Educational Policy of Graduate School of Health Sciences (Doctor's Course) (Advanced Nursing Research Course)
Fundamental Educational Goals
In the Advanced Nursing Research Course, we strive to enhance educational activities, our most essential social contribution. Based on the results of advanced, cutting-edge research, we foster the ability for students to actively participate in the “creation of knowledge.” We support students to develop a rich sense of humanity through close dialogue and discussions with fellow students and faculty members. Our education aims to nurture professionals with high comprehensive abilities and character, who can play a central role in a wide range of fields, primarily in healthcare, both domestically and internationally.
Exemplary Students
Educators and researchers who can independently research and develop educational programs and equipment and technologies related to health, medical care, and welfare based on “interprofessional work,” for the practice and establishment of health promotion.
The Nursing Research Course is based on the guiding philosophy of “practicing and establishing health promotion.” To achieve this and in response to societal needs, we use the educational philosophy of “Inter-Professional Work” in cultivating educators and researchers who are capable of independently researching the development of educational programs, equipment, and technologies related to health, medical care, and welfare.
Specifically, we will foster individuals to develop the following five abilities:
○Implementation Ability: Able to identify challenges in nursing practice, education, research, and personnel development; leverage diversity; and, present new insights and solutions for the improvement of medical sciences and health promotion.
○Inquiry Ability: Possessing creative insights into the nature of issues in nursing practice, education, research, and personnel development.
○Communication Ability: Able to demonstrate leadership in nursing practice, education, research, and personnel development.
○Specialized Ability: With independent research capabilities, the ability to discover new insights, and create equipment, technologies, etc.
○Liberal Arts Ability: With a multifaceted perspective and flexible thinking towards those with diverse values, the ability to quickly respond to societal changes such as globalization and deepen one's wisdom.
Degree Policy
In order to develop exemplary graduates, the Advanced Nursing Research Program at Okayama University awards degrees to students who have studied for the prescribed period of time, acquired the following competences, and earned the credits required for graduation.
Abilities acquired: Implementation Ability, Inquiry Ability, Communication Ability, Specialized Ability, Liberal Arts Ability
【Implementation Ability】Ability to identify issues in nursing practice, education, research, and personnel development, to leverage diversity, and to present new insights and solutions to society for the advancement of medical science and health promotion.
Capability to explain the necessity of advancing medical science and promoting health in the field of nursing.
Understanding of the differences between nursing and other specialties, and the ability to utilize these differences reciprocally to solve problems within nursing.
Capacity to continually disseminate new insights and solutions to society throughout one's lifetime in nursing practice, education, research, and development of personnel.
【Inquiry Ability】 Ability to identify and uniquely illuminate the heart of issues and challenges in nursing practice, education, research, and personnel development.
Using unique perspective and professional knowledge in nursing, the ability to discover the essence and universality of issues and independently find solutions.
The capability to clearly explain issues to those outside the field.
【Communication Ability】Ability to demonstrate leadership in nursing practice, education, research, and personnel development.
Ability to clearly communicate knowledge and techniques to others in nursing practice, education, research, and personnel development.
Capability to identify and explain one's role in a medical team based on one’s nursing background.
Understanding of the position, knowledge, and skills of other medical professionals, and the ability to engage in discussions with them.
Capacity to build reciprocal relationships across professional domains through smooth communication.
【Specialized Ability】Ability to conduct independent research, discover new insights, and create equipment and techniques.
Ability to explain the knowledge and research methodologies of advanced nursing and to utilize these techniques.
Capability to deeply integrate knowledge and skills.
Capacity to discover new insights and to create equipment and techniques.
【Liberal Arts Ability】Ability to maintain multiple perspectives and flexible thinking with people of diverse values in order to quickly respond to societal changes such as globalization and deepen one's wisdom.
Ability to gather and analyze information and to utilize it appropriately.
Capacity to explain societal changes such as globalization.
Capability to connect learning from a broad range of values to personal growth.
Curriculum Policy
To cultivate graduates who have acquired the abilities set forth in our Degree Policy, we organize and implement the educational curriculum for the Advanced Nursing Study Course based on the following policies and concepts.
Educational Implementation Policy
We implement education that fosters students' ability to continuously learn towards the realization of a sustainable society.
