¶¡ÏãÔ°AV

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¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Calendar | Spring 2019

Health Sciences

Master of Public Health

The Masters of Public Health (MPH) program is a practice-based graduate degree that trains students in a breadth of research and practice intended to improve population health. This program is designed to meet core public health competencies - what the profession considers to be the essential knowledge and skills required for the successful application of public health.

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the University admission requirements as stated in Graduate General Regulations 1.3 and the requirements on the Faculty of Health Sciences website.

See Graduate General Regulation 1.3.4 iii transfer from master's to PhD, which is possible for exceptional students in the first 6 semesters of their master's.

Program Requirements

This program consists of course work, a minimum 11 week practicum and a project for a total of 46 units, or with the approval of the senior supervisor and the director, students may choose a thesis in lieu of a master's project, for a total of 49 units.

Students must complete all of

HSCI 801 - Biostatistics for Population Health Practice I (4)

Basic statistical concepts as applied to diverse problems in epidemiologic and public health research. Emphasizes interpretation and concepts rather than calculations. Basic study designs' statistics. Descriptive and graphical methods, fundamentals of probability distribution, rates and standardization, contingency tables, odds ratios, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, life tables, Linear regression.

HSCI 802 - Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health (4)

The underlying concepts and methods of epidemiology in the context of population and public health. Students will acquire skills in the critical interpretation of the epidemiologic literature, methods for measuring disease frequency and effect, evaluation of study design, and assessment of bias and confounding.

HSCI 803 - Qualitative and Survey Research Methods (4)

Methodologies and strategic research design for advances in knowledge and understanding in the health sciences. Problem definition, sampling, data collection, analysis, proposal writing, and ethical issues are addressed. Provides experiential and intellectual grounding in surveys, interviews, focus groups, and ethnography. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the Instructor.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Cecilia Sierra-Heredia
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Mon, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby
G101 Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Fri, 8:30–9:20 a.m.
Burnaby
G102 Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Fri, 8:30–9:20 a.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 845 - Environmental and Occupational Health (3)

Globalization and industrialization impacts on the health of the environment, populations, and workers. Environmental hazards in consumables (food, air, and water) and waste (liquid, solid, and gaseous) with special reference to hazardous waste. Risk assessment in community, workplace, and residential settings. A case studies approach. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

HSCI 900 - Core Concepts and Practice for Public Health I (2)

Core concepts in population and public health. Population health paradigms and the history of public health. Public health strategies and domains of practice. Reflective public health practice and cultural sensitivity and empathy. Practicum preparation, planning and location of practicum sites. Seminars, workshops and lectures. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

HSCI 901 - Core Concepts and Practice for Public Health II (2)

Core concepts in population and public health. Population health paradigms and the history of public health. Public health strategies and domains of practice. Reflective public health practice and cultural sensitivity and empathy. Practicum preparation, planning and location o f practicum sites. Seminars, workshops and lectures. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisite: HSCI 900.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Malcolm Steinberg
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Wed, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby

and requirements from one of the concentrations

and a practicum

HSCI 880 - Practicum (3)

Students participate in a workplace practicum to obtain experience in community public health practices. Practica are the equivalent of full-time course work, and may focus on local, regional, national or international health practices. Following completion of the practicum, students are expected to be on campus to prepare a poster presentation summarizing their practicum experience. Graded complete or incomplete. Prerequisite: Students will consult with their senior supervisor on all courses that must be taken before going on practicum. All students are expected to complete at minimum the following courses: HSCI 801, 802, 803, 901. Under special circumstances students may request written permission from the director, public health practice, and the senior supervisor to substitute one of the prerequisite courses, or to carry out the practicum prior to completion of the required courses.

and a project or a thesis

HSCI 897 - MPH Project (3)

Graded incomplete/complete. Prerequisite: HSCI 880.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
HSCI 898 - MPH Thesis (6)

Graded incomplete/complete.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

Concentrations

Environmental and Occupational Health Concentration

In addition to the core requirements, students who choose this concentration must complete all of

HSCI 827 - Analysis of Health Care Systems (3)

Analyze factors that determine the organization and performance of health services for individuals and populations.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Ruth Lavergne
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 847 - Risk Assessment and Communication for Human Health (3)

Concepts and tools involved in human health risk assessment, with a particular emphasis on those aspects relevant to occupational and environmental exposures. The main steps involved in a risk assessment and application to basic risk/exposure situations. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches. Risk management and the policy process. Prerequisite: HSCI 802 or permission of the instructor.

HSCI 849 - Regression Modeling for Public Health (3)

Development of linear and logistic regression models from hypothesis to interpretation. Counter-factual framework for causal inference. Directed acyclic graphs for model building. This is a skills developing course in which students will use real data to create authentic models. Prerequisite: HSCI 802 or permission of the instructor.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Scott Venners
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Mon, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby

and one of

HSCI 776 - Seminar in Molecular Basis of Drug Action and Environmental Exposure (3)

Topics in molecular biology-based research into pathologies of disease related to drug and environmental exposures will be discussed. Focus on systems pharmacology and the molecular determinants of drug and toxicant action as they relate to gene expression and signal transduction.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Nadine Provencal
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Fri, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 846 - Environmental Health Exposure Assessment and Analysis (3)

Assessment and analysis of exposure to physical, chemical, and biological contaminants in environmental and occupational settings. Theory and methods of assessing exposure through direct and indirect methods. Introduction to statistical and modeling techniques used in interpreting exposure data, describing sources of exposure variability, and identifying important determinants of exposure. Prerequisite: HSCI 845 or permission of the instructor.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Ryan Allen
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby

and one of

HSCI 835 - Social Determinants of Health (3)

Examination of the major social determinants of health: income and social status, social support networks, education, employment/working conditions, social environments, physical environments, healthy child development, disabilities, gender, racialization, colonization, and culture. Evaluation of empirical research linking social determinants of health to health outcomes. Theoretical frameworks are introduced to operationalize social factors and their intersections for the purposes of application in public health research.

