Major in Public Health
NOTE: Course codes for the Public Health program have changed from HST to PHS starting for the Academic calendar year 2026-27. ie - HST211 is now PHS211. IT IS THE SAME COURSE - your Degree Explorer will show HST or PHS, depending on when you take the course.
The new Public Health Major began in September 2025 with the first cohort graduating in June 2026. The new Public Health Major is the ONLY major accepting applications from this program as of March 2025.
This new program explores how health is shaped by the circumstances in which people are born, grow up, live, work, and age, and how these in turn connect to a wider set of environmental, social, cultural, economic, and political forces. It focuses on the current state of public health and represents a collaboration with the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
Enrolment Requirements. This is a limited enrolment program. Note there are different options depending on whether a student has completed between 4.0 and 8.5 credits, or 9.0 or more credits.
Variable Minimum Grade Average. A minimum grade average in required courses is needed for entry, and this minimum changes each year depending on available spaces and the number of applicants. To ensure that students admitted to the program will be successful, applicants with a grade average lower than 70% in required courses will not usually be considered for admission. Please note that obtaining this minimum grade average does not guarantee admission to the program. The following courses must be completed:
NOTE: Course codes for the Public Health program have changed from HST to PHS starting for the Academic calendar year 2026-27. ie - HST211 is now PHS211. To access HST courses you must view an academic calendar from a prior year ie 2025-26.
For students who have completed between 4.0 and 8.5 credits - 1.5 credits from: ANT100Y1/ BIO130H1/ CSB201H1/ GGR107H1/ HPS100H1/ HPS110H1/ HPS120H1/ PCL102H1/ PHS103H1/ PHL100Y1/ PHL101Y1/ POL101H1/ SOC100H1/ TRN135Y1/ UNI103H1/ WGS160Y1. If more than 1.5 credits have been completed, the minimum grade average will be based on the higher course grades.
For students who have completed 9.0 credits or more - 1.5 credits from: ANT100Y1/ BIO130H1/ CSB201H1/ GGR107H1/ HPS100H1/ HPS110H1/ HPS120H1/ PHS209H1/ PHS211H1/ PHS250H1/ PHS253H1/ PCL102H1/ PHL100Y1/ PHL101Y1/ PHS100H1/ PHS103H1/ POL101H1/ PSY100H1/ SOC100H1/ TRN135Y1/ UNI103H1/ WGS160Y1. If more than 1.5 credits have been completed, the minimum grade average will be based on the higher course grade.
--> Please scroll to the bottom to see our 'course clusters for areas of interest' when choosing your PH and elective courses
NOTE: Course codes for the Public Health program have changed from HST to PHS starting for the Academic calendar year 2026-27. ie - HST211 is now PHS211
Required
Required
Required
Years 3 & 4 (4.5 credits)
6. 0.5 credit from the following courses related to the Ethics and Epistemologies of Health Research: HMB406H1/ HPS240H1/ HPS318H1/ HPS346H1/ INS200H1/ PHL281H1/ PHL382H1/ PHL384H1/ PHL380H1/ PHL383H1/ PHL440H1
7. 0.5 credit from courses related to Public Health Equity: HMB303H1/ PHS305H1/ PHS405H1/ PHS411H1/ JSU237H1/ INS340Y1/ INS350H1/ SDS345H1/ SDS425H1/ JNS450H1/ WGS273H1/ WGS373H1/ WGS396H1/ WGS442H1
8. 0.5 credit from courses related to Public Health Domains/Specializations: ANT205H1/ ANT357H1/ ANT435H1/ HST308H1/ HMB342H1/ PHS373H1/ PHS330H1/ PHS306H1/ PHS400Y1/ PHS407H1/ PHS409H1/ PHS440H1/ PHS451Y1/ PHS464H1/ HMB203H1/ IRE378H1/ SOC246H1/ SOC363H1
9. The remaining 1.5 - 2.0 credits can include any courses not previously taken to fulfill the preceding requirements, or any of the following: ANA300Y1/ ANT208H1/ ANT345H1/ ANT348H1/ ANT358H1/ ANT434H1/ ANT458H1/ ANT460H1/ ANT474H1/ ECO369H1/ ECO402H1/ EEB324H1/ ENV430H1/ GGR340H1/ GGR433H1/ HIS423H1/ HIS498H1/ HMB202H1/ HMB322H1/ HMB323H1/ HMB433H1/ HMB462H1/ HPS319H1/ HPS370H1/ HPS371H1/ PHS306H1/ PHS307H1/ PHS309H1/ PHS350H1/ INS205H1/ JFP450H1/ JNH350H1/ CSE344Y1/ PHL380H1/ PHL381H1/ PHS300H1/ PSY333H1/ SOC204H1/ SOC243H1/ SOC309H1/ SOC316H1/ SOC364H1/ SOC412H1/ SOC488H1/ STA221H1/ TRN235H1/ TRN236H1/ WGS367H1
Students in Public Health are strongly encouraged to take a course that includes an experiential learning component (e.g. PHS400Y1 / PHS450Y1 / PHS451Y1 / PHS480H1).
