Public Health Sciences – Health Promotion and Prevention Class of 2023
Hello again and congratulations to all of you who have submitted your applications! I can still clearly remember the stress I was under this time last year. But getting to study public health at KI and meeting so many incredible people made all of the worries worth it. While I have shared some of my experiences so far, I noticed that I have barely written about my favourite part of KI: my inspiring peers.
So, without any further delay, let me introduce the Public Health Sciences – Health Promotion and Prevention class of 2021-2023!
Nationalities
When you ask a student from one of the Global Master’s Programmes what their favourite part about studying at KI is, there is a good chance they will mention the diversity and internationality of their programme.
The master’s programme in Public Health Sciences (PHS) is no different. In the PHS cohort of 43 people (both tracks), we represent 29 nationalities.
The Health Promotion and Prevention track is made up of 21 wonderful people who together represent 18 different nationalities! It shouldn’t be hard to imagine how fascinating it is to learn in such a culturally diverse classroom.
(the larger the word, the more students indicated having that nationality)
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Languages
Related to our cohort’s cultural profile are the languages we speak. Taken together, the students of the Health Promotion and Prevention track speak a total of 17 different languages in addition to English!
(the larger the word, the more students indicated speaking that language)
Created with menti.com
Age
A further factor you might be wondering about is the typical age of public health master’s students. As you can see below, the Health Promotion and Prevention track is made up of individuals who have a bit of life experience to share and of those who still have a lot to learn. So if you are questioning whether you are too young or too old to complete a master’s at KI, rest assured that there is no “perfect age” to study. Because, as we all know, learning is a life-long adventure : )
Professional and educational backgrounds
Next to the cultural richness of the PHS master’s cohort, I think my favourite part is how the unique background of each student comes together to create a beautiful mosaic. Having such multi-disciplinary perspectives really enhances our understanding of global public health.
Students with experience in psychology will remind us of the importance of prioritizing mental health when discussing population health problems. When considering the social determinants of health, individuals with a background in sociology or political science help highlight the various ways that structural and political factors impact health and wellbeing. My peers who have done public health-related work in various settings share incredibly insightful stories of their experiences and critical issues that can arise in public health practice.
If you are thinking of applying to the programme, please keep in mind that the subjects listed do not mean that a person with a degree in any of them automatically meet the specific entry requirements. It is really important that you refer to the official site of the Master’s Programme in Public Health Sciences to learn more about specific entry requirements.
Years of work experience
Something I was quite worried about when I applied to the programme was my lack of work experience. However, as it turns out almost one-third of the Health Promotion and Prevention class has no (or less than one year of) full-time work experience. The majority of the cohort has worked full-time for at least one year with several students having up to eight years of work experience.
I find that this variety really supports the learning in the classroom as well as in group work. Students with a rich professional background help foster real-world learning and individuals who just completed their bachelor’s degree can support their peers by introducing them to helpful academic tools.
Future goals
Now that you have a background of where the PHS – Health Promotion and Prevention class of 2023 comes from, the next question is “where will they go?” When asked about their future goals after completing the master’s programme, my peers responded the following:
As you can see, there is quite a variety of goals ranging from activism to working in academia to still exploring what the future will bring.
I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about my wonderful peers that make this programme so special! To learn more about the students in the Epidemiology track, read this blog.
As always, if you have any questions or comments or just feel like saying “hi”, feel free to contact me at sarah.pechtl@stud.ki.se
– Sarah : )
Sarah Pechtl – Public Health Sciences, Health Promotion and Prevention
Hej! My name is Sarah and I’m excited to share my experiences as a Public Health Sciences, Health Promotion and Prevention student with you! I grew up in Salzburg, Austria but completed my bachelor’s degree in the United States where I studied nutrition and sociology. When I learned about KI‘s emphasis on collaboration and the diverse student cohort, I knew that KI is where I wanted to pursue my master’s degree. In my free time, I love having “fika” with my peers, spending time outdoors, exploring Stockholm and––on colder days––knitting.
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