Health Promotion

Why choose? 

The Master of Science in Health Promotion focuses on developing, implementing and evaluating health-promoting programmes. The  programme wants to teach students how to look critically at the scientific approach of health-promoting programmes. On the basis of various courses you will be trained as a professional who develops and disseminates evidence- and theory-based interventions along with a multidisciplinary team. Attention is paid to behavioural changes in individuals, groups and organisations. In addition, you also gain knowledge of policy and its influence on health.

As a scientist you will learn the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to examine health problems and the factors related to health behaviour. You learn to evaluate interventions on their process and (cost)-effectiveness and to study their distribution in the field. You learn how to function in multidisciplinary teams and to contribute to the health promotion policy. The knowledge and methods you’ll learn are from different scientific fields: medicine, epidemiology, psychology, communication science, economics, policy science and sociology.

The master of science in health promotion is a 60 ECTS credit academic master. The majority of subjects are taught in Dutch, the possibilities in English are discussed in the section below.

Requirements

Students can only apply when there is an agreement between their university and Ghent University within the field of health promotion. Your home university’s international coordinator or Erasmus Office can inform you if this is the case.

Students holding a Non-Belgian Degree also need to have their degree approved. Information, requirements and application can be found on the ‘Admission Requirements’ page of Ghent University (http://www.ugent.be/en/degree).

B2 level in English is necessary. If a student is unable to communicate properly with other students or researchers, the student will not be allowed to start the course or master dissertation.

Possibilities

Theoretical courses 

Exchange students can come to Ghent University to attend courses during one semester. The first semester runs from September until January, and the second semester from February until June.

As most courses in the Master programme of Health Promotion are in Dutch, we offer theoretical courses outside our programme. The courses have a link with health promotion with regard to the content. The following courses are offered in English and can be chosen:

Please be sure that you meet the initial competences which can be found in the ECTS sheets.

Semester 1 

Semester 2

Practical internship (Dutch) 

The purpose of the practical internship is to learn how to function in an organisation that is active in the field of health promotion. The aim is that students will be involved in the job responsibilities of the health promotor. The students will be introduced to different assigned jobs of a health promotor and will perform several tasks themselves. The students will gain insight in the general goal of the organisation, as well as the role of the organisation in prevention. The students need to show the necessary reliability, independence and initiative and have to write a detailed internship report.

Research internship 

The purpose of the research internship is to learn how to function in a research organisation related to health promotion (e.g. in a specific research unit within the department of Public Health and Primary Care). The aim is that students will be involved in the job responsibilities of the internship mentor. The students will be introduced to different assigned jobs of a researcher and will perform several tasks themselves. The students need to show the necessary reliability, independence and initiative and have to write a detailed internship report. 

Master dissertation

Besides theoretical courses and an internship, there is also the possibility to work on a master dissertation. The Master’s dissertation is a piece of work in which the student completes a project under guidance of a promotor (and/or co-promotor). The student performs an empirical study with regard to a relevant issue related to health promotion (using secondary data).

Contact

Departmental Erasmus coordinator for Master of Science in Health promotion: 

Prof. dr. Maïté Verloigne

To be contacted for:

• General information about the programme
• Questions about courses

Departmental Erasmus administrator for the Master of Science in Health promotion:

Mrs. Katelijne De Meyere

To be contacted for:

• General questions about the curriculum