About

About the Department of Occupational Therapy

Learning to assist people with physical, mental, developmental and senile disabilities

Features of the Department of Occupational Therapy

Studies of physical and mental rehabilitation through work on emotions and intelligence

In a highly advanced society such as Japan, marked with a rapidly aging population and high levels of daily stress, increasing numbers of people suffer from various mental disorders, including some age-related ones such as senile dementia. Occupational therapy is expected to play an important role in coping with this new challenge. A new rehabilitation therapy in which the physically and/or mentally ailing or handicapped (from young children to elderly) perform work so as to improve themselves both mentally and physically, occupational therapy enables such individuals to live their lives the way they desire. Occupational therapy is conducted from a multilateral approach covering mental, physical and environmental aspects, including training for the recovery of physical or mental functions, practice in activities necessary for daily/community living, adjustments in housing, school or workplace, education of family members, etc. Accordingly, occupational therapists must have a broad background, covering the humanities and social sciences, not to mention medical science.

The Department of Occupational Therapy aims at producing future occupational therapists who have a solid scientific foundation and a broad background, who are humane and ready to respond to diverse needs. Students graduating from the Department are expected to work as specialists in the rehabilitation of acute cases, convalescence rehabilitation or community-based rehabilitation in medical institutions, nursing-related establishments or rehabilitation facilities for the handicapped.