Health, Ageing and Society (MSc)

The growing impact of ageing populations and societal challenges

With ageing populations increasing worldwide and growing pressure on healthcare systems, it is essential to look beyond illness and treatment alone. Healthy ageing requires more than medical care: quality of life, autonomy, independence, active participation and wellbeing are all intertwined.

Our ageing society is changing rapidly and requires continuous innovation. As chronic conditions and multimorbidity are becoming more common among the elderly, effective strategies for prevention and long-term management are crucial.

The Health, Ageing and Society master programme tackles the key challenges of an ageing population and prepares students to improve public health and enhance the vitality of older people.

Key themes of the programme

The ageing population presents major challenges for healthcare systems worldwide, including a rising prevalence of chronic diseases, multimorbidity and the need for sustainable, high-quality care for people in later life. Addressing these issues requires innovative approaches that extend beyond traditional clinical treatment.

The Biology of Vitality and Ageing
The programme begins with an intensive introduction to the biology of vitality and ageing, laying the foundation for understanding biological mechanisms such as repair processes, nutrition and longevity.

The Older Individual
Students examine how chronic conditions, such as dementia, osteoarthritis and diabetes, affect older individuals and influence daily functioning and independence. The programme highlights resilience, diversity and individual variation when designing interventions.

The Organization of an Ageing Society
Students examine the organization, management, and financing of healthcare and social systems in both the Netherlands and international contexts. Key themes include policy creation, governance, value-based healthcare, implementation, and strategy.

A holistic approach: research, co-creation and real-world impact

The programme actively involves senior citizens through advisory boards and co-creation projects with students, ensuring that student projects are grounded in real-world needs. This intergenerational collaboration fosters the development of interventions and policies that address the multifaceted challenges of ageing societies.

Through rigorous academic training and practical experience, students are prepared for roles in healthcare settings, policy development, research and system innovation—contributing to improved wellbeing and care quality for ageing populations.

From healthcare challenges to career impact: what role will you play?

Graduates from the MSc Health, Ageing and Society make meaningful contributions across many fields. Some pursue academic research or policymaking, while others enhance careers in healthcare organizations, consultancy or advisory roles.

Alumni insights
Curious about where our graduates go? Explore our alumni stories to learn how former students shape the future of health and ageing.

Career examples include:

• Medical professional in hospitals, community organisations or welfare institutions
• Policy officer at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports (VWS)
• Policy advisor at municipalities
• Quality advisor in long-term care organisations
• Healthcare consultant
• Research assistant at Alzheimer Centres
• Project manager in care organisations
• Trainee at healthcare insurers
• Support specialist at health technology companies
• PhD trajectories spanning biology, social sciences or policy