Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy. Master in Health Sciences

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1 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy Master in Health Sciences

2 Dear Student September 2015 has been an eventful month for the Master in Health Sciences Program. We could celebrate our first graduates who received their degrees during a beautiful ceremony at the University of Lucerne. Only a few weeks after their graduation, many of them already have a job, in the pharmaceutical industry, in hospital management, health insurance, patient and physician organizations, but also in research and teaching. Our second cohort is in the middle of their internship, working in our research groups at the University of Lucerne, with our core partners of the Swiss Paraplegic Group in Nottwil and the Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, or with our other partners of the Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy, e.g., Roche Diagnostics, biogen idec, CSS insurance, the Institute for Primary and Community Care, and Interface. And for the third year in a row, our program has been fully booked. It is therefore worthwile to get early information about the recent developments in our study curriculum to start in the MA Health Sciences at the next admission period in Get in touch with us during the Master info weeks in October and March to learn more about the program and make use of the opportunity for individual meetings with the professors, or visit us at Sincerely yours, Prof. Stefan Boes, Program Director

3 Content and Goal The Master of Arts in Health Sciences at the University of Lucerne offers students from a wide range of disciplines the necessary knowledge and skills towards a comprehensive understanding of health, functioning and disability. At the heart of the program is the lived experience of persons, and how individuals interact with their environment in the context of health. Students learn how to describe, understand and influence a person s health from a social science perspective. Students also have the opportunity to choose a major and get more in-depth knowledge in a specific area, depending on their professional interests and career direction. The MA Health Sciences aims to bring a new dimension into research, health service provision, and healthcare management by pioneering the development and application of a comprehensive approach in the field of health. It is the ideal curriculum to foster innovation in our society where aging and the growing prevalence of chronic diseases are a main challenge within the health care system. «The MA Health Sciences program provides me with a comprehensive knowledge in health from different perspectives and prepares me well for future challenges in the exciting field of health.» Lukas Studer, Graduate 2015, Major Health Economics and Health Policy Prospective Students The program welcomes students with different backgrounds such as natural sciences, biology, medicine, social sciences, and humanities. For questions regarding admission requirements, organization and planning of studies, please contact the Program Manager or visit our website (Prospective Students).

4 Career Prospects The MA Health Sciences offers the ideal preparation for students who aspire to have careers in health care in a dynamic and interdisciplinary environment. In our Master program, we are dedicated to educating students so they are in an excellent position to further their career in health-related areas including positions in research, in the private sector, health administration/public health, health education, health promotion, and management in state and federal health agencies. Overview Master Program in Health Sciences Master of Arts in Health Sciences (Interdisciplinary Study Programme, 120 ECTS-Credits) Basic Studies Human Functioning Sciences 16 Credits Health Systems and Services 6 Credits Methods I 12 Credits Methods II 6 Credits Research and Professional Skills I 8 Credits Research and Professional Skills II 8 Credits Research and Professional Skills III 8 Credits Research and Professional Skills IV 4 Credits Majors Health Communication, Health Behavior and Management, Health Economics and Health Policy, Health Services Research, Research Methods 20 Credits Master Thesis with Research Internship and Oral Defense 32 Credits

5 Study Program The two-year master s program with 120 ECTS-credits consists of core courses, offered during the first three semesters, and major courses starting in the second semester. The core courses include different modules: human functioning sciences, health systems and services, research design, and quantitative/qualitative research methods. Other core courses include scientific and professional skills development. Starting in the second semester, students can choose a major, according to their interest. After the first year, students will be required to do an internship and start a research project, while the fourth (final) semester will be dedicated to completing the master thesis. «By choosing the Major in Research Methods and doing my research internship at Swiss Paraplegic Research in Nottwil, I feel that many opportunities within the world of health research have opened up for me.» Siri Svedberg, Graduate 1015, Major Research Methods Majors Our majors provide students with the unique opportunity to closely work with their supervisors and further develop their expertise in the chosen area of interest. Health Communication: Studying the science of using communication to influence health decisions at the individual level, in institutions and in policy. Health Behavior and Management: Learning how health behaviors and health experiences can be addressed and changed with appropriate interventions. Health Economics & Health Policy: Providing the foundation and principles of economic thinking and theories of political science to understand complex health systems, and to identify and address future challenges in the health care sector. Health Services Research: Learning the methods to evaluate the effectiveness of health care services and assess the performance of health systems. Research Methods: Developing skills to aid decision making processes in the health sciences and related fields using state of the art quantitative and qualitative research.

6 Internship and Master Thesis Students have the unique opportunity to apply for a paid internship with a collaborating partner organization of the Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy. They have the chance to gain first hand experience in applying their knowledge and skills in health sciences research and practice. During their internship, students will be expected to develop their master thesis proposal, which will be supported by their supervisor and members of their research group. Contact University of Lucerne Department Health Sciences and Health Policy P.O. Box 4466 Frohburgstrasse Lucerne Switzerland Program Director Prof. Dr. Stefan Boes Phone stefan.boes@unilu.ch Office 1.B09 Program Manager Ute Laun Phone ute.laun@unilu.ch or healthsem@unilu.ch Office 1.B01 For more information please visit our website University of Lucerne, October 2015