Health Studies
This specialization offers students several courses throughout their degree program that focus on conceptualizations of health, illness and disease, social determinants of health, income security, Indigenous health, and the intersections of gender and health. You will explore such topics as the organization of and current “crisis” in Canadian health care, relationships between and among health professional groups, “alternative” health care, and the pharmaceutical industry. You will have opportunities for a research practicum supervised by faculty members and/or independent research through an honours thesis.
Graduating students who have fulfilled the requirements for an Honours degree in Sociology may apply for a Specialization in Health Studies, if they have successfully completed the following 3.0 credits:
Required Courses
- SOCI 2630H: Sociology of Health and Illness
- SOCI 3631H: Sociology of Health Care
2.0 SOCI credits from:
- SOCI-ECON-NURS 2015H: Critical Perspectives on Aging
- SOCI-HIST 2601H: Public Health and Medicine: Doctors, Nurses, and Patients in History
- SOCI 3250H: Sociological Perspectives on Homelessness
- SOCI-SAFS-CAST-ERST 3341H: The Canadian Food System: Community Perspectives and Experiences
- SOCI-GESO 3440H: Sexuality & the Social
- SOCI-HIST 3630H: Plagues, Poxes and Pandemics: Disease in History from the Black Death to COVID
- SOCI 4050H: Sociology of Pharmaceuticals
- SOCI 4410H: Cultures of Knowledge
- SOCI 4420H: Aging & the Lifecourse
- SOCI-IDST-ANTH 4512H: Contemporary Issues in Global Health
- SOCI-CAST-GESO 4550Y/4551H: Gender and Disability in Canada
- SOCI 4620H: Studies in Social Policy
- SOCI 4850H: Sociology of the Body
Resume Boosters:
- Conduct research with one of our award winning faculty members in the areas of LGBTQ+ issues, the pharmaceutical industry, or human rights in prisons as part of our research practica opportunities
- Differentiate your degree with a specialized focus on the role of health and wellness in how society operates
- Meet and learn from leading thinkers in the field through guest lectures and speaker series held throughout the year
Career Paths:
Career Opportunities
- Health Policy Researcher
- Health Care Consultant
- Community Health Worker
- Public Health Planner
- Epidemiologist
Admission Requirements
Ontario Secondary School Requirements:
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
- A minimum of six Grade 12 4U or 4M courses, including program specific prerequisites
Program Requirements:
- A minimum 70% overall final average
- ENG 4U with a minimum of 60%
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