Q&A for Applicants to the Nursing Major

It is advisable to clarify the challenges you have identified through your own nursing experience and practical activities, your vision for your future career, and what you wish to learn in graduate school to achieve that. Detailed characteristics of the specialized fields in the Nursing Major of this Graduate School are introduced on our website. We provide information on the research themes of faculty members and the thesis topics of graduates. If you find a field close to your interests, you can discuss it specifically at the admissions consultation sessions. Unlike Doctoral Programs, a prior interview with a faculty member is not mandatory (https://www.keio.ac.jp/en/admissions/grad/master/gshm/); however, to ensure fulfilling study and research that aligns with your interests, we recommend consulting with a faculty member in your area of interest before applying.  

The Certified Nurse Specialist (CNS) program is a graduate school curriculum accredited by the Japan Association of Nursing Programs. This graduate school offers four programs: Cancer Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Gerontological Nursing, and Genetics Nursing. Upon completion and with a certain amount of practical experience, students become eligible to take the Certified Nurse Specialist certification exam administered by the Japanese Nursing Association. This program attracts individuals who wish to work as Certified Nurse Specialists in health, medical, and welfare settings in the future. The CNS program differs from the Master's program in Nursing in that the number of credits required for graduation is 46 or more for the CNS program, compared to 30 or more for the Master's program in Nursing. Additionally, the CNS program includes specialized nursing practice (10 credits) as a required subject. *Please refer to the Japanese Nursing Association website for details regarding the Certified Nurse Specialist system.  

The curriculum for the Nursing Major is designed for those who have completed the fundamentals of nursing science and wish to pursue further specialization. Therefore, students are required to take the compulsory subjects of their chosen field. Additionally, students are expected to engage in research focused on nursing under the guidance of an academic advisor. If the class schedule permits, students can also take lecture courses from the Major in Public Health, Sport and Health Sciences. The difference between the majors lies in the degree awarded upon completion of the master's program. In the Nursing Major, a Master of Science in Nursing can be obtained. The degrees available in the Major in Public Health, Sport and Health Sciences are either a Master of Public Health (MPH), a Master of Healthcare Management, or a Master of Sport Management.  

Regarding the entrance examination for the Master's program of this Graduate School, past exam questions are available for viewing (https://www.keio.ac.jp/en/gshm/admission/past-exam/). Please use these as a reference to understand the skills required for admission. Additionally, please clarify your motivation for what you wish to study at the graduate school and submit your application. Please note that there are no minimum score requirements for English proficiency tests (such as TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC, etc.) necessary for passing.  

This graduate school does not offer a "Long-term Study System" that allows students to obtain a degree beyond the standard term of study (2 years) due to work or other circumstances. While some students study while working by obtaining the understanding and cooperation of their workplace and receiving considerations regarding their duties, most students who remain employed utilize leave of absence systems to focus on their studies, as classes, assignments, and research activities require a significant amount of time. In particular, the Certified Nurse Specialist (CNS) program requires several weeks of mandatory practical training. If you are considering enrolling while working, you do not need to submit a letter of recommendation from your supervisor; however, we recommend that you consult with your supervisor in advance regarding adjustments to your duties after enrollment and consult with the faculty member in charge of your desired field before applying to discuss whether completing the curriculum is feasible.

The affiliated campus for students of the Graduate School of Health Management is Shinanomachi. Therefore, guidance at the time of admission and the start of the new semester, as well as health checkups, are conducted at the Shinanomachi Campus. However, some administrative procedures are handled at SFC. Regarding classes, the campus where you attend depends on the specific subject for both compulsory and elective courses, and both are primarily conducted in person. Depending on the course content, online classes utilizing remote conferencing systems may be used in combination. The number of days you attend campus varies depending on the number of subjects (credits) you take in the spring and fall semesters, and it is not necessarily required to attend campus five days a week. If you have completed the necessary credits (excluding the master's thesis or project report) by the spring semester of your second year, your focus in the fall semester will be on working on your degree thesis.

Many incoming students are beginners in research. After enrollment, we offer analytical methodology courses such as Basic Epidemiology, Clinical Trial Methodology, Health Information Management, Multivariate Causal Analysis, Applied Biostatistics, Statistical Methods for Epidemiological Research, and Qualitative Research Methods. You will also learn various research techniques in Nursing Research, acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary for your own research through these subjects. Furthermore, there are many opportunities to learn about research in depth through special research courses, so there is no need to worry. Regarding English proficiency, reading comprehension is often required to read the papers necessary for conducting research, so it is advisable to familiarize yourself with English academic papers.  

In the master's program, most students do not have a research field yet. Since you will start by exploring research themes, you will decide which field is suitable as part of your studies. It is not a problem at all if you do not have a field.

The Diploma Policy (Ideal Human Resources to be Developed) of the Nursing Major aims to develop individuals who can develop, construct, and practice new ways of nursing care. Therefore, in order to obtain a degree in nursing within the Nursing Major, you will need to set a research theme related to nursing or care. That being said, a benefit of belonging to Keio University, a comprehensive university, is the possibility of exploring research themes in various forms. Please consult with your academic advisor after admission regarding whether joint research with other faculties or the utilization of knowledge from other faculties in some form is possible for your research theme.

In this Graduate School, the academic advisor in charge of the master's thesis is determined before the start of the fall semester of the first year. However, in the Nursing Major, you are required to select a specialized field at the entrance examination stage. Therefore, if there is only one faculty member in that specialized field, that faculty member will, in principle, become the academic advisor. If there are multiple faculty members in a specialized field, the academic advisor will be determined based on instructions after consulting with the faculty members in your specialized field regarding research themes and student preferences (approval from the relevant faculty member is required).

It is possible to conduct fieldwork or research activities overseas in consultation with your academic advisor. The required language proficiency and other requirements are determined through coordination with the host institution. Additionally, travel may be difficult depending on infectious diseases or safety conditions, so specific locations and periods will be discussed on an individual basis. Students in the Certified Nurse Specialist (CNS) program who meet certain requirements and wish to do so may participate in training at the Mayo Clinic as an opportunity to learn advanced nursing practice in the United States (the program may be canceled depending on the status of infectious diseases, etc.).  

The following scholarships are available for students of the Graduate School of Health Management while enrolled.

For details, please check the application guidelines and eligibility at https://www.students.keio.ac.jp/sfc/scholarships/unique/nmc-gshm.html before applying.

*Application periods vary.

*Both loans and grants are available.  

While the age and basic nursing education backgrounds of incoming students vary, most enter the program after gaining practical nursing experience in fields such as hospitals, communities, or international health. Furthermore, in this Graduate School, there are many subjects taken jointly not only with students from the Nursing Major but also with those from the Major in Public Health, Sport and Health Sciences, providing many opportunities for interaction among students. One of the strengths of this Graduate School is the opportunity to engage with students and faculty from diverse backgrounds beyond one's own major.

Graduates are active in the fields of medical care, health, and welfare, leveraging their learning from graduate school and focusing on activities aligned with their goals upon enrollment. Additionally, some aspire to start businesses related to health and medical care, some are involved in education and research as university faculty, and others go on to a Ph.D. program.