The Department of Health Studies and Gerontology offers graduate programs leading to Master's (MSc), Master of Public Health (MPH) and Doctoral (PhD) degrees. The programs have an interdisciplinary focus encompassing the following areas:
- behavioural risk factors;
- determinants of health behaviour and strategies of behavioural change;
- the interplay between the behavioural risk factors and biological mechanisms underlying the development of chronic disease;
- development of disease detection and prevention strategies;
- development and evaluation of assessment strategies, programs, and policy;
- health promotion; health risk communication;
- individual and social processes affecting the health and well-being of an aging population; and other relevant specializations.
The student may specialize in one of the three designated streams within the PhD program. Each designated PhD stream provides a primary focus on one of the three following areas of study:
- biological issues as they relate to health;
- health behaviour issues;
- gerontology issues related to health and well-being.
The MSc program does not recognize designated streams, although students may elect to focus their studies within a particular stream area. Students are expected to integrate their graduate studies to address broad interdisciplinary issues.
For the MSc program, it is recommended that applicants have university courses in social psychology (preferably health psychology), human physiology and gerontology, as well as courses in statistics and research design. For the MPH program it is recommended that applicants have a university course in statistics. Students whose previous programs do not supply them with sufficient backgrounds will normally enter the program as qualifying, probationary or transitional students and may be required to complete a program of courses before admission as regular graduate students. Successful completion of the qualifying program does not guarantee admission to the graduate program. (See full Admission Requirements for the Master of Science, Master of Public Health and Doctoral programs below.)
MSc and PhD students may also request to undertake a joint degree with another department. They should follow requirements for such a degree as stipulated by the University of Waterloo.
Full-time students enrolled in the Master's program normally take 2 years (6 terms) to complete the degree. Full-time students enrolled in the Doctoral program normally take 3-4 years (9-12 terms) to complete the degree. Students must obtain formal permission to continue registration beyond the University time limit. (See Graduate Studies Calendar, Academic Regulations - Time Limits) It is also possible to enrol in either the master's or doctoral program as a part-time student.