(September 2, 2020)

Standards for Professional Graduate Schools of Public HealthIntroductionI.

The Standards for Professional Graduate Schools of Public Health (hereinafter“Standards”) are established by the Japan University Accreditation Association(hereinafter “JUAA”), a Certified Evaluation and Accreditation agency, toevaluate and accredit professional graduate schools of public health.
Professional graduate schools of public health subject to the Standards refer tograduate schools that meet the following requirements:(i) The basic mission is to nurture public health professionals with specialized
knowledge and skills that contribute to solving public health issues raised bydomestic and overseas government agencies, healthcare, welfare, andenvironment institutions, education and research institutes, private and local
community organizations, and other entities, as well as cultivate humanresources with broad insights and high professional standards.
(ii) In light of public health covering an extensive range of multi-faceted areas,
professional graduate schools of public health must commit to developing
human resources in line with their principal purpose, and promote the social
contributions of public health professionals through their educational
programs and degrees consistent with their purpose.
(iii) The degrees to be awarded match the schools’ principal purpose andeducational content, and are appropriately titled master’s in public health(professional), healthcare administration (professional), or their equivalent.

II. As a guideline for universities to maintain and improve appropriate standards ofeducation and research, JUAA has established and revised such standards as the“University Standards” to evaluate and accredit universities. The Standards are
one of JUAA’s various standards, underpinned by the “University Standards”
positioned at the top.

- 1 -III. The Standards comprise the following four major items:
1. Mission and Purpose

2. Educational Programs and Learning
Outcomes, Students

3. Faculty and Faculty

4. Professional Graduate School

Organizations

Management and Improvement/
Enhancement

IV. Each of the Standards’ major items includes the “text,” “basic requirements,” and“perspectives of evaluation.”
The “text” defines the objectives of the major items and outlines the elements
necessary for all professional graduate schools to fulfill their basic mission, and foreach school to achieve its own purpose.
Specified based on the text’s objectives, the “basic requirements” and the“perspectives of evaluation” refer to the individual focal points that professional
graduate schools need to address when conducting self-reviews, and that JUAA
must consider when conducting its certified evaluation and accreditation. The
basic requirements refer to legal and other fundamental matters that must be
confirmed as essential preconditions for evaluation (the specific range ofrequirements is defined separately). To interpret and apply each basic requirement
and perspective of evaluation, the schools are required to understand theobjectives stated in the text and pay sufficient attention to interconnections andother aspects.
V. Comments will be included in the following categories and requirements, if suchitems as commendations, distinctive features, or issues to be addressed are
identified through evaluations based on the text and the perspectives of
evaluation.
<Areas of serious concern>(i) Serious problems that require correction with respect to legal matters related
to professional graduate schools or the basic requirements for professional
graduate schools of public health.
The school receiving the “areas of serious concern” comment musttake specific measures to ensure that improvements are made.
- 2 -<Suggestions for improvement>(i) Issues that do not apply to “areas of serious concern” but require correction
with respect to legal matters related to professional graduate schools or thebasic requirements for professional graduate schools of public health.
(ii) Requirements for professional graduate schools of public health to make
improvements and other additional efforts to enhance their distinctive
features based on the purpose established by each professional graduate
school.
The school receiving the “suggestions for improvement” comment
must make efforts for improvement through specific plans andmeasures.
<Commendations>(i) Items recognized as successful or effective efforts in fulfilling the basic
mission with respect to the basic requirements for professional graduate
schools of public health.
(ii) Items evaluated as successful or effective efforts in achieving the purpose
established by each professional graduate school and enhancing thedistinctive features.
<Distinctive features>(i) Items that do not apply to “commendations” with respect to the purpose
established by each professional graduate school but are evaluated as efforts
highly expected to produce positive outcomes or as distinctive approaches inline with the school’s own purpose.

