University Accreditation Results(Results for Certified Evaluation and Accreditation for university)

Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Fukuoka, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2014
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April.01.2015 – March.31.2022）

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Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University
Overview
The forerunner of Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University (hereafter, the University), Fukuoka
Eiwa Jo Gakkou was established in 1885 under the parent institution, Fukuoka Jo
Gakuin. In 1990, Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University was approved as a single-subjectuniversity. Thereafter, the University established new departments, faculty, andgraduate schools, and has gone through reorganization. Currently, the University
contains two faculties, the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Human Relations,and one graduate school, the Graduate School of Human Sciences. The campus islocated in Fukuoka city, Fukuoka prefecture, and carries out education and research
activities based on the founding idea of “education based on Christian faith.”This is second accreditation review by Japan University AccreditationAssociation (JUAA). Since its first accreditation review in 2007, the University has
made notable efforts to present a unified image of the University as a whole, and to
make its mission and purpose known more widely, including stating its vision andestablishing a new logo. In addition, the Graduate School of Human Sciences has begun
to make stride in the areas of educational content and methods by providing
opportunities to make connections between students through a study camp where former
students are also invited. However, several issues remain, including the policies forawarding degrees of the Faculties and Graduate School and the curriculum design
policy. It is expected that the University will continue to review and address these issues.
Notable Strengths
Mission and PurposeIt is commendable that the University promoted the unity of faculty and staff
through a series of efforts, including the creation of the University’s logo. The logo
integrates the mission and purpose of the University, its sacred phrases, and its
vision. The University set up a Branding Promotion Committee, headed by thepresident, and included all of the faculty and staff in the review of the University’s
mission and purpose based on the information gathered through observations ofother universities and a large-scale opinion poll intended for stakeholders, including
alumni, through holding workshops, the publication of a magazine, and thedisclosure of minutes.

Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome
The Division of Clinical Psychology in the Graduate School of Human Sciences
holds a regular two-day study camp that gives graduate students an opportunity topresent outcomes of their clinical practice. Former students are also invited to thecamp to share the information on practices inside and outside of the University withcurrent students offering them advice. Such study camp is commendable for theseexperiences further reinforce students’ planning skills and motivations for clinicalpractice, and has a positive effect on reducing accidents and claims at the practicesite by facilitating the transfer of information between students.

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Suggestions for Improvement
Educational Content, Methods, and Outcome

The policies for awarding degrees of each faculty have not been stipulated. Thisshould be improved. In the Graduate School of Human Sciences, the policies forawarding degrees do not state learning outcomes at the time of such as required
knowledge and competencies for course completion are not clearly stated. Thisshould be improved.

The Faculty of Human Relations holds classes that include undergraduate andaffiliated junior college students without differentiating the grading methods
according to the levels of the students. From the perspective of quality assurance ofcredit-based degree courses, this needs to be improved.

The maximum number of credits students can register for per year has been set
according to their GPA. Those with a GPA of no less than 2.00 are allowed toregister for a maximum of 54, while those with a GPA score of no less than 3.00 are
allowed to register for a maximum of 56. However, due to the fact that moststudents have GPA scores of no less than 2.00, this system should be improved inaccordance with the purpose of having a credit system.

In the Graduate School of Human Sciences, the criteria for assessment have notbeen defined. The criteria should be clearly indicated to students.

In the Graduate School of Human Sciences, while the method and content ofresearch guidance and the yearly academic schedule are explained verbally tostudents, the research guidance plan should be written and made available, forexample, in the graduate student handbook.

In the Graduate School of Human Sciences, the criteria for examining degreeseeking dissertations and for examining the research results for a particular topic
are not clearly written. These criteria should be made available, for example, in thegraduate student handbook.

Enrollment
Although it has not reached the completion year, the ratio of enrolled freshman to
the freshman admission cap is low at 0.78 in the Department of Literary Arts in theFaculty of Humanities. The number should be improved.

The ratio of transfer students to the transfer student admission cap is high at 1.30 in
the Department of Contemporary Culture in the Faculty of Humanities and at 1.75
in the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Human Relations; it is low at0.25 in the Department of Child Development in the Faculty of Human Relations.
This should be improved.

Internal Quality Assurance
The Fukuoka Jo Gakuin Self-Study, Evaluation, Faculty Development CommitteeRegulations stipulate the implementation of annual self-study as well as thepublication of these results. However, there are no records of implementation fromthe departments, faculties, or committees that are supposed to undergo self-study.
Thus, the systematic PDCA cycle is not functioning successfully. Since self-study

4have not been implemented according to the regulations, the internal quality
assurance system should be reconsidered and improved so that the implementation
occurs as planned.