Master of Public Health (MPH)

The program information below was valid for the winter 2017 term (January 1, 2017 - April 30, 2017). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.

• Admit term(s) 
  • Fall
• Delivery mode 
  • Online
• Delivery mode information 
  • The program is also offered on-campus or in a mix of online and on-campus formats.
• Length of program 
  • Full-time: two years (20 months).
  • Part-time: four years from initial program entry.
  • Courses are offered in three terms of each academic year. For all, continuous registration for each term of the program is required.
• Program type 
  • Master's
  • Professional
• Registration option(s) 
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
• Study option(s) 
  • Coursework

• Minimum requirements 
  • Successful completion of a four-year Honours Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with a minimum 75% average. The Bachelor's degree will normally be in a field relevant to public health.
  • Students must submit a personal essay of no more than 500 words explaining the education, work and life experiences 1) that have brought them to the decision to apply to the MPH program; and 2) how the MPH will help them in their future career.
  • Students must have at least one year of prior work experience in a public health setting, either through full or part-time employment or through co-operative work terms as an undergraduate (volunteer experience may be applicable).
  • Although statistics is not a prerequisite for admission, students should have a suitable background in statistics to meet prerequisite standards for all graduate level courses, before beginning coursework. An undergraduate course in research methods (with a minimum 75%) is recommended.
  • Students will be recruited as recent graduates from 4-year Bachelor of Science (BSc) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) programs in Health Studies and related disciplines, or alternatively as mature students holding a 4-year degree in a related discipline with relevant work experience in population and public health. Students with advanced professional degrees in recognized health disciplines (e.g. MD, DVM) will also be eligible for admission.
• Application materials 
  • Résumé
    • Indicating past academic and professional experience.
  • Supplementary information form
  • Transcript(s)
• References 
  • Number of references:  2
  • Type of references: 
    • 1 academic
    • 1 professional
    • If applicants have been out of school for an extended period of time (>5 years) and are unable to supply an academic reference they may submit two professional references. Please ensure that one professional referee
      is able to comment on the applicants academic ability and potential.
• English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Coursework option:

Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)

Courses 

• The minimum course requirements are 10 one-term (0.50 unit weight) graduate courses, 2 two-week block courses (0.50 total weight) and a practicum (1.50 unit weight).
• Students will attend on-campus on two occasions for 2-week block courses. The first, PHS 601 Foundations of Public Health, will occur at the start of the program and the second, PHS 602 Capstone Integrative Seminar for Public Health, will bring students back together at the end of the program after completion of all coursework and the practicum:
  • The objective of PHS 601, the Foundations of Public Health course is both to orient the student to the philosophical and practical bases of public health, and to kindle the student's passion for public health as a career and as a societal activity.
  • PHS 602, the MPH capstone course, will provide an opportunity to apply public health tools, concepts and best practice to address current issues facing public health organizations and build relationships with front line public health practitioners. On campus preparation and completion of assignments during the spring term are also requirements for the completion of PHS 602.
• Additional required courses are as follows:
  • PHS 603 Health Policy in Public Health
  • PHS 604 Public Health and the Environment
  • PHS 605 Quantitative Methods and Analysis
  • PHS 606 Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health
  • PHS 607 Social, Cultural and Behavioural Aspects of Public Health I
  • PHS 608 Health and Risk Communication in Public Health
  • PHS 609 Management and Administration of Public Health Services
  • PHS 641 Professional Experience Practicum
• At a minimum, and in accordance with University policy, Students must maintain an overall average of 75% in the Program, with individual course scores of at least 70%. A failing grade in any course will necessitate a review of the student’s status by the department, and may result in a student being required to withdraw from the program.
• To graduate from the environmental health sciences stream, a student is required to complete the required core courses plus 2 stream specific courses PHS 624 Environmental Toxicology in Public Health and PHS 634 Environmental Epidemiology for Public Health and at least 1 elective from the listed PHS or equivalent courses.
• To graduate from the socio-behavioural sciences stream, a student is required to complete the required core courses plus 2 stream specific courses PHS 614 Foundations of Program Evaluation and PHS 617 Population Intervention for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and at least 1 elective from the listed PHS or equivalent courses.
• MPH general degree students will be required to complete the required core courses as well as 3 elective PHS courses. Graduate courses from other departments may be acceptable if approved by the MPH Program Committee.
• Students admitted for a probationary year will be required to complete PHS 605 Quantitative Methods and Analysis (fall term) and PHS 606 Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health (winter term) with an average of at least 73%. If a student’s average on these courses falls below 73% but not below 70%, their status will be reviewed by the Department Graduate Committee. Normally a student will not continue on probationary status for more than two terms.

Link(s) to courses

• Public Health Sciences (PHS) courses

Academic Integrity Workshop

Professional Experience Practicum

• The MPH program includes a practicum requirement (PHS 641 Professional Experience Practicum) for all full and part-time students. It will provide opportunities for students to gain relevant practical experience by completing a minimum 12–week community-based Applied Practicum, working within a local public health unit, provincial and federal governmental agency, or non-governmental organization. Students with prior public health experience may take a Research Practicum in place of the Applied Practicum. The requirement to complete an Applied Practicum will be waived only if the student provides evidence of extensive prior work experience in public health. This will be assessed by the Academic Advisor.

• Choosing a practicum: students will be required to find their own workplace opportunity suited to their career goals and aspirations and preferred practice environments and public health issues. However, students will receive on-going information from the School of Public Health and Health Systems throughout their studies regarding potential employers seeking students. The School of Public Health and Health Systems will ensure that workplace settings meet the following conditions that:

  • the employer demonstrates commitment to education and student learning in the area of public health;

  • the employer provides a meaningful learning experience for the MPH student;

  • MPH students receive a positive working experience in a practical setting that will enhance the skills acquired in their course work prior to the work term; and,

  • the MPH students’ professional experience component goals are related to the program’s learning outcomes

• The practicum experience will provide an understanding of the practical realities of public health and expose students to other investigations and collaborative working relationships. The practicum deliverable will include a contract stipulating practicum objectives. Supervision and assessment of each professional experience component will be the joint responsibility of: a designated field supervisor employed within the organization where the professional experience takes place, and the designated MPH advisor, who will be a School of Public Health and Health System faculty member affiliated with the MPH Program.
• Practicum placements will be arranged by the individual students. A database of suitable practicum sites arranged by the department will be accessible by the students. Students can arrange a practicum at an alternate site, subject to department/MPH Program Leader approval. Students will enrol in the practicum term after completing all required course work. In some cases, with permission of the Program Leader, a student may enrol in one course while completing the practicum term.