PH courses & eligible electives based on areas of interest
In order to have your best undergraduate Public Health experience, you want to identify the areas of study that interest you. See our suggested 'clusters' of interest that can help you plan for the courses you will take, based on your areas of interest, in the PH program - these include required courses as well as electives in the list above. Please note - there are many other eligible electives not listed in a cluster - do your diligence and try and look at all the courses offered to you (above) before choosing.
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Public Health Research Methods
- PHS250H1 - Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Public Health
- PHS253H1 - Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Public Health
- PHS480H1 - Independent Research in Health Studies
- HMB323H1 - Global Health Research
- HMB342H1 - Epidemiology of Health & Disease/HST373 - Epidemiology
- HMB462H1: Topics in Epidemiology
- STA220H1 - The Practice of Statistics I
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Health Policy and Management
- PHS211H1 - Health Policy in Canada
- PHS310H1 - Critical Health Policy
- PHS410H1 - Case Studies in Health Policy
- PHS411H1 - Political Economy of Health
- PHS440H1 - Health & Pharmaceuticals
- ANT348H1 - Medical Anthropology: Health, Power and Politics
- ECO369H1 - Health Economics
- ECO402H1 - Topics in Health Economics
- IRE378H1 - Employment Health
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Health Equity and Social Justice
- PHS209H1 - Introduction to Social Determinants of Health
- PHS305H1 - Perspectives in Health, Gender, Ethnicity and Race
- PHS306H1 - Health, Nutrition, and Food Security
- PHS405H1 - Global Migration and Health
- PHS411H1 - Political Economy of Health
- ANT205H1 - Medical Anthropology
- ANT358H1 - Medical Anthropology and Social Justice
- HPS240H1 - The Influence of the Eugenics Movement on Contemporary Society
- INS200H1 - Introduction to Indigenous Truth and Resilience
- JNS450H1 - Sexuality & Disability
- SOC363H1 - Sociology of Mental Health and Mental Disorders
- WGS273H1 - Gender & Environmental (In)Justice
- WGS373H1 - Gender and Violence
- WGS442H1: Toxic Worlds, Decolonial Futures
- WGS367H1 - The Politics of Gender & Health
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Global and Community Health
- PHS308H1 - Aging and Health
- PHS330H1 - Population Health
- PHS405H1 - Global Migration and Health
- PHS464H1 - The Nature of Global Health
- ANT357H1 - Social Worlds of Medicine and Care
- GGR340H1 - Health Geography
- GGR433H1 - Built Environment and Health
- HMB203H1 - Introduction to Global Health
- HMB303H1 - Global Health and Human Rights
- HMB323H1 - Global Health Research
- INS350H1 - Indigenous Health Systems
- JSU237H1 - Introduction to HIV/AIDS: Health, Sexuality and Gender
- SOC246H1 - Sociology of Aging
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Experiential Learning Opportunities
Experiential Learning is one of the best ways to gain real-life skills and try new things. We offer several options in practicums, research, half-year, and full-year.
- PHS400Y1 - Public Health Practicum
- PHS450Y1 - Undergraduate Research Project
- PHS451Y1 - Independent Research in Public Health
- PHS480H1 - Independent Research in Public Health
the current version of PHS308H1 is also in an experiential format (2024-25) and hopefully we continue to be so in the future.