Healthy Ageing

About this programme

Having a healthy lifestyle not only applies to those who are older but applies across the life-course, at all stages. It is not only the healthcare field that is involved with heathy ageing, technological developments can also contribute to a healthy lifestyle in children, adults and seniors. By combining several disciplines – for example healthcare and technology, epidemiology, sociology, ethics – Healthy Ageing offers the opportunity to explore a wide range of perspectives as to how individuals and populations can age with optimum health.

As life expectancies rise, so does the importance of reducing the number of years with illness. Health care services and systems face challenges just as do governments and policy makers, to effectively accommodate people to living longer and healthier lives. During the programme, students will work together in interdisciplinary groups, to investigate both the challenges and opportunities of an ageing world.

The framework of the programme consists of the following inter-related modules:

Future of Health

How do societal developments in health care impact individuals and populations? What measures can be taken to ensure healthy ageing? Preventative and self-care? What processes of growth, change and stability will we be dealing with as we age? This module examines future challenges faced by health care professionals of the future.
Assessment: Essay

Health & Technology

Here we look at how e-health and health technology can successfully contribute to changes in health care. In part as a result of an ageing population, the need for cost effectiveness, knowledgeable and empowered patients – there is an increasing need and demand for self- management. The ways in which E- health and health technology can contribute to the various challenges facing health care systems and health care delivery are key aspects of this component.
Assessment: Infographic/ presentation/ debate

Global Health

It takes into account the influence of wider aspects such as globalisation, social determinants, health systems and international policies that lie outside the direct sphere of influence of an individual or population. The newly acquired knowledge can be used to set up effective strategies for policy advice in one’s own professional field.
Assessment: Written report

Bridging the Gap: Ageism

Key themes addressed are those associated with growing older – frailty, dementia, ageism. Here stereotypical ideas associated with older people are challenged as we “bridge the gap” and interview those who are experiencing later life. Practical research carried out on seniors in the form of a semi structured interview which further facilitates learning and knowledge.
Assessment: Interview/ Presentation

Innovation Project 1 & 2

The programme additionally prepares you to cooperate in international, multidisciplinary teams by executing a real project about a health problem in an international context. Within this integral task, which makes up the core of the programme, you will develop a health solution for a Global Health problem in a group setting. The project module is a compulsory component in the first period of the programme and runs for 10 weeks. This allows you to work together in small groups, following the stages of the design thinking approach to find an innovative solution to a real life problem.
Assessment: Product/ report/ presentation

All modules are 5 credits and run for a period of 10 weeks. The module Global Health is also offered as a single “stand alone” module.

Before you can start

• You are a third-year of fourth-year student (Bachelor level undergraduate or associate degree).
• You have a background in nursing, allied health care studies, midwifery, social studies, human technology studies or sport studies.
• You have completed your first year of your education and have obtained at least 45 ECTS in the main phase (year 2, 3 (or 4)).
• You have experience with project management and you have developed research skills. No general education on these two topics will be offered.
• You will need to work in an international interprofessional multidisciplinary team and master the English language (graduation level secondary school). Useful additional personal characteristics for participation in such a team are: an open mind, the ability to listen actively, tolerance, flexibility, transparency in motives, interests and values.
• Language requirements

  Academic IELTS 6.0 overall

How to apply  

Check www.hanze.nl/applicationexchange for the application details

Find out more about our application process and practical matters.