Education principles, methods, and evaluation
Based on autonomous, collaborative, and deep learning pedagogies and prioritizing “what the students have become capable of” over “what was taught,” we provide the following educational content and methods for General Education, Specialized Education, and Language Education respectively.
【General Education】
Aiming to develop basic skills required for all students, we provide practical activities that involve learning with other students, growing and creating together.
In the Advanced Nursing Study Course, we implement an educational program based on our Degree Policy. The standard duration of the doctoral program is three years, and it requires the acquisition of the prescribed credit requirements and receiving necessary research guidance. Furthermore, interim presentations, a doctoral dissertation review, and final exams will be conducted.
In the first year, in the “Introduction to Degree Program”, we outline the learner-centered education in the degree program, the persona to be cultivated in this sub-program, learning objectives, and learning outcomes. We also provide guidance on research basics so students can learn autonomously about research ethics, intellectual property rights, and information security. In “Inter-Professional Work,” students from different fields and supporting faculty work together, debate health, medical, and welfare issues in the community, and aim to explore and solve them. Many students are working adults and many are employed in educational institutions and community hospitals. Through multiple evaluations during the course and evaluations of the final presentation, we cultivate individuals who can contribute to the practice and establishment of health promotion, improve health, medical and welfare education, and contribute to human resource development in the field. This necessitates having flexible thinking, multiple viewpoints, and the ability to respond quickly to societal changes such as globalization.
Regarding learning assessment, we clearly specify the criteria and methods for grading class subjects in advance, and rigorously evaluate learning outcomes based on them. For the doctoral dissertation or specific assignments, we will clearly state the assessment standards and methods, and conduct the final review of the research results based on them. After being evaluated in an interim evaluation meeting, a doctoral dissertation defense is required to pass the final review. The final review and defense will be conducted by an examination committee consisting of three or more members. (If budgetary support is available within the program, researchers from outside the university may be invited to serve on the committee.) The chairperson of the examination committee is selected by the members.
【Specialized Education】
By systematically providing the contents of the specialized field, we facilitate a deep understanding and offer opportunities to integrate or create knowledge from different specialized fields.
In the first year, we evaluate students through written assignments and presentations in interdisciplinary classes and seminars in this program, allowing them to acquire advanced specialized knowledge. In close engagement with faculty, students tackle issues and are supported through the process of compiling their research into a dissertation over three years, aiming to improve problem-solving skills and logical thinking while mastering the latest knowledge and techniques in their field. At intermediate stages, evaluations are made through presentations with other graduate students and faculty, ensuring students thoroughly comprehend the issue and reflect on their progress. Through this process, we foster individuals who can play a leading role in health science practice, education, and research. Further, we aim to cultivate individuals who have independent research abilities and can contribute to health, medical care, and welfare through the development of equipment and technology.
To foster students with rich liberal arts competencies transcending their specialized fields and to guide students based on their individual needs, we appoint an assistant supervisor in addition to the main supervisor, managing the research process.
For students with no relevant work experience before and during enrollment, participation in “Internship practice (Doctor)” is mandatory, and we provide opportunities to apply the results of learning through practical experience in the region.
Through these educational programs, we cultivate individuals who: have flexible thinking and multifaceted perspectives in international society; can respond quickly to changes; contribute to the development of human resources in the health and medical fields; and, play a leading role in health science practice, education, and research. They can contribute to the field of medical science and health promotion.
The educational curriculum, connected to the SDGs, is subject to regular and continuous improvements, implementing the PDCA cycle, from various perspectives such as faculty development, organizational internal evaluation, external evaluation, and analysis of students’ course evaluations.
In terms of assessment, we clearly stipulate the standards and methods for grading course subjects in advance and strictly evaluate learning outcomes based on them.
【Language Education】
We provide education to enhance English skills required in a global society.
By giving credits over three years to English research presentations at international conferences (both in Japan and abroad) as well as to other research activities and internships abroad, we foster presentation skills, communication ability, and debating skills. Further, this encourages the writing of English papers, cultivates English skills, builds knowledge, and develops an international perspective.
Extracurricular Education Policy
We provide various extracurricular opportunities for students to grow beyond learning in the classroom.