Prospectus

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Health, Ageing and Society

Master

Programme

Our ageing society challenges to innovate. This master offers you the opportunity to study 'vitality and ageing' during one year from a combination of biological, individual and societal perspectives.

Our ageing society with longer living individuals challenges innovation. This international master gives you the basic knowledge and skills to contribute to the improvement of circumstances of older people in ageing societies. The programme is especially attractive for those students who are widely interested in the causes and effects of human vitality and ageing, and who are willing to learn from understanding scientific evidence which results in the implementation of new organisation models.

This one year master offers a program to specialise in the theme 'vitality and ageing'; studied from a combination of biological, individual and societal perspectives. Finally, a 10-week master thesis introduces you to your future working field.

Degree Programme Structure

The Vitality and Ageing master’s degree is an intensive programme that goes beyond attending lectures and participating in work groups. Students are expected to do more than merely absorb facts. The degree programme lasts one academic year. However, also a flexible programme is offered for students who want to follow the study parttime. These students follow the same progamme in another time schedule that lasts two years. The degree programme is divided into four thematic periods and ends with an internship and thesis:

  • Future Perspectives

  • Biology of Vitality and Ageing

  • The Older Individual

  • Organisation of the Ageing Society

  • Science and Career

Through the curriculum students work on obtaining general skills including:

  • Academic Development (personal and career development, interdisciplinary and international teamwork, academic thinking),

  • Research and Evidence (epidemiology, qualitative and quantitative research methods, translation evidence to practice),

  • Communication in Science (verbal and written, traditional and modern ways of communication)

Contact information:

If you have any questions about the Master or your registration, please contact the study advisor of Vitality & Ageing at studyadvisorva@lumc.nl.

Courses

Course EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Future perspectives 1
Biology of vitality and ageing 10
The older individual 10
Organisation of the ageing society 10
Science and Career 12
Communication in science (Educational line) 5
Research and evidence (Educational line) 5
Academic development (Educational line) 7

Career Preparation

Career preparation at Leiden University

In addition to offering you a solid university education, Leiden University aims to prepare you as well as possible for the labour market, and in doing so contribute to the development of your employability. In this way, it will become easier for you to make the transition to the labour market, to remain employable in a dynamic labour market, in a (career) job that suits your own personal values, preferences and development.

'Employability' consists of the following aspects that you will develop within your study programme, among others:

  1. Discipline-specific knowledge and skills
    Knowledge and skills specific to your study programme.

  2. Transferable skills
    These are skills that are relevant to every student and that you can use in all kinds of jobs irrespective of your study programme, for example: researching, analysing, project-based working, generating solutions, digital skills, collaborating, oral communication, written communication, presenting, societal awareness, independent learning, resilience.

  3. Self-reflection
    This concerns self-reflection in the context of your (study) career, including reflecting on the choices you make as a student during your studies, what can you do with your knowledge and skills on the labour market?
    In addition, reflecting on your own profile and your personal and professional development. Who are you, what can you do well, what do you find interesting, what suits you, what do you find important, what do you want to do?

  4. Practical experience
    Gaining practical experience through internships, work placements, projects, practical (social) assignments, which are integrated into an elective, minor or graduation assignment.

  5. Labour market orientation
    Gaining insight into the labour market, fields of work, jobs and career paths through, for example, guest speakers and alumni experiences from the work field, career events within the study programme, the use of the alumni mentor network, interviewing people from the work field, and shadowing/visiting companies in the context of a particular subject.

Employability in the curriculum of Health, Ageing and Society

You will also find these employability elements in your study programme. Examples of subjects that pay attention to this are:

The course Academic Development

  • Orientation visits

  • Mentoring regarding professional career opportunities

  • Career workshop (organized by LUMC Career Service)

The internship Science and Career

  • Intensive consultation to find a suitable internship

  • Internship in or outside the LUMC, in the field of professional interest of the student

  • Meetings with alumni (to meet professionals)

Activities to prepare for the labour market outside the curriculum of Health, Ageing and Society

Every year, various activities take place, within, alongside and outside of your study programme, which contribute to your preparation for the labour market, especially where it concerns orientation towards the work field/the labour market, (career) skills and self-reflection. These may be information meetings on decision moments within your programme, but also career workshops and events organised by your own programme, the faculty Career Service or your study association.

For example: Orientation visits during the course Academic Development and the meetings with alumni (Science and Career).

Career Service, LU Career Zone and career workshops calendar

Faculty Career Service
The Career Service of your faculty offers information and advice on study (re)orientation and master's choice, (study) career planning, orientation on the labour market and job applications.

Leiden University Career Zone Leiden University Career Zone is the website for students and alumni of Leiden University to support their (study) career. You can find advice, information, (career) tests and tools in the area of (study) career planning, career possibilities with your study, job market orientation, job applications, the Alumni Mentor network, job portal, workshops and events and career services.

Workshops and events
On the course calendar you will find an overview of career and application workshops, organised by the Career services.

Course EC Semester 1 Semester 2

LUMC Career Service

The Career Service of Medicine offers support if you have questions about your career, your master choice, the job market and job applications. Are you looking for career advice? Visit the Career Service of Medicine!

More information: https://careerzone.universiteitleiden.nl/en/career-services/medicine-lumc/