Educational Policy of The Graduate School of Health Sciences (Master’s Course) (Midwifery Practice Course)
Fundamental Educational Goals
In the Midwifery program, we strive to enhance our educational activities, which is the most crucial mission demanded by society. Based on the results of our advanced research activities, we foster students’ ability to actively participate in the “creation of knowledge.” Through close dialogue and discussion among students and faculty members, we aim to develop and enrich the lives of our students. Our goal is to provide education aimed at nurturing individuals with a wide range of capabilities and personalities who can play a central role in a wide range of fields, primarily in both domestic and international healthcare.
Exemplary Students
Highly specialized professionals equipped with basic practical and research skills to contribute to the establishment and implementation of health promotion through “holistic care” and “team care”
In the Midwifery program, we advocate for the “practice and establishment of health promotion” as our goal. To achieve this goal, we set “holistic care” and “team care” as our educational philosophies, develop highly specialized professionals, foster basic research capabilities that can contribute to the establishment of expertise, and respond to the demands of society.
Specifically, we aim to develop individuals with the following five abilities:
○ Implementation Ability: To connect with the world, acknowledge different values, and respond to midwifery issues for holistic and advanced healthcare.
○ Inquiry Ability: To possess fundamental research skills, and approach midwifery issues logically and from multiple perspectives.
○ Communication Ability: To be capable of broad collaboration as a core member of a health care team.
○ Specialized Ability: To integrate advanced knowledge and skills of midwifery, and contribute to the improvement of health, medical care, and welfare.
○ Liberal Arts Ability: To deepen one's knowledge through multidisciplinary learning, and respond flexibly to changes in society and the environment.
Degree Policy
The Midwifery program 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】Can define challenges in the practice, education, research, and talent development of radiological technology science, leveraging differences, and presenting novel insights and solutions to society for the advancement of medical science and health promotion.
This ability involves acquiring the values, behavioral patterns, and role awareness of midwives, and being able to consider methods to pass these on to future generations of midwives.
【Inquiry Ability】Possesses the basic ability for research, and approach midwifery issues logically and from multiple perspectives.
This ability involves adhering to research ethics and making academic and practical contributions using appropriate methods.
【Communication Ability】Allows for broad collaboration as a core member of a healthcare team.
This ability involves understanding the responsibilities and roles of midwives and other professions within an organization and being able to consider collaboration for the purpose of achieving objectives.
【Specialized Ability】Has specialized ability that integrates advanced knowledge and techniques of midwifery, contributing to the improvement of health, medical care, and welfare.
This ability involves acquiring basic midwifery diagnostic abilities and unique techniques required for individual-centered care.
【Liberal Arts Ability】 Deepens one's knowledge from a multidisciplinary approach to learning, and can respond flexibly to changes in society and the environment.
This ability involves understanding bioethics, reproductive health/rights, sexual diversity, and the cultural, religious, and social backgrounds related to women's sexuality, and being able to consider the welfare and benefits of the subjects as a midwife.
Curriculum Policy
To develop individuals who have acquired the abilities advocated in the Degree Policy, we organize and implement the educational curriculum based on the following policies and principles as a Midwifery program.
Education Implementation Policy
We implement an education that fosters students' ability to continue learning autonomously towards the practice of a sustainable society.
Education principles, methods, and evaluation
From the perspective of autonomous and interactive deep learning, we focus on what students are able to do rather than rote memorization and offer the following educational content and methods in general education, specialized education, and English language education, respectively.
【General Education】
We aim to foster the development of universal skills required of all students, offering practical activities that allow students to learn with and from each other, and to grow and create together.
In the Midwifery Program, we implement an educational program to realize the Degree Policy. The standard duration of the doctoral program is two years. This requires students to obtain more than the number of credits specified in this sub-program, undergo the necessary research guidance, and complete a thesis review and final examination.
