Health, Wellbeing and Society
Become a specialist in the fields of healthcare policy, societal resilience, and health and wellbeing. You will analyze how health and wellbeing are influenced by societal and contextual structures, how they are distributed across Western societies, and how policy can improve health and wellbeing at micro-meso and macro-levels of society. The Master Health, Wellbeing and Society is a track of the MSc Sociology.
Times Higher Education Ranking, 2023
through Academic Collaborative Centers from TRANZO or at one of our partner organizations
National Alumni Survey, 2021 | n=11
Program and courses
The focus of this Master's Program is to understand how to develop resilient and healthy people and communities, which can adapt to changing conditions that may influence their health and wellbeing. In this program, you combine scientific insights from sociology and health sciences to become a specialist in the field of healthcare policy, societal resilience, and health and wellbeing. You learn how to design policy and preventive measures to handle the consequences (for health and wellbeing) of topics related to financial problems, depression, dementia, stress, burnout, addiction, aging, lifestyle, and chronic disease.
- Learn to analyze how health and wellbeing are related to welfare, healthcare politics, policy, and demographic and societal factors at different levels. You gain an international perspective on health, wellbeing and society in mainly Western societies.
- Collaborate closely with healthcare organizations through participation in the unique Academic Collaborative Centers from Tranzo in theoretical modules as well as during an internship and your thesis.
- Become part of an innovative program which brings together academics and students from all over the world in a small-scale and interactive learning environment, with community-building activities, such as guest lecturers, simulation, serious gaming and study trips.
- Challenge yourself with an Extended Master's program or a Double degree program. The Extended Master's program adds one semester to the total program to provide you with a half-year internship position to enhance your skills and gain relevant work experience. With a Double degree program, you have the opportunity to earn a degree from both Tilburg University and one of our partner universities:
- Double degree in Sociology and Social Research - with the University of Trento (Trento, Italy)
- Double degree in Sociology and Population Studies – with the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Spain)
Related tracks:
- The Sociology: Politics, Policy and Society in Comparative perspective track investigates important societal questions and sociological problems related to politics, social cohesion, and inequality. It studies issues such as rising populism, social movements, and the welfare state. You learn to evaluate social policies and use research as input for new policies.
- The Politics, Policy and Societal Development track gives you a different perspective on sustainable development based on the theories and methods pertinent to the Global Management of Social Issues discipline. This specialization addresses societal issues and sustainable development from a sociological perspective.
Typical courses:
- Health, Resilience and Sustainability
- Social Policy and Social Risks
- The Social Structures of Western Societies
- Health and Policy
-
Benthe Zenhorst
Master's student"The personal way teachers and students communicate really spoke to me while choosing this master. This highly relevant health master allows me to further specialize within my field of sociology."
-
Robin Bor
Master’s student"This Master’s program taught me about health and well-being in the sociological world. Through guest lectures from professionals, I obtained a broader vision of sociology."
-
Hannah Kottmann
Master’s student"With regard to future job opportunities in political organizations, I appreciate learning about writing policy briefs. I have made friends for life and loved the green campus!"
Career prospects
As a graduate, you are equipped to lead projects and people tackling health and wellbeing related societal problems. You can analyze societal issues and public interventions aimed at addressing (health)care challenges from a sociological and health and wellbeing perspective. Our graduates found work as a policy advisor, policy executive, data analyst, researcher, or trainer at:
|
|
Alumni facts
- 70% of our alumni finds a job within 6 months after graduation
- 72% of the graduates is (very) satisfied with the program
- 82% would choose the same program again, at the same university
Source: National Alumni Survey, recent graduates 2021 | n=11
Application and admission
This track starts:
At the end of August and at the end of January
Best preparatory programs:
|
|
Pre-Master’s program:
If your previous education does not entirely meet the entry requirements, you can do a pre-Master's program at Tilburg University. For this program, the pre-Master's program in Sociology is available to both Research University and Dutch University of Applied Sciences (hbo) students. The pre-Master's program takes half a year (30 ECTS) and starts at the end of August and at the end of January.
Tuition fees and scholarships
International students find information about tuition fees and scholarships available here.
Interested in this Master's track?

More information on this Master's program
Download the brochure with information on program content, admission requirements, career prospects, housing and immigration matters, and student life in Tilburg. Throughout the year you can take part in various types of events: on-campus, abroad or online.
-
13:30 - 16:00
Campus Experience
Are you curious about life as a student at Tilburg University, or not sure which university you want to attend? Join our Campus Experience on October 18 or January 31! Discover our compact and green campus with one of our students and find out if Tilburg University is your future home.
-
16:00 - 17:00
Get to know Tilburg University - Orientation Webinar for Master's programs
Are you curious about the experiences of international students like you? Join our Get to know Tilburg University Webinar led by our international team and discover what it is like to study at Tilburg University! It is your one-hour introduction to studying in the Netherlands, the city of Tilburg, and our university. You can join the webinar at 10:00 or 16:00 on October 19.
-
09:15 - 17:00
Master's Open day
Are you interested in doing a Master's program? Do you want to specialize or are you looking for a Master that broadens your possibilities? Join us at the Master's Open Day on November 18th to find out which (pre-)Master's program suits you best. Learn all about our (pre-)Master’s programs and tracks, and ask teachers, students, and education coordinators your questions.
Interested in the Health, Wellbeing and Society MSc track?
Check your eligibility and the deadlines for application
Related Master’s programs:
- Double degree in Sociology and Social Research (with the University of Trento - Trento, Italy)
- Double degree in Sociology and Population Studies (with the Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona, Spain)
- Politics, Policy and Societal Development track
- Sociology: Politics, Policy and Society in Comparative Perspective track
- Research Master in Social and Behavioral Sciences