Health Studies

The Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) in Interdisciplinary Health Studies offers a multifaceted approach to the study of health, allowing students the opportunity to engage with health from biological, behavioural, social, environmental, ethical, historical, cultural and population perspectives. Drawing on concepts from across the life sciences, social sciences, and humanities, students will develop the critical thinking, analytic, and communication skills needed to engage in complex and nuanced issues such as health care for an aging population; confronting global pandemics; building healthy communities; and working for justice in health-care delivery and outcomes. Students will develop essential skills for a wide range of career paths related to health, including: foundational knowledge of life sciences; a fluency with various research methodologies and data analysis; exposure to another language (French or an Indigenous language); the development of research skills through a capstone research project; and the opportunity to pursue specialized studies through a concentration in one of three innovative topic areas:

Health Equity and Diversity: In the Health Equity and Diversity concentration, students will explore ways that health is socially and culturally constructed from a critical studies perspective. Students will analyze the ways in which oppression, marginalization, and health interact in society by considering how gender and sexism, colonialism, racism, sexual orientation, ageism, and dis/ableism, and the combination of these, impact the health of various social groups.

Health Analysis: In the Health Analysis concentration, students will develop the skills to analyze data on health in the population. Students will build an analytic toolkit including qualitative and quantitative analysis, statistical coding, geographic and spatial data analysis.

Environment and Health: In the Environment and Health concentration, students will explore the interdependence between human health, animal health, and the environment. Students will consider the ways in which the natural and built environment can shape health, such as exploring how the design of our cities impacts obesity rates, to the ways that climate change affects global patterns of infectious disease.

The Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Interdisciplinary Health Studies is designed for students seeking strong interdisciplinary training combining the life sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Students will develop a broad skill set that includes health analysis and research, health communications, and critical thinking which prepares them for a breadth of health-related roles or professional programs in health care and allied health care. There will also be opportunities to complete hands-on health-focused projects through a capstone project.

A Minor in Interdisciplinary Health Studies is also available to students, which will allow them to engage with key health topics including the social determinants of health, health communications, cultural dimensions of health, and the Canadian health-care system.

Given the wide breadth of courses students engage in for an Interdisciplinary Health Studies degree, majoring students are not required to undertake a minor from an additional specific discipline.

Interdisciplinary B.A. & Sc. Program

MINOR in Health Studies is 24 credits earned as follows:

6	from HLTH 1001, 1011
6	from HLTH 2001, 2011
6	from HLTH 3001, 3011
3	from PHIL 2511, 3511, 3711, 3741
3	from SOCI 2111, 2121, 2211, 2231, 2611, WGST 2101, GENV 2221, CANA 3821

MAJOR in Health Studies is 87 credits earned as follows:

Core Health Courses

6	from HLTH 1001, 1011
6	from HLTH 2001, 2011
6	from HLTH 3001, 3011
6	from HLTH 4000

Introductory Social Science and Life Sciences

3	from BIOC 1001
6	from BIOL 1001, 1201, 1501
3	from PSYC 1001, 1011
3	from SOCI 1201

Ethics and Philosophy

3	PHIL 2511, 3511, 3711, RELG 3911, 3921

Life Sciences at the 2000 Level

6	BIOC 2001, BIOL 2101, 2201, 2401, PSYC 2101, 2121, 2431, 2601, 2611

Social Issues and Culture

6	PHIL 3741, SOCI 2111, 2121, 2231, 2211, 2611, 3511, 3761, WGST 2101, CENL 1001, 2001, 2101

Health and Life Sciences at the 3/4000 Level

9	HLTH 4991, BIOC 3031, 3041, 3501, 3521, 4031, BIOL 3211, 3221, 4151, 4211, 4221, PSYC 3101, 3141, 3151, 3211, 3311, 3421, 4611

Language

6	(by placement) from FREN 1651, 1701, 1711, 2401, 2501, 3101, 3111, 3131 OR from Indigenous language and/or culture courses approved by the Program Advisor

CONCENTRATIONS

18	chosen from one of the following three concentrations:

Health Equity and Diversity

Society and Culture
6	GENV 2221, 2811, 4811, WGST 2101, CANA 2311, 3821, CLAS/HIST 3051, PHIL 3741, HIST 3801, RELG 1621, 1641

Social Research Methodologies
6	SOCI 3311, 3701, 3731, 3781, 4311, WGST 3121

Psychology
6	PSYC 2601, 3421, 3311, 3331, 3511, 3601, 4411

Health Analysis

Data Science
6	MATH 1311, DATA 3001

Social Research Methodologies
6	SOCI 3311, 3701, 3731, 3781, 4311 WGST 3121

Data Applications
6	DATA 3101, 4001, ECON 3111, 3401, GENS 2441, PSYC 2001, 2011, COMP/MATH 3531

Environment and Health

Geography, Environment and Society
6	GENV 2221, 2811, 3101, 3111, 4811, PHIL 3721, CANA 2311, 3821, RELG 2411, 3981

Social Research Methodologies
6	SOCI 3311, 3701, 3731, 3781, 4311 WGST 3121

Life Science and Environment
6	BIOL 3111, 3421, 3911, BIOC/BIOL 4201

Note: Students are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary prerequisites.