Type of item

Basic

Legal matters

Items responding

requirements for

related toto eachprofessional

professional

professional

graduate schools

graduate schools

graduate school’sof public healthpurposeComments in・Commendations ・Areas of serious ・Commendations

the Certified

・Areas of serious concern

Evaluation

concernand・ Suggestions for improvement

・Distinctive

・ Suggestions for features

Accreditation improvement

・Suggestions for
improvement- 3 -VI. Decisions on whether the schools meet the Standards are made based on acomprehensive evaluation of the progress achieved in addressing the “areas ofserious concern.” The schools confirmed to have serious problems as aprofessional graduate school will be judged as having failed to meet the Standards.

- 4 -Standards for Professional Graduate Schools of Public Health
Enacted November 19, 2010
Revised June 23, 2015
Revised September 7, 2018
Revised September 2, 2020
1. Mission and Purpose
Public health is an organizational activity involving both theory and practice aimed atmaintaining and improving people’s health and quality of life. To achieve this aim,
professional graduate schools of public health must carry out their basic mission tocultivate human resources with specialized knowledge and skills that contribute tosolving public health issues raised by domestic and overseas government agencies,
healthcare, welfare, and environment institutions, education and research institutes,
private organizations, and other entities, as well as broad insights and highprofessional standards.
The acquisition of specialized knowledge and skills, problem-solving skills, and otherabilities is essential to solving public health issues. Graduates of professional graduate
schools of public health must therefore display competencies, based on humanity andlogic, ranging from communication, management, and diversity skills to professional
standards for serving the public interest and advocacy skills for resolving problems. In
addition, professional graduate schools of public health must build a mechanism forexperts and people with health issues to coordinate and cooperate in public healthsupport activities, rather than relying solely on the mindsets, roles, and skills of experts.
Such activities include empowerment in health promotion, an area communities havebeen actively participating in recent years. Furthermore, the schools must help
students develop skills and abilities based on a global perspective in response to
today’s more extensive and diverse public health challenges through activities aimed
at building a sustainable world and coordinating with various fields.
Under this basic mission, each professional graduate school of public health must
define the “principal purpose” in its school rules and regulations to meet theobjectives of its professional graduate school degree programs, in light of the missionof the university that established the school. Each school is also required to reflect its
distinctive features in the principal purpose. Furthermore, professional graduate- 5 -schools of public health are recommended to develop visions to achieve their principal
purpose, and to formulate and implement specific measures that direct their resource
allocations, organizational competencies, and value creation.
○ Basic requirements
The basic requirements related to this key item are appropriate and correctly
indicated in the “basic requirement data,” and conform with legal and otherstandards.
○ Perspectives of evaluation
Item
Definition of

Perspectives of evaluation
1-1

purposeThe professional graduate school’s purpose is established under thebasic mission of professional graduate schools of public health aswell as the mission and purpose of the university that establishedthe school. The school’s purpose is clearly defined to present thevalue of professional graduate schools of public health, the aim ofhuman resource development, and other directions.

Medium- and1-2

Medium- and long-term visions and specific measures for resource

long-term

allocations, organizational competencies, and value creation are

visions andformulated and implemented to achieve the professional graduate

measuresschool’s purpose.

