The curriculum includes twelve (12) courses, of which eight (8) are compulsory and four (4) elective. Below is an indicative description of the cognitive content of each course per semester of study:

1st Semester

• Arterial Hypertension I: The course includes the presentation of epidemiological data on the prevalence and incidence of hypertension both in Greece and abroad. In the first part of this course, the complex pathophysiological mechanisms of development and progression of idiopathic and secondary hypertension as well as its etiopathogenesis will be fully developed. The purpose of the first part of the course of Arterial Hypertension is the in-depth understanding of the disease at a theoretical level.
• Lipids: This course will present the prevalence and incidence of dyslipidemia in Greece and abroad and highlight the importance and complexity of the disease. There will be a presentation of the pathophysiological mechanisms of both hypercholesterolemia (and its familial form) and its etiopathogenesis. The guidelines, diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for the treatment of patients with hypercholesterolemia will be presented. Finally, there will be a presentation of various clinical cases in order for the postgraduate student to be trained not only on a theoretical but also on a practical level.
• Diabetes Mellitus I: The course includes the presentation of epidemiological data on the prevalence and incidence of Type I and II Diabetes Mellitus both in Greece and abroad. In the first part of this course, the pathophysiological mechanisms of development and progression of various forms of Diabetes Mellitus as well as their etiopathogenesis will be fully developed. The purpose of the first part of the course of Diabetes Mellitus is the in-depth understanding of the disease at a theoretical level.
• Obesity, Nutrition and Exercise: This course will analyze the leading role of obesity and lack of exercise in the development of cardiovascular disease and/or in the increase of cardiovascular risk. Also, the importance of weight loss, diet and exercise in the treatment of patients with cardiovascular risk factors or established cardiovascular disease will be analyzed. Corresponding clinical cases will be presented documented with current medical knowledge based on observation and indication (evidence-based medicine).
• Cardiovascular Risk in children: This course will fully analyze the diseases involved in the development of cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents. The diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms for the treatment and monitoring of children and adolescents with cardiovascular risk factors will also be presented. In addition, studies on the association of cardiovascular risk factors of neonatal, childhood and adolescence with the occurrence of cardiovascular disease in the adult population will be presented.
• Scientific paper writing: This course will present how to write each type of scientific paper (conference summary, letter to the editor of a journal, case report, review, systematic review and writing of a research paper). The purpose of this course is the complete autonomy of the postgraduate student in writing both his dissertation and any other type of scientific work he wishes to publish in the future.

2nd Semester

• Arterial Hypertension II: In the second part of the course of Arterial Hypertension the current guidelines of Europe and America will be presented, as well as any differences between them. The algorithm for approaching the hypertensive patient and the pharmaceutical algorithm for managing each patient individually will also be presented in details. Finally, various cases of treatment of patients with hypertension or any other co-morbidities will be presented. The purpose of the second part of the course of Arterial Hypertension is both the knowledge of the current guidelines and the knowledge and ability to treat hypertensive patients in practice.
• Diabetes Mellitus II: In the second part of the course of Diabetes Mellitus, the current guidelines will be presented. The algorithm for approaching the patient with diabetes and the pharmaceutical aproach for the management of each patient individually will also be presented in detail. Finally, there will be a presentation of various cases of treatment of patients with diabetes or any other co-morbidities. The purpose of the second part of the course of Diabetes Mellitus is both the knowledge of the current guidelines and the knowledge and ability to treat diabetic patients in practice.
• Target organ damage: This course aims at the detailed analysis of all damage to target organs that may occur in a patient with one or more cardiovascular risk factors. In addition to the presentation of the pathophysiological mechanisms, reference will be made to their approach and treatment. The purpose of this course is to enable the postgraduate student to prevent any damage to target organs that may occur in patients with cardiovascular risk factors and to treat them appropriately.
• Newer technologies in the diagnosis and monitoring of cardiovascular risk: This course will present in detail all the means of technology available to the scientist who comes into contact, either in the context of research or in clinical practice, with patients who have a high cardiovascular risk. As technology makes rapid developments in the medical field, the above knowledge is necessary for the optimal treatment of these patients and the conduct of medical research in this field.
• Meta-analysis and cardiovascular risk :This course will present the most important systematic reviews published in the last decade that correlate with cardiovascular risk factors, especially those that guided the writing and publication of the guidelines. Along with the presentation of these, the concept of systematic review and the way they are conducted will be analyzed.
• Monitoring of clinical cases of cardiovascular risk: In this course, postgraduate students are given the opportunity to attend the morning outpatient clinics of the C Internal Medicine Clinic of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. These clinics include the management of patients with metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this course is the practical training of students and full self-sufficiency in the management of patients at high cardiovascular risk.

