The mission of the St. Luke’s Graduate School of Public Health (SLGSPH) is to contribute to the maintenance and promotion of human health both in Japan as well as globally. This will be achieved by providing the highest quality of graduate level public health education and training, in line with global standards, to highly motivated individuals and cultivating their critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address a variety of domestic and foreign problems.

The professional degree course shall train professionals to have detailed and deep knowledge from a wide perspective and advanced practical skills in solving public health issues based on scientific evidence, and to train advanced skills and abilities required by a person administering public health education and other practices.

The Doctoral course shall train professionals to be the faculty underpinning public health education, and have advanced research skills to analyze and evaluate public health issues and put that result into practice.

Policies

Diploma Policy

MPH Professional Degree Program

In order to produce highly specialized professionals in public health who will contribute to the maintenance and promotion of societal health, our comprehensive educational curriculum will cover mathematics/science, social science, and humanities, as well as various ethical aspects pertinent to medicine and public health. Individuals receiving a degree from the school can be expected to have the skills described below:
1. The ability to scientifically analyze and evaluate various public health issues in light of the changing environment surrounding medicine, health, and welfare.
2. The ability to evaluate and develop strategies for solving a variety of foreign and domestic issues in line with global standards in the fields of medicine, health, and welfare.
3. Acquisition of practical skills and techniques required of a public health professional, including those commonly used in epidemiology/biostatistics, and qualitative analysis methods.
4. The ability to display leadership in practical public health activities.

Doctoral Degree Program

We educate future researchers who generate new findings that contribute to the maintenance and promotion of human health and well-being, as well as educators who are involved in the training of younger generations. We teach advanced research methodologies that can be applied to health care fields, so that new scientifically justifiable findings in health and welfare that are effective, efficient, and ethical can be generated. Students graduating from the GSPH with the doctoral degree will possess:
1.The ability to conduct advanced research and to effectively communicate research ideas and findings.
2.The potential to become an independent researcher who will develop future research themes
3.Knowledge, skills, and attitude required for a leading researcher/educator
4.Advanced knowledge and skills to translate public health research into public health policy and practice.

Curriculum Policy

MPH Professional Degree Program

１.Research courses are designed to train leading professionals who contribute to the maintenance and promotion of society’s health and well-being. Concrete goals are set according to the students’ diverse range of educational backgrounds, with systematic curriculum that combines an emphasis on practicum, group projects, and active learning with lectures, case studies, field work, and internship. And St. Luke’s International Hospital also provides a location for practical experience where students can receive hands-on training related to cutting edge clinical research such as in the field of clinical epidemiology and for assessment and improvement of medical care.
2. (omitted)
3. Standard curriculum of this program is a two-year program, but a one-year program that efficiently supplies public health knowledge and technique is also available for those who have completed a 6-year undergraduate degree for national qualifications (doctor, dentist, pharmacist and veterinarian), a master’s degree in medical health or welfare-related fields or a doctorate is another field, depending on individual achievement. For this curriculum, the practicum theme is decided upon acceptance and a student is assigned to a laboratory while completing required courses and electives in the first term, focusing on the practicum theme while completing remaining courses in the second term.
4. In order to make it easier for students to study, classes will be held mainly in the evenings on weekdays and on Saturdays. In addition, to enable students to participate in classes from off-campus, such as from work or home, interactive classes using E-learning will be conducted.

Doctoral Degree Program

The curriculum aims to provide students with advance-level training to become researchers who can lead efforts in generating and communicating high-quality scientific evidence for the promotion of human health and well-being in Japan and globally, as well as the skills to contribute to the education of younger generations. This will be achieved through a curriculum in line with global standards that includes a combination of advance-level courses in public health disciplines and a doctoral dissertation.
1. The required Doctoral Seminar course taken in the first year will provide an overview of research approaches and opportunities to explore research areas to help students refine dissertation project ideas and goals. Additional coursework needs to be completed from among advance-level elective courses which emphasize problem-solving approaches and application of research methodologies in epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health and behavioral science.
2. The doctoral dissertation is an extensive final written product that describes an original piece of scientific research and demonstrates a level of critical thinking and problem-solving ability required of a doctoral-level academic in public health. Dissertation work is expected to be of scientific publication quality.
3. The duration of the doctoral degree program is three years during which time coursework and a dissertation needs to be completed. Dissertation activities will officially commence after submission and committee approval of a dissertation proposal during the second semester after enrollment. A progress report presentation is required midway through the program, and a final dissertation presentation and defense will take place at the end of the program.
4. Classes are held mainly on weekday evenings and on Saturdays to help students find a suitable work-life-study balance. Moreover, classes incorporate the use of online educational platforms for remote access capabilities and integrates lecture-based and active-learning approaches to achieve maximal learning effectiveness. Students will have a faculty dissertation supervisor who can provide close guidance on dissertation activities and other academic and professional development goals.

Admissions Policy

MPH Professional Degree Program

The Graduate School of Public Health aims to cultivate professionals who are grounded in foundational public health knowledge and competencies, able to clearly identify problems and develop solutions for the promotion of population health and well-being both domestically and globally. We aim to nurture professionals who can inspire, collaborate and innovate in advancing global efforts to promote health and prevent disease.
In line with the mission of the university, we welcome students of various backgrounds believing that diversity promotes an atmosphere of mutual respect and enhances the educational experience and environment. Regardless of background, recruitment will focus on selecting candidates with a vision for and commitment to public health and requisite qualities that demonstrate potential to excel in this academic pursuit, such as those listed here.
1. A strong interest in medicine, health or welfare, and a vision for how to improve health and well-being
2. The ability to think critically on diverse topics and learn new ideas, respect differing opinions and keep an open mind about novel multidisciplinary approaches to problem-solving
3. Appropriate fundamental knowledge in mathematics, statistics or scientific reasoning, and the ability to critically assess reports, publications and public data to make clear judgments based on their understanding
4. Experience in problem-solving, project management or other aspects of personal or professional life requiring evaluation and development of solutions to complex problems
5. Clear objectives for their academic endeavor in the context of existing or future professional goals in public health

Doctoral Degree Program

In order to maintain and promote human health and welfare, we will educate future researchers who aim to generate cutting-edge scientific knowledge for solving public health problems, show leadership in development of program and policy initiatives, and become future educators. Our school promotes an atmosphere of mutual respect and accepts students from diverse backgrounds who have a strong ethical commitment to improving human health and have:
1.A strong interest in advanced research and methods for solving problems in human health and well-being
2.The ability to develop new ideas and concepts, synthesize diverse opinions to form new perspectives and develop multidisciplinary approaches to problems in health
3.Fundamental knowledge in public health, social science or health care, and the ability to combine knowledge from across these disciplines to assess complex problems
4.Clear objectives to turn academic knowledge and skills into improvements in human health and welfare
We accept students from diverse backgrounds in order to provide an enriching academic environment of the highest global standard to solve problems inside and outside Japan in human health and welfare.

Assessment Policy