- 6 -2. Educational Programs and Learning Outcomes/ Students
Professional graduate schools of public health must properly design and manage theireducational programs to maintain the standards of professional degrees. To this end,
the schools must formulate a degree award policy (diploma policy) that specifies thelearning outcomes in line with their principal purpose, and establish a curriculum
design and implementation policy (curriculum policy) based on the diploma policy.
They should also disseminate these policies to their students.
Based on their curriculum policy, professional graduate schools of public health arerequired to systematically design the curricula with consideration given to providing
education that bridges theory and practice. The curricula must also include suitableeducational opportunities and content to support the development of qualities andcompetencies for public health professions. The schools must systematically organize
subjects, with the five courses of epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental healthsciences, social behavioral sciences, and health services administration positioned as
basic specialized fields. To award internationally recognized professional degrees(Master of Public Health, etc.), the schools must organize the curricula covering allthese basic fields, as public health deals with an extensive range of multi-faceted areas.
As for professional degrees in more specialized public health fields (Master of
Healthcare Administration, Master of Occupational Health, etc.), the schools may
design dedicated programs while covering the basic specialized fields, in line with theprincipal purpose of professional graduate schools of public health. Furthermore, thecurricula must be designed from the perspectives of fostering broad insights and highprofessional standards, developing a global mindset in response to today’s more
extensive and diverse public health challenges, and developing the ability to solve
problems independently. With these perspectives in mind, the schools need todevelop curricula aimed at achieving their principal purpose by introducing classsubjects with distinctive features and adopting other creative approaches.
To bridge theory and practice and enhance practical education, professional graduate
schools of public health must introduce educational methods, in addition to lectures,that help to effectively develop abilities and skills based on each course type. Suchmethods include interactive and multi-directional lessons through debates, seminars,
group learning, case studies, field surveys, and internships. The schools’ classes must
be conducted with an appropriate number of students, with consideration given toteaching methods, facilities, equipment, and other educational conditions that- 7 -produce the full educational effects. They are also required to facilitate student
learning by preparing and utilizing syllabuses, and by providing course guidance,
consultation, and support for class preparation and review.
Understanding the abilities and qualities acquired by students upon course completionis extremely important for professional graduate schools of public health to clarify theoutcomes of their education, assess the appropriateness, and make improvements
and enhancements where necessary. The schools must evaluate student learning
using appropriate methods and criteria to measure the achievements of each course
objective, and assess the educational outcomes by tracking the career paths ofgraduates.
To provide an appropriate and effective education, it is important that professional
graduate schools of public health select applicants properly and fairly based on theirdiploma policy that explicitly states the types of students desired and otherrequirements. In addition, they are required to carefully manage their student quotas
to continuously ensure a suitable educational environment and produce the fulleducational effects.
Furthermore, the schools must develop systems to help students study effectively,
and especially assist them in choosing and designing their future career paths.
○ Basic requirements
The basic requirements related to this key item are appropriate and correctly
indicated in the basic requirement data, and conform with legal and other standards.
○ Perspectives of evaluation
Item
Diploma

Perspectives of evaluation
2-1

A diploma policy explicitly stating the expected learning outcomes

Policy andis formulated in line with the basic mission of professional graduate

curriculum

schools of public health. A curriculum policy is established under thepolicydiploma policy, and the appropriateness of the educational content
and methods is clearly explained.

- 8 -Curriculum

2-2Class subjects necessary to fulfill the basic mission and the principal

design andpurpose and to achieve the expected learning outcomes areclass subjects

offered, with each subject organized in a systematic andincremental manner. The offered subjects are suitable for training
highly skilled professionals able to perform practices backed bytheory, based on the following requirements for professional
graduate schools of public health.
(1) The curricula are designed from the perspective of fulfilling thebasic mission shared by professional graduate schools of
public health, namely, cultivating human resources withspecialized knowledge and skills that contribute to solving
public health issues raised by domestic and overseas
government

agencies,

healthcare,welfare,andenvironment institutions, education and research institutes,
private and local community organizations, and otherentities, as well as broad insights and high professional
standards.
(2) Subjects involving basic, advanced, and practical contents andcase studies are appropriately organized to develop humanresources in the public health field.
(3) The curricula are designed from the perspective of developinga global perspective, in light of today’s more extensive anddiverse public health challenges.
(4)

The courses are organized for students to study in asystematic and incremental manner.

(5)

Opportunities are provided for students to develop suchcompetencies as communication, management, anddiversity skills, professional standards for serving the public
interest, and advocacy skills for resolving problems.

2-3Classes conducted in various temporal and spatial settings, such as
distance education and e-learning, produce the full educational
effects by providing appropriate content and methods.

- 9 -

2-4

Class hours and schedules are arranged so as not to hinder students’
overall coursework.

Teaching

2-5

Appropriate class styles (lectures, seminars, practical training, etc.)
and methods (case studies, field surveys, etc.) and educational
materials are used to achieve the expected student learning
outcomes. Creative educational approaches, such as internships
and guest speakers, are adopted as necessary in coordination withorganizations in the relevant public health fields.

