The Doctoral Program in Disability Sciences is designed to facilitate research on various disability-related practical issues, as well as to develop human resources such as researchers and educators who can perform and provide advanced research and education on the disability sciences, as well as professionals with high-level expertise who can perform and provide research, education and instruction. Faculty members with a wide range of expertise in the disability sciences, from fundamental theory to practice, help train researchers and high-level professionals with future-oriented knowledge who can work actively on the international stage for the benefit of society.

Academic degrees
Doctoral Degree (Disability Sciences)

Program Content

The Doctoral Program in Disability Sciences includes Disability Science Research Practice Methods as an essential common subject, providing students studying disability sciences with the opportunity to learn teaching methods under the supervision of faculty members. The Disability Science Seminar, focusing on specialized subjects, provides deeper understanding of research methods, while the essential subjects, Research Investigation on Visual Impairment and Blindness, Research Investigation on Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Research Investigation on Intellectual, Developmental, and Behavioral Disabilities, Research Investigation on Physical Disabilities and Health Impairments, Research Investigation on Speech and Language Disorders, Research Investigation on Welfare for Persons with Disabilities Disability Sciences and Research Investigation on Principle of Disabilities, provide advanced education in respective disabilities and fields.

In addition, the program provides education and guidance through classes and research in the following two areas, based on the future aims of the students; and students can develop their doctoral thesis with the following perspectives in mind.

• Basic Disability Sciences … This is designed to develop interdisciplinary researchers and educators based on disability types; specifically, those who can perform and provide advanced research and leading education in the disability sciences field, and scholars who can lead and support advanced research in the disability sciences and modern issues, as well as researchers with doctoral degrees (university faculty members, research institute members, etc.).
• Disability Support … This is designed to develop high-level professionals with practical research ability, who can flexibly address such modern issues as people with disabilities, the elderly, etc.; specifically, those who can perform and provide research, education or instruction in the field of education, welfare or rehabilitation, etc.; with superior capability in addressing disability-related issues; and with outstanding research capability.

Thesis support

An instruction and support system consisting of one main instructor and two sub-instructors is available for each student, to aid in the development and acquisition of the doctoral degree.