GRADUATE SCHOOL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
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Special Features of the Curriculum

The curriculum at the Graduate School of Clinical Psychology has the following special features, which are intended to cultivate talented individuals who have a high level of specialist knowledge and outstanding skills, as well as real practical abilities. The curriculum has been systematically designed to cultivate clinical psychologists who are able to meet the needs of the local community.

  • Students receive guidance from practitioner instructors with a wealth of clinical experience.
  • Classes are taught in collaboration between practitioner instructors and instructors who are more focused on academic research.
    (A concerted effort is made to ensure that students are able to acquire both skills based on practical experience, and relevant academic knowledge)
  • Students receive one-to-one and small group instruction.
    • Students are able to receive individual instruction from full-time faculty members, with time set aside for individual supervision
      (students are guaranteed to have careful, one-to-one guidance).
    • Classes emphasize bi-directional communication, with a focus on individual and small group instruction (the maximum class size is set at 30 students; the emphasis on small group instruction ensures that students are able to receive detailed guidance).
  • The curriculum ensures that students have plenty of time for practical, hands-on learning
    • Students are guaranteed to receive around three times as much practical, hands-on learning time as students at Class 1 graduate schools.
    • The Graduate School aims to cultivate talented individuals who have accumulated extensive practical experience and real-world skills.
  • The curriculum incorporates a wide range of classes
    In addition to the core subjects and advanced subjects, students also receive instruction from practitioner instructors in seminars tailored to the needs of the four key fields of education, welfare, healthcare, and judicial and corrections. Classes are also structured to meet the needs of different stages in students’ development, from a career development perspective. In regard to practical techniques, there is a focus on Ethnographic Clinical Psychology (compulsory class), which aims to help students understand local cultures, supported by other classes such as Stress Management, etc. In addition to classes aimed at cultivating the specialist clinical psychology knowledge, sensitivity, analytical ability, ability to express oneself, interpersonal relationship skills etc. that are vitally important for practicing as a clinical psychologist, students are also able to take a wide range of classes that help to cultivate the sense of duty and high ethical standards required of a clinical psychologist.

There is a comprehensive academic curriculum

  • The curriculum is designed to flexibly integrate in-class lectures and training with hands-on learning activities, both inside and outside the university.
  • The Graduate School of Clinical Psychology provides a learning program oriented towards strengthening students’ ability to provide support for the local community, building on the results achieved in the Graduate School’s community support activities (which are collectively referred to as the Community Support Project).
  • Students are able to participate in open seminars held by faculty members in relation to their areas of specialist expertise, and in various activities outside the university (including training sessions, lectures, etc.), providing them with opportunities to learn a wide range of skills and techniques.
  • The Graduate School has introduced a system of follow-up sessions: These sessions, held once every semester, help students to reflect on their hands-on learning experiences, and clarify the extent to which they are achieving their goals.

On-campus hands-on training

  • At the Clinical Psychology Counselling Room, an ancillary facility of the Graduate School, students are able to experience a comprehensive range of roles, from manning the reception desk and answering telephone calls to handling cases.
  • Students undertake three times as many hours of practical, hands-on training as students at Class 1 graduate schools.
  • Students benefit from supervision for all cases that they handle.

Off-campus hands-on training

  • Students participate in practical, hands-on training at four different facilities, once every semester over the two-year program: This system enables students to gain practical experience in all four of the key fields (healthcare, education, welfare, and judicial and corrections).
  • Students receive support in the form of guidance from practitioner instructors before, during and after off-campus hands-on training activities.

Schematic Diagram of the Curriculum

Schematic Diagram of the Curriculum

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