Diploma in Health Sciences (Health Management)

Communicating with Community Partners

This module will introduce you to the integrated healthcare system in Singapore.  You will be taught to identify the community resources or assets for clients with health and social issues.  These assets include people, places or structures and community services. You will use these community resources to help the community grow and improve the residents’ quality of life. As a result, you will be able to effectively coordinate health and social care in the community with community partners.

Counselling and Communication

This module is designed to reinforce the concept that counselling is a special relationship built on confidentiality, mutual respect and open communication with the intention to help people identify their problems, and to achieve resolution where possible. Through the counselling process, you will embark on a fulfilling and satisfying journey of self-discovery and be introduced to the professional issues in a helping relationship. Topics covered include the theoretical approaches, the counselling process, ethics and confidentiality, and the interpersonal skills required to conduct a session in individual or group settings.

Health Coaching

This module aims to equip you with advanced communication and health coaching skills. It introduces you to theoretical frameworks and evidence-based approaches, such as motivational interviewing, so that you can help develop more autonomy in their clients.  The module also prepares you to educate clients on chronic disease management, mental health issues, polypharmacy and coping strategies more engagingly and compassionately.

Project on Communication in Healthcare

This student-led project focuses on using your communication and health coaching skills to teach seniors to change their unhealthy behaviours through motivational interviewing techniques. Emphasis will be placed on the utilisation of health promotion and health coaching strategies and engaging community partners to promote health and wellness among seniors.

Falls and Frailty Prevention

This module aims to educate you on frailty and fall prevention in the elderly population. You will gain theory and practical knowledge on the different types of screening and physical assessments, the health and fitness components and the importance of balance and mobility in this population. This module will also provide tools to plan and implement the different types of exercises and/or functional fitness programmes safely and effectively in order for the senior or elderly population to live independent lives.

Integrated Care

This module examines the dynamics of the Transitional Care Model on individuals living with multiple chronic conditions who transit from acute to community care settings. You will be introduced to concepts of health goals, care coordination and continuity of care throughout acute episodes of illness, etc. You will learn to streamline care plans to prevent readmission and to prepare patients, their families and/or caregivers to implement the care plans through working with a multidisciplinary team. This module will also equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills that would enable them to perform as Care Coordinators in the healthcare industry.

Assessment and management of Chronic Diseases

This module is designed as a holistic module so that you will  be able to assess vital parameters related to selected common chronic medical conditions. You will then follow through to understand the pathophysiology, ethology, predisposing factors, common diagnostic tests, and nursing and medical management of the selected chronic conditions. You will also gain a deeper understanding of how these chronic conditions impact the lives of the elderly living in the community. Importantly, you will be taught about the identification of “red flags” and how to prevent and manage them.

Project on Community Care

This student-led project focuses on enabling seniors to cope and live gracefully in the community with their chronic medical conditions.  You will work with a client and propose a care plan that will include the programmes to help the client live independently. You will have the opportunity to obtain the Silver Generation Ambassador certification upon meeting the necessary requirements.

Case Management

This module introduces you to the concept of case management within Singapore; its collaborative process in assessing and identifying the needs of clients and their caregivers, developing care plans, and the coordination and mobilisation of resources available in the community. You will gain an appreciation of the complexities in the coordination of care amongst various stakeholders such as the service providers, clients and their caregivers, while maintaining the desired health outcome and cost.

Health and Wellness

This module seeks to address general health concepts, personal health issues and adaptive strategies to lead a healthy lifestyle. You will understand the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout their lives, gaining a personal as well as holistic understanding of health and wellness. Topics covered include hygiene and skin care, alternative medicine, wellness therapy, sexually transmitted infections, addictions, nutritional needs, posture and care, genes and health, workplace health and current global health threats.

Health Promotion

This module will build your understanding of key theoretical concepts and principles in health promotion, and of contemporary challenges in the practice of health promotion. It will also enable you to work in a variety of population groups and in a wide range of settings. It will introduce the science and art of health promotion through evidence-based individual, community and societal approaches for improving health and preventing illness, including needs assessment, priority setting, and planning and developing health promotion initiatives. By the end of the module, you will appreciate the different dimensions of health promotion and systematically design and evaluate health promotion programmes.

Behaviour Change

Most people understand the importance of healthy living,  but choose to live in an unhealthy manner. This module aims to help you achieve practical strategies to manage, maintain and motivate health-reinforcing behaviours. Topics include theories for behavioural change, techniques, interventions, and motivational factors for behavioural management. You will also look into specific health issues and be grounded in research findings relating to these issues. At the end of the module, you should possess relevant knowledge and applicable techniques to help specific groups of clients in addressing their health needs.

Project on Promoting Health Behaviours

This student-led project focuses on promoting health and wellness through the adoption of health behaviours related to physical and mental health, including an emphasis on nutritional health. You will display their knowledge and skills through the development of a health-promoting management plan after assessing and evaluating the client’s health condition(s).

