University of Groningen

MSc in CPE Track Lifecourse Health Development (Research)

Are you interested in understanding the intricacies of health throughout a person's life? Do you want to be part of a community of motivated and socially conscious students, all working towards a healthier future? Then the LHD Track is designed just for you.

Addressing current health challenges

The program focuses on improving prevention and treatment strategies to address the health challenges faced by today's society. Through a comprehensive life-course perspective, you'll gain valuable insights into the processes underlying changes in health and well-being. Over the two years of the program, you will develop a valuable set of research and professional skills for your future career.

A multidisciplinary program

In the LHD track, you'll have the opportunity to closely collaborate with leading researchers and clinicians from various disciplines, including (para)medics and psychologists. Together, you'll investigate in-depth how heath processes are influenced by factors of risk and resilience as well as by one's age or stage of illness.

Cutting-edge analytical methods

The development of chronic diseases is a complex process with determinants at multiple levels. These factors not only influence each other but also vary over the life course. By combining life course epidemiology with cutting-edge analytical methods, you'll unravel the multifaceted health issues that span from genetic factors or psychological processes to the broader social and physical environment. You will have access to long-term data sets and have the unique opportunity to witness firsthand the evolution of health over time.

A meaningful career

As the world grapples with increasingly complex health challenges, there is a growing need for researchers to help untangle these intricate issues. Through a tailored curriculum, we aim to equip you to address current pressing social health issues, such as socio-economic health disparities or the rise of chronic health conditions, and teach you how to deal with new emerging health challenges while ensuring you're well-prepared for a career dedicated to making a meaningful impact.

Why study this program in Groningen?

When selecting the Lifecourse Health Development track you can look forward to:

• Becoming part of a close-knit international cohort of a maximum of 35 students
• Engaging in a stimulating interdisciplinary and intercultural approach to problem-solving
• Accessing long-term studies and data sets
• Collaborating with top researchers in various disciplines
• Receiving ongoing individual support and mentorship for both your personal and professional growth
• Developing valuable professional skills for your future career

Research

Examples of research questions from previous LHD students:

• Dealing with distress after a cancer diagnosis: a daily diary study
• Health literacy and the onset and progression of hypertension-related multimorbidity: the mediating role of self-management
• The effect of exercise and diet on the glucose metabolism in patients after kidney transplantation: a Randomized Controlled Trial and Observational study
• Who Will I Be? The Work Expectations of Dutch Adolescents and How They Relate to Mental Health and Work Outcomes in Young Adulthood
• Causal effects of heart rate variability on hypertension: A Mendelian randomization study
• A personal predictive model for sleep disturbances in older patients with cognitive impairments and depression – an idiographic study