MSc Chronic Disease Management

Our master's degree in Chronic Disease Management is designed to develop your skills and the expertise needed to promote and support behaviour change.

• This programme team utilise links with local health, educational, social care and charity organisations
• Unique contemporary curriculum focusing on overcoming complex barriers to behaviour change for health improvements
• Work experience and demonstrable skill acquisition from the integral work placement enhances career opportunities

Why St Mary's?

An integrated work placement forms part of this degree, allowing you to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. You may be able to undertake this component in your current place of work. Working within health settings will provide you with an insight into the demands of helping people to make lifestyle improvements and demonstrate transferable project management and public health skills.

The programme is underpinned by a detailed understanding of theoretical and practical approaches to behaviour change. You will gain an enhanced understanding of lifestyle management and the complex issues faced by those with chronic disease, including nutrition and physical activity to manage and prevent chronic illness.

The University has fantastic links with local health, educational, social care and charity organisations through the Centre for Workplace Learning and the University’s own Health and Wellbeing Service.

The structure of the degree is suitable for those completing the course alongside existing work commitments and also those wishing to focus solely on their studies.

Why study Chronic Disease Management?

Chronic disease in our society is on the increase, and although there is strong evidence that lifestyle adjustment can prevent and manage chronic disease, many face complex and challenging barriers to achieving lifestyle behaviour change. Innovative methods and highly trained individuals are needed to successfully tackle the problem from all sides.

There's a need in a range of health settings - including clinical, healthcare, social care and public health departments - for highly skilled, autonomous and analytical employees that specialise in the prevention, assessment and management of chronic diseases. Such employers report that it is currently challenging to find candidates with the experience and skill set needed. This degree will produce highly skilled graduates to address this gap.

This skill-enriching master’s programme provides you with the opportunity to enhance skills, knowledge and understanding of facilitating, managing and supporting behaviour change at individual, group and population levels. The degree also aims to expand your research expertise.

Chronic Disease Management MSc is ideal if you're looking to progress your current career and provides the vital skills and experience necessary to embark on a career working to tackle chronic disease.

Modules

• Public Health and Prevention of Chronic Disease
• Behaviour Change
• Nutrition and Physical Activity for Chronic Disease
• Self-care approaches for Chronic Disease
• Chronic Disease Management in Practice
• Research Methods and Statistics
• Research Dissertation

The development of skills and competencies in behaviour change and lifestyle prevention of chronic disease are areas highlighted as a priority by Public Health England is integral to the course. This includes preventative approaches and tackling emerging conditions early, engaging hard to reach groups in the prevention and management of chronic disease, including males, ethnic minorities, pregnant women, the elderly and those from low socioeconomic groups.

The degree includes a work-based learning component in which you will develop project management skills through the planning, implementation or evaluation of a particular project. This will place you in a favourable position to climb the career ladder in organisations with a chronic disease focus.