StudyQA — Master: Health Science — Prevention and Health Promotion

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The students will deal with the bio-psycho-social concept of health in greater depth. The study design follows the WHO definition of health: "A complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". The focus thus lies on health promotion and prevention.
This specialisation is a result of the development of the public health system. The demographic change, resulting from an increase in longevity, diseases of civilisation, and mental abnormalities, presents new challenges for employees in the health care sector. The importance of personal health and strategic interventions will increase. This requires the development of strategies for strengthening of individual resources, healthy nutrition, and age-appropriate physical activity. This multidisciplinary concept includes gender and diversity aspects and focuses not only on the individual but also on special groups, e.g., groups of employees in companies. This Master's programme not only provides theoretical knowledge of the sciences of nutrition, movement, and psychology, but also enables the students to work in interdisciplinary research projects with risk factors and patient groups with different diseases.

Educational organisation

The course of studies consists of six central units:
1. Health science research
2. Research methods
3. Applied research
4. Complementary subjects
5. Free electives
6. Master's thesis
Every unit offers tuition in specialist and methodological skills from different health sectors in order to provide access to prevention and health promotion by the combination of different disciplines in a holistic approach. Every unit combines theoretical knowledge with practical applications for different target groups.
1. The first unit runs over two semesters. It fosters a concept of health promotion that exceeds disease prevention by strengthening personal resources as well as behavioural and environmental factors. Additionally, students can customise their studies in order to focus on a specialist area. These areas include "Physical Activity", "Nutrition", and "Psychology". Electives in these specialist areas provide the students with methodological knowledge in natural science and sociological prevention research and lead to practical applications in a scientific context in the following semester.
2. The second unit focuses on research methods. "Study Design; Ethics" provides a closer look at research and ethical guidelines from different scientific experts. The students may choose to enrol in "Advanced Statistics", "Qualitative Research Methods", or "Scientific Data Processing".
3. The third unit offers different electives. Besides transfer of knowledge and methodological testing, the students are given guidance in all the steps of their research projects in project teams. Two of the following fields of research may be chosen:

Cardiovascular/Metabolic Health and Disorders
Diversity and Health
Mental Health and Disorders
Neurological Health and Disorders
Orthopaedic Health and Disorders

4. The fourth unit offers customised studies in "Complementary Subjects". These subjects prepare students for different professional settings. This unit allows specialisation in one professional context or the option of interdisciplinary courses.
5. The fifth unit further enables individualised development. Students have the option of enrolling in additional modules, courses in other subjects, or including extracurricular qualifications. It is also possible to enrol in a third elective from the module "Applied Research".
6. After the fourth semester, the course of studies concludes with the Master's thesis. The thesis carries 30 credits and should be started after all modules from the first, second, and third semesters have been successfully passed. Maximum processing time is six months.

Study abroad unit(s)

None

Internships

No compulsory internship

Forms of assessment

Written exam, oral exam, presentation, report, project work, academic analysis, practical exercise

Course objectives

The graduates will be able to transmit scientific learning to specific target groups and thus contribute to a healthy society. Their interdisciplinary knowledge enables them to combine health promotion and prevention strategies for individuals and groups. The holistic approach allows a transfer of specialist knowledge in health, nutrition, and psychology to socially relevant issues. Graduates will be able to choose, develop, and foster customised strategies to increase resilience of the chosen target groups with respect to concepts of participation and diversity. They have the knowledge to develop, organise, and implement best-practice concepts for health promotion involving social, cultural, and behaviour-based factors.
Additionally, their advanced knowledge in field and laboratory research permits them to develop, implement, and evaluate study designs independently. They are experts in assessing costs, values, and efficiency of international health programmes. They are also able to evaluate feasibility studies. They are able to judge health concepts and programmes with regard to international quality standards. Their expert knowledge and experience permits development of evidence-based principles for enhanced health strategies in consideration of guidelines of good (clinical) practice and ethical aspects. This approach can be adapted to different settings (e.g., kindergarten, companies), populations, and age groups. Moreover, graduates are qualified to implement latest research results in the frame of translational research with regard to quality standards.

Language requirements

Advanced knowledge in English. Students whose native language or former language of instruction is not English will have to present results from a language test like TOEFL (min. 88 points), IELTS (min. 6.5), Cambridge Main Suite of English Examinations, or additional tests published on the TUM Matriculation Office's web page. University entrance qualifications (min. 10 of 15 points) or Bachelor's studies examinations (min. 20 credit points) in English-taught modules may also be recognised.

Academic requirements

1. University Bachelor's degree with a minimum amount of six semesters, or an equivalent in a health science or related course of studies
2. Advanced knowledge in English must be demonstrated. Students whose native language or former language of instruction is not English will have to present results from a language test like TOEFL (min. 88 points), IELTS (min. 6.5), Cambridge Main Suite of English Examinations, or additional tests published on the TUM Matriculation Office's web page. University entrance qualifications (min. 10 fromof 15 points) or Bachelor's studies examinations (min. 20 credit points) in English-taught modules may also be recognised.
3. Evidence of a successfully passed vocational internship (min. eight weeks) must be provided before taking up the Master's studies. Proof has to be given to the department's Student Advisory Office no later than five weeks after the start of lectures. The department's Examination Board examines vocational qualifications on the basis of the Professional Qualifications Directive. Internships passed during an undergraduate degree will be recognised.
4. Applicants must successfully pass the selection procedure in order to be admitted to the programme.

Enrolment fees

Approx. 115 EUR per semester
The fee includes a semester ticket covering public transport in Munich.

Costs of living

In order to cover personal expenses while studying in Munich, we recommend a budget of at least 800 EUR per month.

Job opportunities

Part-time jobs and student jobs in industry and academia

Arrival support

TUM's International Center offers a special programme tailored for international students, TUMinternational (TUMi). The TUMi programme provides help and advice for new students as well as a cultural programme with events scheduled both prior to and during the academic periods.
The service desk of the Student Service Center is the first contact point for international students. We are here to help you with issues such as applications, enrolment, student ID cards, etc. Furthermore, we offer various three- to six-week summer schools combining academics with a rich menu of educational and social activities as a foretaste of university life. For international students who have been admitted to a degree programme, the Student Service Center offers a four-week pre-study course designed to help you get started at the TUM. Students new to TUM are invited to the service fair "Fit for TUM", which takes place before the semester officially starts, to get an overview of the various offerings of support services at TUM. See: http://www.tum.de/en/studies/international-students/.
Learning German: While the language of instruction for many of TUM's postgraduate programmes is English, learning German and thus being able to participate in daily German life at a deeper level enriches the experience of studying and living in Munich. TUM's Language Centre offers language classes for students at all levels, both prior to and during the semester: See: http://www.sprachenzentrum.tum.de/en/startseite/.