The Ministry of Education aims to enhance the employability of college students by encouraging innovative curriculum planning and teaching that emphasizes professional practical application. This includes the option for students to choose a teaching model that focuses on practical skills to strengthen their ability to find employment after graduation. Therefore, universities are encouraged to plan and implement curriculum division programs. Under the leadership of Vice President Chen Chun-Kan, Chang Gung University began implementing a curriculum division program in December 2013 with the assistance of the Ministry of Education. This was the inception of the program that we see today.
In response to the curriculum division program and the growing need for elderly care in an aging society, Chang Gung University established the " Master Degree Program in Health Care Industry " and the "Master Program in Biotechnology Industry". The Master Program in Health Care Industry, for example, selected representatives from the Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Nursing, and the College of Management to form a curriculum committee in early 2014. Through several committee meetings, the program's goals were established to closely align with industry needs, emphasizing practical internships, cultivating professionals with empathy, a sense of social responsibility, practical experience, management and entrepreneurial abilities, workplace mobility, foreign language proficiency, and an international outlook in elderly care. The overall curriculum planning was completed, and the program began accepting master's degree students in the 105 academic year. In the 111 academic year, the program was renamed the "Master Degree Program in Health and Long-term Care Industry".
This program aims to cultivate high-level, trans-disciplinary health and elderly care professionals with respect for diverse cultural thinking, humanities and social care, innovative and team-integrated care planning and management skills.
The objectives of this program are (1) to cultivate talents with new thinking and concepts for long-term care, (2) to cultivate professionals in health, prevention, and rehabilitation care, (3) to cultivate professionals in the management of the long-term care industry and care management, (4) to cultivate talents in innovative technologies and aids for long-term care, and (5) to cultivate talents in innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership in the long-term care industry.
The faculty of this program includes professors from Chang Gung University's Department of Physics, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Healthcare Management, and Business Management, as well as teachers from the university's Health Aging Research Center, and teachers from Chang Gung Hospital, Health Village, and related industries to provide students with excellent industry-academic research and learning resources in the field of aging and long-term care.
This program selects appropriate internship sites and arranges for students to intern in institutions or enterprises to provide a good platform for industry-academic cooperation. Recently, in response to the development of community and new types of services in Long-Term Care 2.0, in addition to the existing Chang Gung Health Village, internships and industry-academic cooperation opportunities have been increased by linking with several long-term care-related start-up companies and industries to achieve seamless integration between the school and the industry.
The required courses are concentrated on one day of the week, and can also be completed through on-the-job training. This program is planned to recruit students from the relevant departments of the university's College of Medicine and Management. The course plan includes a pre-requisite for undergraduate students to take the "Elderly Health Care" micro-credit program (6 credits) and the "Cross-Disciplinary Long-Term Care" micro-credit program (8 credits), and a master's program of 30 credits. Upon completion of the required course credits during the undergraduate years, students will be awarded a certificate of completion for the "Elderly Health Care" and "Cross-Disciplinary Long-Term Care" micro-credit programs. Undergraduate students who have completed some of the courses may participate in the public recruitment examination in their senior year. Upon being admitted, they can continue to complete the 30 credits of the master's program after graduating from their undergraduate program. Those who pass the grades will be awarded a master's degree. The public recruitment examination for this master's program also accepts bachelor's degree graduates from other universities.
This program is aimed at the certification professionals nurtured in the aforementioned participating departments of the university, inspiring and strengthening their practical courses in high-age and long-term care-related knowledge, interest, skills, and perspectives in the course of their education, so that they can not only pass the professional licensing examination of their major but also immediately engage in high-age and long-term care-related fields upon graduation.