Population Health Management

Year 1

The first year of the programme consists of ten courses of four weeks each. The first two weeks of a course consist of independent, online education. The third week is an intensive, fulltime on-campus week to expand your skills through groupwork. The four-week period is concluded with an individual assignment and reflection week.

Parallel to the ten courses, students will execute two project cases.

Throughout the first and second year of the programme, students will develop and reflect on their professional and personal skills through a tutor-guided course.

The first year courses are listed below in the order in which they should be completed. For each subsequent course, it is assumed that students have mastered the knowledge of the previous course(s).

Year 2

For the second year, you will design your own individualized programme, linked to one or a combination of the four tracks. In the third semester you will develop your own track consisting of courses and internships (30 EC). This will be followed by your Final research project which consists of your master thesis and a knowledge utilization project (30EC). The individualized and interdisciplinary character of the second year offers you the perfect opportunity to study abroad and broaden your horizon.

The four tracks are:

• Epidemiology

• Governance

• Data Science

• Syndemics

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 Population Health Management

As an academic strategic partner of PHM, you have the skills to look and act across domains and integrally solve complex healthcare issues. This is requested in a wide range of healthcare organizations and businesses and in government. Within this wide range, it can be challenging to find your own path. From the moment you start your Master's degree, your tutor will help you create a matching career path. Employability is addressed during master in various educational components.

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

1. Discipline-specific knowledge and skills
   The PHM curriculum is designed as a competence based curriculum. During all courses the learning objectives are directly linked to one or more of these competences.

2. Transferable skills
   During all the courses transferable skills are developed (giving and receiving feedback, writing skills, collaboration, communication, academic skills etc.). Project-based working is subject of the two project-cases and the course “implementation: putting PHM into action”. A crucial skill (therefore one of the six PHM competences) is: “transformative skills” in which adjusting to changing circumstances is learned throughout the complete curriculum; a useful skill in all kinds of jobs.

3. Self-reflection
   During the course “Professional and Personal Development” (PPD) you reflect on your own personal and professional development, mainly related to the six competences of PHM. You will make an Individual Development Plan to reflect on your development and formulate learning goals. This is indispensable input for the self-made second year plan.

4. Practical experience
   Both first year project-cases are examples of how to apply the knowledge and skills you have gained. During your second year you can choose for an internship and you will work on you master thesis research project (which is often executed during an internship).

5. Labour market orientation
   You are trained for so-called “jobs of the future”. But during PPD you will get insight in future career perspectives f.i. through the lecture “Orientation and Preparation for 2nd year PHM” organized by our career service. We are in close connection with our alumni and do give them the floor during the annual PHM Student Symposium to share their experiences with you.

Activities to prepare for the labour market outside the curriculum of Population Health Management

Every year, various activities take place, 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. You can think of career service activities or the study abroad festival.

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.