Note: If a student has high competency/fluency in another language aside from French or an Indigenous one, the language requirement can be broadened in discussion with the program advisor.

HONOURS in Health Studies is 93 credits earned as follows:

87	as in the Major, plus:
6	from BIOL 4990, BIOC 4990, PSYC 4990, SOCI 4990, WGST 4990, GENV 4990, PHIL 4990 (or another participating program in consultation with the program advisor.)

HEALTH STUDIES COURSES

Note: The listing of a course in the Calendar is not a guarantee that the course is offered every year.

Note: Students must obtain a grade of at least C- in all courses used to fulfill prerequisite requirements. Otherwise, written permission of the appropriate Department Head or Program Co-ordinator must be obtained.

HLTH 1001 (3.00)

Health and Society

This course introduces concepts of health, illness, and well-being and examines how different framings of health have been socially constructed. The course addresses social determinants of health and concepts of health equity. It discusses the influence of cultural, environmental, socioeconomic, demographic, biological, behavioural, historical, religious, and political factors on individual and population health. (Format: Lecture, 3 hours)

HLTH 1011 (3.00)

Foundations of Health Inquiry

This course focuses on how health, illness, and disease are defined and measured. It provides a broad overview of diverse qualitative and quantitative research methods for health. The course introduces concepts of correlation, causality, and the hierarchy of evidence. Emphasis is placed on building health literacy and information literacy (e.g. finding research in scientific/medical databases), developing written and oral communication skills, and understanding health ethics. (Format: Lecture 3 hours and Tutorial 1.5 hours)

HLTH 1991 (3.00)

Special Topics in Health

This course either focuses on topics not covered by the current course offerings in a department or program or offers the opportunity to pilot a course that is being considered for inclusion in the regular program. Topics might include current issues in health, health policy, global health, mental health, Indigenous health, health promotion, health law, or health and justice. (Format: Lecture 3 hours or as determined)

HLTH 2001 (3.00)

The Canadian Health Care System

Prereq: HLTH 1001
This course provides an overview of the Canadian health-care system including the roles of federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal health authorities; health financing and resourcing; service utilization; health care planning; and health promotion strategies. The course examines current societal and political issues that affect the health system. (Format: Lecture 3 hours)

HLTH 2011 (3.00)

Health Research and Analysis

Prereq: HLTH 2001
This course introduces data analysis, principles of experimental and observational design, and the formulating and testing of hypotheses with a specific focus on health applications. Topics include quantitative approaches, graphical and statistical analyses of various forms of data using computing software, and the appropriate use of both in health analysis. Students will also be exposed to multiple relevant data platforms in this course. (Format: Lecture 3 hours and Tutorial 1.5 hours)

HLTH 2991 (3.00)

Special Topics in Health

HLTH 3001 (3.00)

Health Communications

Coreq: HLTH 2001
This course will provide an overview of theories of health communication, health literacy, public health campaigns, risk communication, and the role of traditional and social media. It will also consider the importance of cultural literacy in adapting health communication to different contexts. (Format: Lecture 3 hours and/or experiential learning)

HLTH 3011 (3.00)

Epidemiology and Public Health

Coreq: HLTH 2011
This course will introduce concepts in epidemiology including the prevalence, incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health in a population. It engages with principles specific to health research for establishing cause and effect relationships, estimating outcome measures, and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions to prevent and cure diseases. (Format: Lecture 3 hours, Lab or Tutorial option)

HLTH 3991 (3.00)

Special Topics in Health

HLTH 4000 (6.00)

Capstone Project in Interdisciplinary Health Studies

Prereq: HLTH 3001; HLTH 3011
This capstone course gives upper-year students the opportunity to work in teams and apply their health knowledge and skills to address a real-world health problem. The course allows students to cultivate a transferable skill set, work in a collaborative environment, and explore interdisciplinary approaches to different applications and perspectives on health. Students will regularly present their works in progress and discuss advanced topics in health that are relevant both to broad experiential applications, and to their specific projects. (Format: Integrated seminar with independent project or experiential learning component)

HLTH 4950 (6.00)

Independent Study in Health Studies

This course permits senior students, under the direction of faculty members, to pursue their interest in areas not covered, or not covered in depth, by other courses through a program of independent study. [Note 1: Permission of the Department/Program Advisor. Students must obtain consent of an instructor who is willing to be a supervisor and must register for the course prior to the last day for change of registration in the term during which the course is being taken. Note 2: A program on Independent Study cannot duplicate subject matter covered through regular course offerings. Note 3: Students may register for HLTH 4950/51 more than once, provided the subject matter differs.] (Format: Independent Study)

HLTH 4951 (3.00)

Independent Study in Health Studies

HLTH 4991 (3.00)

Special Topics in Health