2-6

The following efforts are made to produce synergistic effects thatfacilitate student learning.
・Preparation and utilization of syllabuses・ Course guidance, consultation, and support for classpreparation and review

2-7Classrooms and other necessary facilities suitable for implementing
the curricula are provided and used by an appropriate number ofstudents.

2-8

Study rooms, lounges, and other spaces for student interaction areprovided to enhance the learning effects for students.

2-9

Libraries (reading rooms) house a sufficient collection of books andother materials necessary to study and conduct educational andresearch activities, with their operating hours and environments
adequate to support learning and other educational activities.

2-10

Sufficient facilities (including information infrastructure) for learningand other educational activities are provided and utilized.

Learning
outcomes

2-11

Appropriate methods and criteria are established to measure theachievements of course objectives in terms of class content andstyles, and student learning is assessed fairly and rigorously based- 10 -

on the methods and criteria explicitly stated in advance to students.
2-12

A system to deal with student inquiries about grading and othermatters is developed, notified to students, and operated properly toensure the fairness and strictness of academic achievement
assessment.

2-13

The criteria and methods for course completion approval are
specified in advance to students, and degrees are properly awarded
to students who achieve the learning outcomes stated in the
diploma policy.

2-14

The educational outcomes of professional graduate schools of
public health are assessed based on student learning outcomes andgraduates’

futurecareers

andplans.

Improvement

andenhancement measures are also taken as necessary based on theassessment results.
2-15

Multi-faceted approaches, such as seeking the opinions ofgraduates, students, and others, are adopted to evaluate
educational outcomes and to improve and enhance the curricula,contents, and methods.

Student

2-16

enrollment

An admission policy is established based on the diploma andcurriculum policies, and the types of students desired, admission
standards, screening methods, and other applicant requirements
are clearly stated.

2-17

The selection methods and procedures are made public in advance,
and applicants are selected properly and fairly under the specified
criteria and system.

2-18

Both the number of freshman enrollment to the freshmanenrollment cap and the number of student enrollment to thestudent enrollment cap are appropriately managed.

- 11 -

Student

2-19

supportConsultation and support for students’ future career paths andcareer designs are provided under an appropriate system.

2-20

Learning Support is provided under an appropriate system to assista wide variety of students with their studies, including working
adults, international students, and people with disabilities.

2-21

Necessary support is provided for students’ extracurricular activities
and graduates’ activities under an appropriate system.

- 12 -

3. Faculty and Faculty Organizations
Professional graduate schools of public health must assign a necessary and sufficientnumber of full-time faculty members for education and research in order to fulfill their
mission and achieve their own purpose. Along with their faculty, the schools must
make sufficient efforts with adequate care to turn students into professionals
equipped with highly specialized skills, high ethical standards, and other importantqualities, who will be able to perform practices backed by theory. The schools are
therefore required to assign faculty members with excellent teaching skills, as well as
outstanding research achievements and advanced practical experiences in their fields,
while achieving a balance of faculty in charge of theoretical and practical teaching.
They must also organize full-time faculty members to vitalize and sustain theireducational and research activities, with consideration given to faculty diversity in lightof their members’ specialized fields.
Professional graduate schools of public health must properly appoint faculty memberswith outstanding research achievements and advanced practical experiences tomaintain a high level of educational and research activities in the future. To this end,
the schools must fairly recruit, appoint, dismiss, and promote faculty members inaccordance with specified procedures and methods. It is also important that theyenhance their faculty members’ skills and abilities and promote mutual understanding
and collaboration between academic and practitioner faculty in order to develop
student competencies. Furthermore, the schools must specify the roles of full-time
faculty and properly evaluate their activities, as their required roles include not only
teaching but also school management and other administrative duties.
Professional graduate schools of public health must create and appropriately manage
educational and research conditions and environments to allow their full-time faculty
members to fully pursue educational and research activities and develop academic
creativity.
○ Basic requirements
The basic requirements related to this key item are appropriate and correctly
indicated in the basic requirement data, and conform with legal and other standards.
○ Perspectives of evaluation- 13 -

Item
Policy on

Perspectives of evaluation
3-1

A faculty organization policy is established to clearly provide an

Facultyoverall blueprint of the faculty organization necessary to promoteorganization

the educational and research activities of professional graduate

structureschools of public health.