In the first year, the “Introduction to Degree Program” outlines the learner-centered education in the degree program, the persona to be nurtured in this sub-program, learning objectives, and learning outcomes, along with providing instruction on research ethics, intellectual property rights, and information security methods, which are part of an essential foundation for research. Students will engage in self-directed learning. In “Leadership and SDGs,” students will learn about the SDGs, United Nations agencies, JICA, community issues, business planning, fundraising, policy making, innovation, and entrepreneurship as ways to contribute to society and their community throughout their lives. The required elective common core courses, “Topics in Health Promotion Science” and “Topics in Medical Bioethics,” will evaluate students based on discussions and debates on various topics, along with written reports. In “Risk Management,” students will learn about past case studies and coping methods. We aim to nurture highly specialized professionals who can flexibly respond to changes in society and the environment, provide holistic and advanced health care as a core member of a health care team, and contribute to the practice of health science and health promotion. “Topics in Research Methodology” will cover the latest research methods.
Regarding evaluation and assessment, the grading criteria and methods for each subject are clearly indicated in advance, and learning outcomes are strictly evaluated based on these criteria and methods. For theses or specific topics in postgraduate courses, evaluation standards and methods will be made explicit, and a final review and examination of research results based on these will be conducted. A passing grade in the final review and examination of the thesis is required. The thesis review committee is composed of two or more members, with external researchers also being invited as committee members if the budget allows. The committee chair is elected by mutual selection among the committee members.
【Specialized Education】
By systematically providing the content of specialized fields, we offer a deep understanding and opportunities to integrate and create knowledge from different specialized fields.
In the first year, by taking interdisciplinary classes and workshops prepared by this sub-program and evaluations based on reports and presentations, students will acquire advanced expertise and skills necessary to contribute to the improvement of health, medical care, and welfare. By conducting “Thesis Research” over two years from the first year, we nurture the foundational abilities for research and curiosity, and cultivate the ability to study independently throughout one's life. Close interaction with faculty members in tackling issues and support for summarizing the process into a thesis over two years will improve problem-solving abilities and logical thinking while acquiring cutting-edge knowledge and skills in the research field. At the intermediate stage, students are evaluated on their ability to deliver presentations with fellow students and faculty so that students can understand the problems and positioning of their research. In order to nurture students with multidisciplinary knowledge and high specialization across fields, we arrange an advisory system comprising a primary advisor and, as necessary, a secondary advisor, and manage the research process in a finely-tuned manner to meet students' needs. For students without practical experience as working adults before and during their enrollment, we make “Internship Practice (Master)” compulsory and provide opportunities to practice learning outcomes through practical experience in the community. In the Midwifery, which is a specialized course for medical professionals, we provide practical education linked to practice by introducing practical training and workshops at the Okayama University Hospital, regional core hospitals, and advanced medical practice facilities from the first year, and over two years, in addition to advanced expertise and skills, we foster basic research capabilities, knowledge and skills in addition to the specialized field that need to be acquired. Experts in each field will unitize and evaluate knowledge and skills from a clinical perspective. Through the implementation of such an educational curriculum, we foster individuals who can contribute to the practice of health promotion by providing holistic and advanced healthcare as a core member of a health care team on the basis of broad professional knowledge and skills, and who can flexibly respond to changes and issues throughout their lives. The established educational curriculum undergoes the PDCA cycle from various perspectives, such as faculty development (FD), organizational internal evaluation, external evaluation, and analysis of class evaluation surveys by students, and regularly and continuously makes improvements leading to the achievement of the SDGs.
Regarding evaluation of students, the grading criteria and methods for each subject are clearly indicated in advance, and learning outcomes are strictly evaluated based on these criteria and methods.
【Language Education】
We provide education to improve English proficiency necessary for living in a global society.
We evaluate and give credit for the presentation of research results in Japan and abroad over two years, along with internships and research activities abroad. We foster students’ presentation skills, communication skills, and debate skills, and support the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge in English.
Extracurricular Education Policy
We provide opportunities beyond classroom learning for students to experience personal growth.