3rd Semester

Diploma thesis: In the last semester of the postgraduate program, students are invited to organize, write and present their thesis. The topic will concern cardiovascular risk factors as well as cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The type of work can be either a systematic review or a research paper.

1. For the preparation of the Master’s Thesis (article 34, par. 4 of Law 4485/2017), the Coordinating Committee, upon application of the candidate, stating the proposed title of the postgraduate thesis, the proposed supervisor and the summary of the proposed thesis, appoints its supervisor. The supervisor is a faculty member or instructor according to the categories of teachers or a visiting professor in Greece or abroad with the same or related scientific specialty with the subject of the MSc. At the same time, a three-member Advisory Committee is formed for the approval of the Postgraduate Diploma Thesis, in which one member is the Supervisor. The members of the three-member Advisory Committee may be faculty members, teachers or visiting lecturers (domestic or foreign), with the same or related scientific specialty with the subject of the MSc

2. A change of supervisor may be made in exceptional cases at the request of the supervisor or the postgraduate student in the committee of the MSc and a decision of the Assembly of the relevant department. If the three-member advisory committee has been established, the supervisor is replaced by one of the remaining members of the three-member committee, otherwise than another faculty member, upon proposal of the S.C. of the MSc and decision of the Assembly of the Department.

3. The presentation of the Master’s Thesis is supported before the three-member Advisory Committee at a date and place set by the Assembly of the Department. Following its approval by the Committee, it must be posted on the website of the relevant School. In support of the postgraduate thesis, the postgraduate student may come provided that he has successfully completed the examinations in all courses.

4. The dissertation may be a research or systematic review study and the language of its preparation is English. In both cases, there will be a detailed report on how to select the specific bibliographic references as well as the formulation of a specific research question based on the recognition of a gap in the bibliography. The structure of the work will be as follows: abstract, introduction, methodology and material, results, discussion, conclusion. The documentation and writing of the dissertation will be done in English.

5.In order for a Master’s Thesis to be approved, it must meet the following requirements:

• The topic and content of the thesis should be relevant to the subject of the MSc
• The discussion of the subject, without necessarily having completely new elements, should be done in such a way as to approach the sources and bibliography, to present the personal research effort and performance of the candidate.

6. By decision of the Assembly of the Department, it is possible to extend by one (1) year the time of preparation and submission of the postgraduate dissertation. The submitted work is judged no later than three months after its submission. If this deadline has elapsed, the subject is removed from the list and the course is deemed not to have been completed.

7. When the preparation and writing of the thesis is completed, it is submitted in four (4) copies to the Secretariat of the MSc, with the agreement of the supervising professor that it meets the requirements for admission for judgment and the date of its oral examination is set by the S.C.

8. The Master’s Thesis is graded by the supervisor and the two members separately and the grade is notified to the Secretariat of the MSc. The average of the three raters is the final grade of the Master’s degree 9. For the final judgment of the Master’s Thesis, the postgraduate student must defend it before the examination committee. The date and place of support of the dissertation is determined after consultation with the committe of the MSc The support is attended by the members of the three-member Advisory Committee and the presentation can also be public.

10. The average grade of the Master’s Thesis by the members of the examination committee cannot be less than 6, otherwise it is considered rejected and the student does not complete the studies.

11.After the presentation of the thesis and under the responsibility of the supervisor, an evaluation report is drawn up and signed by the members of the examination committee.

12. Prerequisite for the examination of the postgraduate thesis is that the student has completed all academic and financial obligations.