Assignment of 3-2

Faculty members are assigned to fulfill the school’s basic mission

suitablyand principal purpose, and to fully provide education that bridges

qualifiedtheory and practice. A balanced number of full-time faculty

facultymembers in charge of theoretical and practical teaching is set, withmembers

the entire faculty having outstanding research achievements andadvanced practical experiences in their specialized fields as well asteaching skills.
3-3

Subjects serving as the core curricula are, in principle, assigned toprofessors or associate professors, and the assignment of thesesubjects to adjunct faculty members is made in accordance withspecified standards and procedures.

3-4

Full-time faculty members are organized in light of faculty diversity,
without a marked bias toward any particular age group, and thecharacteristics of professional graduate school of public healthprograms.

Recruitment,

3-5

Recruitment, appointment, dismissal, and promotion of faculty

appointment,

members are fairly conducted based on appropriate criteria anddismissal, andprocedures.

promotion offaculty
Facultydevelopment

3-6

Systematic training and other activities are conducted to enhancefull-time faculty members’ skills and abilities, with efforts made to
improve the practical knowledge of practitioner and academic
faculty, teaching skills of practitioner faculty, and understanding of- 14 -

the professional competencies required of university instructors.
3-7

Full-time faculty members’ educational and research activities,
organizational management, social engagement and contributions,and other responsibilities are properly evaluated.

Educational

3-8

Full-time faculty members are provided with appropriate

and researcheducational and research conditions (class hours, dedicatedconditions,research time, research grants, etc.), environments (laboratories,

environments,etc.), and personnel support (teaching assistants, etc.).

and personnel
support- 15 -

4. Professional Graduate School Management and Improvement/Enhancement
Professional graduate schools of public health must ensure appropriate management,
strive for constant improvement and enhancement, and conduct educational andresearch activities in a steady and progressive manner. As part of this process, theschools are required to clearly define their responsibility systems for planning anddesigning their education to ensure their decision-making and implementation
capabilities as a professional graduate school. The schools must also conduct
systematic self-studies on a regular basis to constantly improve and enhance theireducational and research activities.
Professional graduate schools of public health must commit to conducting
educational and research activities that address social challenges and needs, help build
a better society, and increase their social value. To this end, the schools must develop
an appropriate relationship with society as well as closely cooperate and collaborate
with domestic and overseas government agencies, healthcare, welfare, andenvironment institutions, education and research institutes, private organizations, andother external bodies related to the public health field, with the aim of enhancing theireducation and contributing extensively to the development of public health activities.
It is also extremely important that they properly disclose information, fulfill their social
accountability, and gain the public’s understanding of their educational and research
activities.
○ Basic requirements
The basic requirements related to this key item are appropriate and correctly
indicated in the basic requirement data, and conform with legal and other standards.
○ Perspectives of evaluation
Item
Professional

Perspectives of evaluation
4-1

graduate

A specific organizational system for professional graduate school
management is established and properly operated.

schoolmanagement

4-2

The responsibility systems for educational planning, design, andother activities are clearly defined.

- 16 -

4-3

Educational content and faculty personnel are appropriately
coordinated with the relevant faculties and units, if any.

Self-studies

4-4

Systematic self-studies are conducted regularly under clearlyandspecified procedures and responsible systems, with the results

improvement

connected to improving and enhancing the school’s educational

activities

and research activities.
4-5

Appropriate actions are taken to address any externally identified
need for improvement.

Social

4-6

Public opinions are taken into consideration in professional graduate

engagement

school management and its improvement and enhancement by, forandexample, consulting with the Collaboration Council for Educational

information

Program.

disclosure
4-7

Information on the professional graduate school’s management
and activities are disclosed to fulfill its social accountability. Efforts
are also made to gain the public’s understanding of the school’s
mission, purpose, and activities.

4-8

All decisions and approvals pertaining to partnership agreements
and contracts with companies and other external organizations are
made in accordance with appropriate procedures, with the funds
properly received and managed.

- 17 -