The Clinical Psychology major in the Graduate School of Medicine, Kagawa University (Master's Course) (1) aims to promote education and research of world-class psychology and clinical psychology that integrates medical science; (2) develops human resources endowed with advanced knowledge and experience and a rich sense of humanity necessary for psychological practitioners; and (3) contributes to the progress of psychology and clinical psychology, and to the enrichment and development of the welfare of local residents through the practice of psychology and clinical psychology.

Diploma Policy (principles guiding graduation requirements)
The Department of Clinical Psychology (Master's Course), Graduate School of Medicine, Kagawa University, based on its educational philosophy, trains students to become highly skilled professionals capable of performing in a variety of clinical psychological settings by acquiring the following skills:

1. the ability to understand clients and patients by acquiring a high level of specialized knowledge in clinical psychology, as well as the medical grounding and knowledge of psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine that are necessary as a clinical psychological practitioner

2. the ability to plan, conduct, and discuss research in the field of clinical psychology based on one’s own logical thinking

3. the ability to cooperate and collaborate with professionals from multiple disciplines in a variety of settings with a high sense of ethics and social responsibility and an autonomous and reflective attitude

4. the ability to provide psychological understanding and assistance to the various issues of multicultural understanding and multicultural coexistence, with an international perspective of clinical psychology research and practice

The following are the standards for the abilities and attitudes that the graduates of the master’s course in the Department of Clinical Psychology should acquire upon completion of the graduate program.

1. Specialized knowledge and understanding

Graduates will:
1) understand and acquire advanced and practical specialized knowledge and theories in clinical psychology, and be endowed with a wide range of knowledge and insights based on their own expertise as a highly specialized professional,
2) acquire knowledge of and understand psychiatric and psychosomatic medicine from the medical perspective, and understand the current state of medical care for diseases and disorders that are important to psychological practitioners, and
3) be endowed with the ability to offer practical assistance based on knowledge in clinical psychology and on a medical grounding that enables them to optimally understand clients and patients.

2. Research ability

Graduates will gain the ability to plan and carry out research in the field of clinical psychology based on their own logical thinking, as well as the ability to present and discuss the results of that research.

3. A sense of ethics and social responsibility

Graduates will:
1) have the ability to act in an autonomous and reflective manner with rich humanity and a high sense of ethics and responsibility as psychological practitioners,
2) be aware of their social responsibility to contribute to people's mental health and growth, be prepared to strive for improvement throughout their lives, and be capable of playing an active role as a highly specialized professionals, and
3) have the ability to work on the enrichment and development of clinical psychology by making use of their specialized knowledge and advanced practical assistance skills while collaborating and cooperating with professionals from multiple disciplines in health and medical care, welfare, and other settings in order to support people’s mental health and growth.

4. Global mindset

Graduates will:
1) be able to understand and refer to research trends in clinical psychology and psychological practice, and  understand the history and the current status of training for psychological practitioners in other countries
2) understand the globalized modern society and be able to provide psychological understanding and assistance on various issues aiming for multicultural understanding and co-existence. They will be endowed with psychological understanding and the ability to provide assistance on the various issues of multicultural understanding and multicultural coexistence, based on a broad perspective of clinical psychology research and practice both in Japan and abroad.

Curriculum Policy (principles underlying the educational framework and experiential learning)  
The Department of Clinical Psychology at Kagawa University’s Faculty of Medicine (Master's Course) organizes the curriculum in accordance with the following policies in order to develop human resources in line with the principles guiding graduation requirements (i.e., the Diploma Policy).

1. We offer courses in the fields of health and medical care, welfare, education, justice/crime, and industry/labor, in order for students to acquire advanced specialized knowledge in clinical psychology, as well as courses that provide students with the medical knowledge necessary to become psychological practitioners.

2. We offer courses related to clinical psychology research, in order for students to acquire the ability to plan, conduct, and discuss research projects based on logical thinking.

3. We offer courses related to professional ethics, research ethics, and bioethics as psychological practitioners, in order for students to acquire a high sense of ethics and social responsibility, and courses on multidisciplinary cooperation as psychological practitioners, in order for students to learn the concept of multidisciplinary cooperation and how to cooperate and collaborate by utilizing their own expertise as psychological practitioners.

4. We offer courses related to basic theories of clinical psychology and clinical psychological assessment, in order for students to acquire effective skills in response to overseas research trends in clinical psychology and psychological support, as well as multicultural understanding and issues of multicultural coexistence.

Admissions Policy (principles underlying student admissions)
◇ Academic abilities, capabilities, and competencies required of students (skills, abilities, and qualities)
Prospective students are expected to have the following academic abilities, capabilities, and competencies:

1. Knowledge, skills, and understanding
* Basic knowledge, skills, and understanding of psychology and clinical psychology at a level equivalent to a bachelor’s degree

2. Thinking faculties, ability to make judgments, and expressiveness
* The ability to explain issues related to mental health and growth, the connection between mind and body, and psychological support based on one's own logical thinking and judgment

3. Research competency
* Basic knowledge and understanding of empirical research methods in investigation of mental issues

4. Inquiring mind, motivation, and attitude
* High aspirations, motivation, attitude, and creative spirit of inquiry for learning, practicing, and studying psychological assistance

5. A Sense of ethics and social responsibility
* As a prospective psychological practitioner, respect for human beings, empathetic communication skills, and the willingness and ethical attitude to cooperate with other professionals,

6. Global mindset
* Basic language skills to understand domestic and international information related to clinical psychology, and the ability to think about various issues of clinical psychology in the local community from an international perspective and from the perspective of multicultural understanding

◇ The purpose of the selection method
The "Foreign Language" written examination assesses whether students have acquired the knowledge, comprehension, and English language skills necessary to understand literature on psychology, clinical psychology, and related fields. The “Specialty (Clinical Psychology)” written examination assesses knowledge, skills, and understanding; ability to think, judge, and express oneself; and ability to do research in psychology, clinical psychology, and related fields, which are necessary for learning in the master’s course. And “Interview” assesses inquisitiveness, motivation, and attitude; research ability; ability to think, judge, and express oneself; and ethics and social responsibility, in a question-and-answer format based on the application documents (e.g., “Reason for Applying, Summary of Senior Thesis” “Master’s Thesis Research Plan).