Tenshi College Graduate School of Midwifery

　The Graduate School of Midwifery at Tenshi College is the first midwifery program opened at Master level in Japan. Midwifery School at Tenshi was founded in 1952 conformity with newly issued Public Health Nurse, Midwife and Nurse Law. It is reorganized in 1965 as Special Course for Public Health Nurse and Midwifery attached to Tenshi Junior College and closed in 2003. The graduates from these courses are working not only within the country but also all over the world making great contribution to improve maternal and child health.

　Recently, midwife's skills are increasingly valued and midwives are urged to expand their role further in women's health and other wide range of health care. In order to meet these expanded roles with high quality of the care, Tenshi College made action to apply new law issued for professional school in December 2003. Our Graduate School of Midwifery approved by the Ministry of Education and Science in November 2003. Tenshi College offer curriculum for nurses graduated from bachelor program to prepare competent professional midwives.

　The role of the midwife is to provide care of woman during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum period including the care of the newborn. In addition, midwives also work with women during various phases of their lives from adolescence to menopause. Midwives provide health education and consultation to women on matters such as reproductive health, sexuality, counseling and support women in treatment of infertility as well as helping women with genetic problems. The support and information provided to women by the midwives are of historical significance because midwives believe that each woman has the right to choose safe and satisfying health care with respect for human dignity, ethical and moral values, as well as cultural diversities.

　The goal of the Graduate School of Midwifery is to provide our students the knowledge, skills and decision-making necessary for full scope midwifery practice. The additional courses in research, teaching, leadership, ethical values and management are offered to students to increase their competency to develop and implement evidence based midwifery practice as well as strengthen their role as advocates and art as change agents in the future carrier life.

　Upon successful completion of the undergraduate nursing program, graduates are eligible to take the entrance examination for admission to the Graduate School of Midwifery. The faculty looks forward to welcome those who strongly motivated to carrier as a midwife.

［The years required for completion］2 years
［Degree］Master of Midwifery
［Qualification］for the National Examination of Midwifery
［The credits required for graduation］59 credits