To enhance the employment competitiveness of
university students, the Ministry of Education (MOE) encourages innovative
thinking in curriculum planning and pedagogy. It suggests a diversified track
toward professional and practical application to strengthen students' career
readiness upon graduation, thereby promoting the "Curriculum
Diversification Project." Under the leadership and planning of Vice
President Chun-Kan Chen, Chang Gung University received a subsidy from the MOE
in December 2013 to implement this project, which marked the inception of this
program.
In response to the curriculum diversification initiative and the
care demands of an aging society—while integrating the university's abundant
resources in medicine, biotechnology, health, and long-term care—the College of
Medicine established the "Master’s Degree Program in Healthcare
Industry" and the "Master’s Degree Program in Biotechnology
Industry." For the Healthcare program, a curriculum committee was formed
in early 2014, comprising faculty representatives from the Departments of
Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Nursing, and
Healthcare Management, alongside several industry experts. Following several
meetings, the program's objective was defined: to integrate curricula closely
with the industry, emphasize practical internships, and cultivate high-level
elderly care professionals who possess empathy, a sense of social mission,
practical experience, management skills, entrepreneurial spirit, workplace
mobility, foreign language proficiency, and a global perspective. The overall
curriculum planning was completed, and enrollment for the Master's program
began in the 2016 academic year. In the 2022 academic year, the program was
renamed the "Master’s Degree Program in Health and Long-Term Care
Industry."
1. Educational Mission
The program aims to cultivate advanced trans-disciplinary health and elderly
care professionals who possess multicultural perspectives, humanistic social
care literacy, and the ability to innovate, plan, and manage integrated
team-based care.
2. Program Objectives
(1) To cultivate talents with contemporary mindsets and philosophies for
long-term care; (2) To develop professionals in health, prevention, and
restorative care; (3) To foster expertise in long-term care industry management
and care coordination; (4) To train innovators in smart technology and
assistive devices for long-term care; (5) To cultivate leaders and
entrepreneurs for the long-term care industry.
3. Faculty and Resources
The faculty integrates expertise from the Departments of Physical Therapy,
Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Health Care Management, and
Business Administration at Chang Gung University, as well as researchers from
the "Healthy Aging Research Center." Furthermore, specialists from
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung Health and Culture Village, and
relevant industries are recruited to provide students with exceptional
industry-academic-research learning resources.
4. Practical Internships and
Industry Collaboration
The program selects appropriate internship sites and arranges placements in
institutions or enterprises to provide a robust platform for industry-academic
cooperation. In response to the development of "Long-term Care 2.0"
community and new service models, we have expanded our network beyond the Chang
Gung Health and Culture Village to include various startups and industrial
partners, ensuring a seamless transition from campus to career.
5. Curriculum and Enrollment
Flexible Scheduling: Compulsory courses are concentrated on one weekday, accommodating working professionals.
Dual-Track Progression: The program targets students from the Colleges of Medicine and Management. Undergraduate students can first complete the "Elderly Health Care" (6 credits) and "Cross-Domain Long-Term Care" (8 credits) micro-credit programs.
Master's Degree: After completing undergraduate micro-programs, students may apply for the Master's program via public admission during their senior year. Upon graduation from their original department and completing 30 credits of graduate coursework, they are awarded a Master’s degree. The program also welcomes bachelor’s graduates from other universities.
Professional Impact: This practical curriculum inspires professional licensed practitioners to enhance their skills in the elderly care sector. By combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on internships and humanistic values, graduates are equipped not only to pass professional licensure exams but also to immediately enter the workforce as managers, innovators, or entrepreneurs, thereby elevating the overall quality of care and maximizing the industrial value of academic research.