Doctoral Course, Major in Health Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences

In today’s society, health services are increasingly advanced and diversified, with rapid progress being made in cutting-edge scientific technologies such as regenerative medicine and genetic diagnosis. As the population is aging and the birthrate is declining, changes in the healthcare environment require attention.
While the Master’s program nurtures highly skilled health professionals equipped with specialist knowledge and skills, the Doctor of Philosophy program is designed to nurture teachers, researchers, and future leaders who can flexibly adapt to drastic changes and who have the ability to solve problems through advanced knowledge and scientific thinking as well as a high level of ethical sensitivity.

In the light of the university’s philosophy, “Our creativity for the people.(DOKUSOUICHIRI),”the objectives and educational goals of the Doctor of Philosophy program, health sciences major, Graduate School of Health Sciences are to nurture educators, researchers, and leaders who have acquired the advanced academic basis of healthcare and hygiene studies that span the health sciences. Successful candidates will have research skills and mature personalities that allow them to lead the next generation in various areas of health sciences and thrive in the areas listed below.

The Doctoral Course, Major in Health Sciences in the Graduate School of Health Sciences, seeks prospective students who possess the following qualities:
(1) Individuals who aspire to conduct research to solve diverse issues in all areas of the health sciences by exploring scientific evidence.
(2) Individuals who aspire to pursue truth by developing new knowledge and techniques relevant to their research topics.
(3) Individuals who aspire to become educators, researchers, or instructors.
(4) Individuals with a strong desire to publish and implement research results and contribute to advancing health sciences.

For students to acquire the skills specified in the Diploma Policy, the Doctoral Course has established a systematic distribution of subjects between coursework (such as lectures, seminars, and practical exercises) and research work (graduate thesis), which trains basic and specialized scientific skills and facilitates collaboration among majors based on the following policies:
(1) Common compulsory courses provide an academic basis for students to become educators, researchers, or instructors by studying essential health science concepts common to each major.
(2) Seminars and practical exercises in specific majors train students to address and solve problems by providing in-depth health professional knowledge and the latest techniques.
(3) Graduate theses train students to write academic papers that can be submitted to international journals by exploring cutting-edge knowledge and developing their theoretical and technical problem-solving skills.
(4) Interdisciplinary research seminars train students to develop cutting-edge theory and practical skills and to disseminate and implement them widely in society through the results of basic and clinical scientific investigations and collaboration among majors.

Students must meet several requirements to be conferred a Doctoral Degree in Health Sciences. They must be enrolled in the course for the minimum number of years to complete the required credits per the educational philosophy and objectives. Additionally, through the dissertation defense and final examination, they must demonstrate that they have acquired the following necessary competencies.
(1) Skills to analyze problems and articulate them from unique perspectives based on a comprehensive understanding of existing research.
(2) Skills in selecting and implementing appropriate analyses to solve problems.
(3) Skills to present new findings and propose new techniques or theories that contribute to developing professionalism in the relevant disciplines.
(4) Skills in seeking truth and promoting unique research while maintaining an original academic spirit.

Rehabilitation Sciences (Rehabilitation Therapy Sciences)

There has been noteworthy development in sciences related to motion measurement, which facilitate research on the prevention and mechanisms of movement disorders. Meanwhile, it is necessary to urgently nurture rehabilitation therapists (e.g., physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and hearing specialists) to become problem-solving, highly skilled health professionals who can provide evidenced-based services in the clinic. Based on the foundation acquired from the Master’s program, research is conducted in relation to the following objectives: obtaining and analyzing biological motion information with a focus on activities that are most commonly impaired and training rehabilitation therapists to be problem-solving, highly skilled health professionals. The aim of this area is to nurture teachers, researchers, and leaders who are able to solve various issues related to rehabilitation therapy through a scientific and innovative approach and who can develop clinical techniques through the above-mentioned research.

The main subjects in this area are: advanced theory of rehabilitation therapy science I (rehabilitation education science), advanced theory of rehabilitation therapy science II (motion control measurement science), rehabilitation therapy science practice I (rehabilitation education science), rehabilitation therapy science practice ii (motion control measurement science), and special research in rehabilitation therapy science.