Description

The MSc Exercise and Health: Assessment and Prescription is implemented at the University of Thessaly, the third largest university in Greece, which is included in the top 5% of the top European universities according to the University Ranking of Academic Performance, and at the Department of Sports Science, which has been evaluated in recent years as the best Department of Sports Science in Greece and one of the 150 best Departments of Sports Science internationally.

The Program as a whole is based on the internationally prevailing view that the cognitive domains related to physical activity are not only complementary to those of health and well-being, but are interrelated in their application.

The establishment of the MSc is the result of the proven need of society for the training and education of competent individuals to be able to cope with the challenges created by the modern lifestyle, characterized by lack of physical activity and poor nutrition.

The vision on the basis of which the present MSc is designed and implemented is the dissemination of the importance of physical activity in the well-being and development of modern societies. The main objective is to create managers with distinctive professional values, keen perception and applied thinking, capable of innovating and managing the complex and multifaceted tool of physical activity. 

Given the increasing rate of chronic non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, cancer, and chronic problems associated with arthritis and musculoskeletal problems the purpose of the MSc is to train managers who are in and active in the field of exercise and allied health professions to become leaders in the prevention and treatment of these chronic problems using exercise as a dominant tool. The ultimate goal is to improve the health and quality of life of the general population and patients with chronic diseases. The MSc aims to train its graduates to become managers who will promote a healthy lifestyle leading to a lower predisposition to diseases and health problems, aiming at a better quality of life. In particular, it provides specialized training for graduates:

1. The application of exercise knowledge to improve physical and mental condition
2. To promote health and quality of life through established methods of physical activity.
3. Understanding rehabilitation methods and the application of exercise as a means of rehabilitation.
4. Rational nutrition for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.

In all its activities, the MSc emphasizes the critical analysis of scientific practices used internationally in order for graduates to be able to respond to the challenges of the contemporary business environment. The vision of the MSc is “To become an International Point of Reference in education for disease prevention and management through exercise”.