- Social Welfare Major
- Developmental Support Major
Comprehensive Learning of Extensive Knowledge
and Skills to Support People’s Lives
Nagano University was founded as a public-private university with the philosophy of 'integrating academic theory with daily life through close ties with the local community.' Over the past 50 years, the university has evolved, and in 2017, it became a public university corporation established by Ueda City. At that time, we envisioned a 'Highly Creative Design Society,' which involves 'creatively designing and developing vibrant, sustainable communities that utilize the rich natural environment and diverse people as valuable regional resources, expanding them to the world.' The university has set its goal as 'deepening research focused on the local community and returning research outcomes to the community,' and has continued to advance its educational and research activities. In response to the many welfare challenges facing local communities today—such as declining birthrates, aging populations, urban concentration, rural depopulation, and increasing severity of climate-related disasters—Nagano University has established the Graduate School of Comprehensive Welfare Studies to fulfill its mission as a public university at a higher level.
Two Majors Addressing a Wide Range of Welfare Issues
The Graduate School of Comprehensive Welfare Studies at Nagano University is dedicated to advancing theoretical and practical knowledge, skills, and education to solve welfare challenges in local communities. Our goal is to cultivate highly skilled professionals and researchers who can contribute to the safety, security, and well-being of people living in this era.
Features of the Graduate School
Nagano University was founded as a public-private university with the philosophy of 'integrating academic theory with daily life through close ties with the local community.' Over its 50-year history, the university transitioned to a public university corporation established by Ueda City in 2017. At that time, we envisioned a 'Highly Creative Design Society,' which involves creatively designing vibrant, sustainable communities that leverage the rich natural environment and diverse people as valuable regional resources, with the goal of expanding globally. The university set its mission to 'deepen research focused on the local community and return the research outcomes to society,' and has actively pursued educational and research activities.
In response to the numerous welfare challenges facing local communities today—such as declining birthrates, aging populations, urban concentration, rural depopulation, and increasingly severe weather-related disasters—Nagano University has established the Graduate School of Comprehensive Welfare Studies to fulfill its mission as a public university at an even higher level.
Overview of Each Major
Social Welfare Major
In the Doctoral Program's First Phase, we focus on identifying, predicting, and exploring solutions and preventive measures for regional welfare challenges such as social inequality, poverty, the need for long-term care, disabilities, abuse, and domestic violence, with the aim of contributing to policy development. We aim to cultivate highly skilled professionals and researchers who are well-versed in the philosophy, theory, systems, policies, assistance techniques, and research methods of social welfare and who can lead and guide the resolution of regional welfare issues.
In the Doctoral Program's Second Phase, our goal is to develop individuals who can connect their own practice and research with social action and societal transformation, and who can conceptualize and propose new academic insights and policies.
Developmental Support Major
We promote empirical research that seeks to identify and resolve psychosocial issues in child and family welfare as well as in school education. Our aim is to train highly skilled professionals, researchers, and educators who can lead and guide the resolution of challenges related to developmental support for children in the community, including those who are abused, impoverished, or have disabilities.