Department Introduction

The Department of Medical Administration and Psychotherapy is an interdisciplinary program that integrates the major in Medical Administration and the major in Counseling Psychotherapy. The department is dedicated to cultivating future-oriented professionals by providing a convergent, problem-solving-centered education. Through this curriculum, students acquire comprehensive, specialized knowledge across both core and applied professional fields, preparing them to become highly skilled experts capable of excelling in diverse clinical settings.

Educational Goals

The Graduate Program in Medical Administration and Psychotherapy aims to cultivate healthcare administration specialists with innovative thinking skills and profound theoretical knowledge who can contribute to the promotion of national health and welfare in a global environment.
In addition, the program seeks to train counseling psychology therapy professionals capable of understanding the principles of human behavior and providing psychological and emotional stability to individuals experiencing physical and mental challenges.

Fields of Study

Doctoral Program: Major in Medical Administration, Major in Counseling Psychotherapy

Career Paths after Graduation

Graduates of the Department of Medical Administration & Psychotherapy are equipped to serve both as healthcare administration specialists and as counseling professionals contributing to public health and community well-being. They may pursue careers in national, public, and private counseling centers, welfare institutions, school counseling offices, and early childhood facilities such as daycare centers, kindergartens, and community child centers. In addition, they are qualified to work in mental health centers, hospitals, clinics, and Wee Centers that provide school-based psychological services.
Graduates may also serve as professional school counselors, victim support specialists, and educators in the prevention of family, child, school, and sexual violence. Furthermore, they are well prepared for careers in clinical, counseling, social, child, and abnormal psychology, thereby meeting the increasing demand for both healthcare administration and psychological services while advancing community welfare and resilience.

Employment Status

Hospitals, Busan Metropolitan Dementia Center, Family Support Center, Labor Stability Center, Psychological Counseling Support Center, and others

Faculty Overview

Department Regulations

A. Admission

• Admissions shall be conducted in accordance with the Graduate School regulations and are divided into general and special categories. The ratio between the two shall be determined by the Department Chair in consultation with the faculty.
• Eligibility for similar majors is determined by the faculty committee. Applicants from related disciplines may be required to complete supplementary coursework.
  • Medical Administration Major : Public Health, Medical Administration, Nursing, Social Welfare, or other related fields.
  • Counseling Psychotherapy Major : Psychology, Counseling, Child Studies, Social Welfare, or other related fields.
• Admission decisions for both categories shall be based on document review and an oral examination in the applicant’s major field. However, the number of students admitted through the special admission category shall be limited to a designated proportion of the total quota.

B. Credit Requirements

• Course Completion Each semester, students must complete a minimum of 3 courses (9 credits) offered by the department. As a general rule, each major student must take 2 courses (6 credits) within their major and 1 course from another major within the department. A total of 40 credits, including 4 credits for doctora dissertation research, must be completed during the course of study.
• Supplementary Courses
  • Students whose master’s degree is in a different field must complete 12 supplementary credits designated by their academic advisor, including credits recognized as equivalent to the master’s program.
  • For students in the Counseling Psychotherapy major, even if their prior degree is not in the same or a related field, they may be recognized as equivalent if they have obtained a counseling-related certification.

C. Matters Concerning the Selection of an Academic Advisor

• To select an academic advisor, the student must apply to the department after receiving confirmation through a preliminary interview with a professor in their major. The department chair will then make the final decision on the advisor.
• If an academic advisor is unable to supervise the dissertation for up to one year due to a long-term business trip or other reasons, the student must either change their advisor or appoint a co-advisor. However, if the advisor is unable to participate in the dissertation defense, the advisor must be changed at the beginning of that semester (March or September).

D. Foreign Language Examination

The foreign language requirement shall be satisfied exclusively by an examination in English.

E. Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination shall be administered by the Department, and three courses from the doctoral coursework, irrespective of the student’s specific major field within the Department, shall be designated by the Department Chair.

F. Dissertation Submission and Examination

• Students who meet all of the following requirements shall be eligible to apply for the dissertation examination. Graduates who wish to apply for the degree after program completion must register at the beginning of the semester by paying the research registration fee.
  • Eligibility Criteria for Thesis Submission
    • Must have completed 36 credits of coursework and 4 credits of dissertation research(for a total of 40 credits).
    • Must have passed the foreign language and comprehensive examinations.
    • Must have earned all required credits for any designated supplementary courses.
    • Must have conducted a public dissertation proposal presentation within the department one semester prior to the preliminary thesis review.
  • Dissertation Proposal Presentation
    • Candidates intending to submit a dissertation must give a public presentation of their dissertation proposal at a time and place designated by the department chair one semester prior to the preliminary review.
    • The dissertation proposal must be submitted to the relevant faculty members one week prior to the presentation date.
    • The proposal must clearly present sufficient literary references and a well-defined research methodology.
    • The length of the proposal must be a minimum of 10 A4 pages, excluding references.
    • The dissertation proposal presentation shall serve as an opportunity for feedback and revision prior to the preliminary examination.
• A candidate submitting a doctoral dissertation must, under the guidance of their academic advisor, satisfy a publication achievement rate of 100% or more in a professional academic journal (listed or candidate for listing in a recognized index).
  • Single-author publication (1 author): 100%
  • Co-authored publication (2 or more authors): The lead researcher (first author or corresponding author) receives credit calculated as 2/(n+1)×100%.
    Other co-authors receive credit calculated as 1/(n+1)×100%.
    more authors, the calculation shall be capped at 5 . Note: For publications where the number of authors (n) is 5 or more, n will be treated as 5 for the purpose of this calculation.
• Preliminary Examination
  • The preliminary review serves as an opportunity to revise and supplement the content of the dissertation.
  • Following the preliminary review, a decision is made on whether to advance the dissertation to the final review (which consists of 3 or more sessions), and this decision is reported to the Dean of the Graduate School.
  • The members of the final review committee are recommended to the Dean of the Graduate School by the department chair in consultation with the student's academic advisor.
  • If the preliminary examination identifies significant issues, the candidate may be required to revise and re-present the dissertation.

Curriculum