Master in Occupational Health

The Graduate School of Occupational Health invites doctors, dentists, pharmacists, sanitary technicians, and health nurses who have studied medicine, dentistry, pharmacology, medical engineering, physical therapy, nursing, and health and hygiene in university and who aim to be an expert in occupational health. It provides students with knowledge and skills for the prevention of harmful influences on the health of people at work, for helping people with chronic diseases to continue working, and for the improvement of workers’ health and working conditions. It also educates specialists in occupational health and those engaged in education.

The University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, as an educational institution for the training of qualified occupational physicians and the promotion of occupational health, was established in 1978 under the enactment of the Industrial Safety and Health Act of 1972 for the securement of occupational physicians experienced in occupational health management. By this act, every company over a certain scale is obliged to appoint a physician for managing the healthcare of its workers.

The purpose for which the university was established is two-fold. One is to provide education and to conduct research related to medical science, nursing science and other healthcare sciences, on the basis of the Fundamental Act of Education and School Education Act. The other is to contribute to the promotion of the medical, nursing and healthcare sciences that are relevant to the working environment and workers’ health, and to develop medical professionals in these fields.

Based on the education, research and medical examinations relating to general medicine, our university promotes education and research that especially pertains to occupational medicine and occupational healthcare, and produces many excellent occupational health physicians and related healthcare professionals who are active in society. At the same time, we advance research in related fields and assume a central role in the healthcare of the local people.

As Japan is moving into a full-fledged era of falling birthrate and aging society, employment formats have become diversified, and working conditions and environments are experiencing dramatic changes. In such situations, it is becoming more important than ever “to ensure worker’s health as the lifeblood of the social infrastructure”. As a result, our university is expected to play a markedly increasing leadership role.