Faculty of Health Sciences
Department of Rehabilitation

Healthcare is all about supporting everyone's health and ensuring a high quality of life—it's truly a profession dedicated to supporting people. In order to excel in this field, it is crucial to enhance both your medical knowledge and your broad educational background along with your humanity. As future healthcare professionals, you'll join medical teams and grow into roles where you can support patients with empathy and compassion. Let's embark on this rewarding journey together!

Teaching and Learning
Spaces Tour

Three Key Points
for the Faculty of Health Sciences,
Department of Rehabilitation

  • The only university in Nara Prefecture where students aiming to become physical therapists, occupational therapists, and nurses can study together

    At Naragakuen University, the interprofessional education among these three professions makes it possible to clearly understand each profession's unique characteristics. This advantage allows students to learn the specific expertise required for physical therapists and occupational therapists.

  • Learning in a new facility with state-of-the-art equipment

    The Department of Rehabilitation offers an enriched learning environment equipped with advanced training facilities, including a 3D motion analysis system, virtual rehabilitation systems, the Cybex strength testing equipment, and driving simulators for cars and bicycles.

  • Achieving deeper and broader learning to maintain people's health

    Occupational therapy clients vary widely in terms of disabilities, age, profession, and roles. Therefore, the curriculum extends beyond just physical disabilities to include psychological interventions, developmental support through play, support for the elderly in a super-aged society, and assistance not only in hospitals but also for individuals living in the community.

Learnable Content

  • Physical Therapy Major

    Students are trained to support rehabilitation through exercise therapy and physical therapy, grounded in scientific evidence.

  • Occupational Therapy Major

    The focus of this program is on rehabilitation aimed at restoring lost daily functions, roles, and dignity. This is the essence of occupational therapy.

Distinctive
Curriculum

Advanced Rehabilitation

Learning Cutting-edge Rehabilitation Technologies

We study various state-of-the-art rehabilitation technologies one by one, including muscle-electric sensors and motion capture systems combined with media art in "Biofeedback Systems," rehabilitation using virtual reality technology in "Virtual Rehabilitation," and "Robotic Rehabilitation" that applies robotics technology.

Interprofessional Healthcare Theory

Understanding Future Healthcare

In the medical field, which is affected by a decreasing birthrate and an aging population, the importance of interprofessional, patient-centered healthcare is increasingly recognized. This course develops the cooperation, responsibility, and communication skills necessary for practicing team medicine. Through the examination of simulated cases, we cultivate the qualities needed to lead next-generation healthcare.

Pain Rehabilitation Science

Understanding Pain Management

"Pain" is always subjective and cannot be fully assessed from physiological and anatomical perspectives alone. In this course, we study key assessment methods, treatment methods, and communication techniques in pain rehabilitation based on the biopsychosocial model. We also learn about practical pain management tailored to various clinical cases.

Clinical Practicum in Collaboration
with Local Medical Institutions

Applying Learned Knowledge and Skills in Medical Practice

We conduct clinical practicums in various medical settings, including general hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, nursing homes for the elderly, and special nursing homes. In the first and second years, early experiential practicums and community physical/occupational therapy practicums deepen understanding of various medical settings and operations. In the third and fourth years, more practical physical and occupational therapy evaluation practicums, testing and measurement practicums (for occupational therapy only), and comprehensive clinical practicums are conducted to develop practical skills applicable in the field.

Career Paths and
Qualifications

Main Career Paths and Employment Opportunities Hospitals (acute, rehabilitation, and maintenance phases), long-term care insurance facilities (residential, day-care, and home-visit services), public institutions (government offices, public health centers), sports research institutes, sports organizations, mental health facilities and research institutes, companies related to employment of people with disabilities, etc.
Main Licenses and Qualifications Available Eligibility to sit for the National Physical Therapist Exam, Eligibility to sit for the National Occupational Therapist Exam.

  3. Department of Rehabilitation