Nutrition Care Process

The module will introduce fundamental pathophysiology and concepts of dietary assessment and disease-nutrient management. A nutrition care approach will be used as a framework in the module, with an introduction to disease-nutrient relationships. You will also develop the ability to apply medical nutrition care to common chronic medical conditions. Nutritional management allows you to deepen your learning through investigation of the client’s health condition(s), plan and execute intervention and education, and re-evaluate the client’s progress with follow-up.

Inclusive Physical Activity

This module aims to provide knowledge of individuals with different disabilities and/or differentiated abilities to be considered as inclusive profiles. In this module, information on adapted strategies for effective inclusion within the community is also introduced using physical activities. You will appreciate the varying recreational and sporting needs of different inclusive profiles through physical activities. You will also understand the challenges of these inclusive profiles from the human developmental viewpoint. This will help you modify physical activities to help the different inclusive profiles to be included in physical play, games and even sports. You will realise the need to screen and assess the health, physical and fitness conditions before implementing and adapting activities to suit the needs of different inclusive profiles.  You will also learn the importance and benefits of inclusive physical activity programming, and be aware of sensitivities associated with programme management for different inclusive profiles.

Sports and Exercise Prescription

This module aims to equip you with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge required for prescribing exercise programs across a broad range of populations, from athletes to special populations such as senior citizens and those with chronic diseases. Focus areas include anthropometrical assessments, as well as fitness assessments for the development and maintenance of cardio-respiratory fitness, muscular strength, power and endurance, flexibility, rehabilitation and weight control. Through this module, you will also develop an appreciation of assessing and analysing traditional and popular exercise programs used presently in the sporting and fitness industry.

Psychosocial Aspects of Exercise

Psychology is the scientific study of how people behave, think and feel. This module introduces the fundamentals of exercise psychology. It starts with an introduction to major psychological concepts, including the development of thought, language and personality. Following this, you will learn about factors influencing participation in physical activity, the effects of exercise on psychological and mental well-being, and cultural aspects of physical activity participation.

Exercise Programming and Assessment

This module aims to equip you with the theoretical knowledge and the fundamental practical skills required for health and fitness assessments across the broad range of population; from athletes to youths, the elderly, and the special population such as those with chronic diseases. Topics covered include exercise safety and first aid, screening of clients, with focus areas on anthropometrical assessments, as well as fitness assessments for the development and maintenance of cardio-respiratory fitness, muscular strength, power and endurance, flexibility, rehabilitation, and weight control. You would also equip yourself with the evolving trends in the sports, health and fitness industry and the ethical issues in the delivery of sports and fitness activities.

Project on Health Through Exercise

This student-led project will enable you to apply your knowledge and skills to promote health through various aspects of exercise. If you are Work-study Programme track, you will be involved in On-the-Job training at the place of employment. A project designed for you to demonstrate your ability to assess and prescribe appropriate exercises will be developed with the employer, and it is expected to be executed at the workplace.

Biopsychosocial Aspects of Ageing

This module will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the biopsychosocial needs of seniors. You will learn to view ageing from a holistic perspective and at the same time differentiate and manage biological, physical, psychological and physiological ageing. You will also acquire knowledge and skills related to mental wellness and resilience for seniors in order to promote positive ageing.

Health Psychology

This module aims to introduce the field of health psychology. You will explore the links between mental processes and behaviours as related to health and illness. This module encourages critical awareness of the role of psychological theory and methodology in maintaining healthy functioning. Topics include theories of healthy behaviour, health-enhancing behaviour, health risk behaviour, and rehabilitation. This course will also challenge you to critically evaluate the role that cognition, society and the environment play in the health of individuals.

Sociology of Health and Social Care

This module will address sociological issues related to health and illness with emphasis on seniors. You will obtain basic knowledge on the influence of social, economic, cultural and environmental factors on health-related behaviour and attitudes, as well as their impact on chronic illnesses among seniors.  Socio-economic and cultural dimensions of individual and health-related behaviour, attitude and beliefs, including the structure, dynamics and roles of social support services, will be explored. You will also learn to manage and care for the elderly by applying relevant social theories.

Active Ageing

This module provides you with the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of active ageing. It aims to equip you with the knowledge to be able to plan and deliver programmes designed to take a proactive approach to preventive health and active ageing. You will study physical activity and nutrition for the elderly, chronic diseases affecting the elderly and mental well-being in this population group. You will also learn about the methods of increasing health literacy in the ageing population. In an attempt to authenticate learning experiences in ageing, you will discuss government interventions on successful ageing, for example, the initiatives recommended by the Ministerial Committee on Ageing (MOH, 2016).

Project on Health Across Lifespan

This student-led project focuses on promoting health and wellness through the adoption of health behaviours related to physical and mental health, including an emphasis on nutritional health. You will display your knowledge and skills through the development of a health-promoting management plan after assessing and evaluating the client’s health condition(s).