Make the leap to higher education and gain confidence to transform the lives of people living with dementia and their families

For many professionals working in the dementia care sector, the idea of embarking on a post graduate course while juggling already busy lives might seem daunting but those who have completed the process say returning to education was one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives.

Busy mum Kate Lester completed her MSc Advanced Dementia Studies last year and urged anyone considering a post-grad course to apply.

“I decided to apply for the MSc Advanced Dementia Studies course as my life had hit a plateau. The prospect of being nearly 30, with a soon to be three-year-old son, made me realise I needed to focus on achieving a new goal. I loved my job as a dementia care coordinator, but I wanted to further my knowledge in dementia care practice.

“The idea of having to give up work to go and study at University full-time was daunting. The fact the MSc Advanced Dementia Studies course was three years, part-time and distance learning was perfect. The course enabled me to gain confidence in order to not only embrace change but to be the one to make changes within an organisation.

“For anyone sitting at home thinking that it’s time they did something for themselves, that they aspire to deliver person-centred care to people living with dementia, or that they just want a new challenge, my advice would be to apply.”

Now the University of Bradford is inviting more professionals and practitioners to enrol on its MSc Advanced Dementia Studies.

Murna Downs, Professor in Dementia Studies in the Faculty of Health Studies, said: “If you have an ambition to become a more effective and person-centred practitioner or professional, it’s then only a matter of getting student-centred support for your learning. Postgraduate study can build your confidence to lead real world change and create a positive impact on the lives of people living with dementia and their families.”

The Centre for Applied Dementia Studies is one of the UK’s leading centres for psychosocial research into living well with, and caring well for, people with dementia and their families. It has over 20 years’ experience of high quality pioneering research underpinned by the values of person-centred care. We offer a range of training and education opportunities from online sessions, workshops and webinars to PhD level study creating future leaders in dementia care and research.