prefectural Agricultural and Forestry Vocational School and Kyoto Prefectural Women＊s Vocational School. It was in 1959 that the university was renamed Kyoto Prefectural University.
There are three undergraduate faculties at the university offering undergraduate bachelors degrees in literature, life sciences, and public policy. Undergraduate courses include Japanese food culture, international Kyoto studies, environmental design, biomolecular chemistry and many more.
In addition, the university has three graduate schools offering postgraduate courses to students wishing to continue their education in letters, public policy, and life and environmental sciences.
Kyoto Prefectural University offers several avenues to explore international exchange while studying a degree. Students can choose to study abroad or participate in an international exchange throughout their programme. The university has academic exchange agreements with universities in France, China, Germany, Thailand, Australia, the USA and several other countries offering students the opportunity to form links with a new culture, population and location.
There are two campuses at the university; the Seika Campus which is located in the south of Kyoto Prefecture and specialises in sciences and environmental studies; as well as the Shimogamo Campus in the Kitayama location which specialises in the liberal arts and language. The Seika Campus has five laboratories, an affiliated farm and an incubation lab. Since 1902 the university has had forests on the Ohe forest site used for fieldwork and study sites.
