MSc in Clinical and Psychosocial Epidemiology (research): Health Systems and Prevention University of Groningen

Do you want to be pioneering in research side by side with excellent public health researchers and societal partners? Then the Health Systems and Prevention (HSP) track is the right choice for you!

The HSP track combines cutting-edge interdisciplinary research with practical policy questions, aiming to solve complex public health problems related to societal issues like an ageing population, increasing levels of chronic diseases, widening health inequalities, migration and urbanization. You learn to tackle issues like these from various academic disciplines, as you are taught and supervised by experts in economics, spatial sciences, psychology, sociology, and medicine. The track is a small-scale selective programme that is embedded within the research master Clinical and Psychosocial Epidemiology (CPE) and is an initiative of the University Medical Center Groningen and the Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health.

A unique element of the programme is the academic-oriented internship, a learning period during which students can collaborate with a national and/or international societal partner such as the Ministry of Health, health insurers, municipal health services, occupational health services and social security institutes. In this setting, you will develop skills for putting research into practice, in order to make a measurable impact on public health. So are you looking to connect high-quality academic research with the practice of public health? Apply now!

Why study this programme in Groningen?

• Focus on future public health challenges
• Small-scale programme focused on your individual development
• Combining cutting-edge research with practical policy questions to develop evidence-based prevention policies
• Pioneering in research side by side with top-researchers
• Actively participate in and contribute to the aims of a non-academic (health) organization
• Possibility to obtain a PhD position
• Possibility of a scholarship

Year 1

The first year starts with solidifying the student's basis in psychology and epidemiology, as well as methodology and statistics. Moreover, the track includes the Basic and Advanced courses on Health systems and Prevention. These courses aim to learn students about the role of health systems in disease prevention and health promotion, and the added value of interdisciplinary research and stakeholder engagement. Students will learn about the use of big data and open data sources, and innovative statistical techniques, like causal inferences and modelling studies, needed to conduct evaluations on population and health system levels.

The programme is set up in such a way that every student will either have or develop a basic foundation in both medicine and psychology, making sure that students of all backgrounds are fully equipped to proceed with the programme.

Courses

• A. Basics Courses (8 EC)
• B. Clinical Epidemiology (10 EC)
• C. Psychosocial Epidemiology (12 EC)
• D. Health Systems and Prevention (8 EC)
• E. Master's Thesis Proposal (13 EC)
• F. Coaching Groups (5 EC)

Year 2

The second year mainly consists of an academic-oriented internship and a master thesis research project. The internship provides an opportunity to actively participate and contribute to the aims of a non-academic societal partner, such as the Ministry of Health, health insurers, municipal health services, occupational health services and social security institutes. The master thesis project provides ample opportunity to get deeply involved in a research topic related to Health Systems and Prevention and to experience the daily challenges of researchers in the area of Public Health. During the master thesis project, students will choose elective courses based on their area of interest, background knowledge, and research project topic.

Courses

• A. Master's Thesis Project (39 EC)
• B. Research Tools (7 EC)
• C. Writing a successful PhD research proposal (8 EC)
• D. Elective courses (10 EC)

Study load

• 40 hours of class and self-study per week on average

Study abroad

• Study abroad is optional

Job prospects

Your master thesis can function as the basis of your own PhD proposal. High-ranking students will be offered a full scholarship to continue with a three-year PhD programme at the UMCG!

If you do not wish to continue in academia, you can work as a researcher at a non-academic organization, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), health insurers, (international) hospitals, or municipal health services.

Job examples

• Find scientific evidence for practical problems
• Advise organizations on interventions or future policy
• Contribute to the design of health systems of the future
• Working as a researcher within health care organization