HSCI 842 - Indigenous Health in Canada (3)

The Indigenous peoples of Canada – the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples – have rich and diverse histories. However, common to most is that health and wellness are understood differently through an Indigenous worldview, with a more wholistic understanding which includes the inter-generational effects of colonization. This course will first consider different definitions of health and illness. It will then explore the health conditions of the Indigenous peoples of Canada, including a comparative examination of social and historical factors that contribute to poor health conditions, as well as Indigenous initiatives to restore wellness to their Nations. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program, or permission of the instructor.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Jeffrey Reading
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Fri, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 855 - Health Promotion in Practice (3)

The values and principles that guide health promotion practice in Canada and in other contexts. The evolution of health promotion core strategies and concepts. Participatory and system approaches to advocacy, inter-sectoral and community action. Innovation and leadership to influence health promotion interventions and policies. Prerequisite: HSCI 901 or permission of the instructor.

and two elective graduate HSCI courses

Global Health Concentration

In addition to the core requirements, students who choose this concentration must complete all of

HSCI 821 - Introduction to Global Health (3)

This is a survey course in global health. The course introduces students to fundamental concepts, frameworks and vocabulary that underwrite the logics of global health, as well as important histories and milestones in the field. A survey will be conducted of the most significant topic areas in the field, considering epidemiological patterns, etiology, approaches to improving health outcomes and the policy ramifications of our knowledge.

HSCI 827 - Analysis of Health Care Systems (3)

Analyze factors that determine the organization and performance of health services for individuals and populations.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Ruth Lavergne
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 830 - Health Promotion in Partnership: Catalyzing Change (3)

Build knowledge and skills around working with others to enable change and empower individuals and communities to improve their health. Provide strategic direction to foment participation, mobilizing resources for health promotion, and build capacity. Use a social ecological framework as a guide to theories and frameworks of health behavior. Students occupy central facilitation role in the classroom to help model and practice health promotion skills. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of instructor.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Thu, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby

and one of

HSCI 822 - Global Health Governance (3)

Focuses on the rationales and institutional arrangements needed for collective action to address the health impacts arising from globalization. Using case studies, the course provides understanding of the practical challenges of policy making and diplomacy in a global context. The roles and limitations of key institutional actors and governance instruments are assessed, along with emerging forms of global health governance as collective action responses to global health needs. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the Instructor.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
John Calvert
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Thu, 8:30–11:20 a.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 870 - Global Health and International Affairs (3)

Intersection of international affairs and global health. Pressing global health issues are analyzed as they intersect with the global economy, international development, and security. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program, or permission of the instructor.

and one of

HSCI 804 - Biostatistics for Population Health Practice II (3)

Statistical methods related to public health. Probability distributions, basic statistical inference on means and proportions and general concepts of hypothesis testing. Measures of association. Simple and multivariable linear regression models, dummy variables, and logistic regression models. Survival data analysis. Prerequisite: HSCI 801.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Hui Xie
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Fri, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 805 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Methods (3)

Follow-up course to HSCI 802. Designing, conducting, analyzing, and interpreting epidemiologic research. Theoretical frameworks, concepts of inference, measures of disease occurrence and effect, study designs, issues in measurement, bias, confounding, and interaction. Critical assessment of the epidemiologic and public health literature. Prerequisite: HSCI 801 and 802.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Lawrence McCandless
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Tue, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 825 - Advocacy and Communication (3)

Health advocacy, the policy framework within which it operates, its key principles, skills, and practice issues. Role, theories, and methods of health communication and advocacy in global health from the community to global level. Useful means: media advocacy, community mobilization, and trans-national collaboration. Use of information technology to promote population health and pro-health policy change. A case studies approach. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

HSCI 826 - Program Planning and Evaluation (3)

Practical approaches to health needs assessment, needs prioritization, health program planning, and health program evaluation in low-to-middle income countries and/or resource-poor settings. Gender-based analyses are emphasized throughout. A case study approach. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

and two of

HSCI 808 - The Economics of Health and Health Care (3)

Health care systems throughout the world are faced with rising costs and increasing demands. This course is designed to provide a comprehensive but accessible introduction to economic principles and applications for health sciences students. On completion of the course, students will be able to demonstrate how the application of economic principles in the context of health and health care can help to address health system inefficiencies.

HSCI 823 - Health, Gender and Development (3)

Central role played by gender in health and development. Relationship of gender inequities to access to and control of resources needed to protect health. Use of gender lens in evaluating health systems and economic outcomes. Practical application of gender in health development approach to health financing, resource allocation policy problems in resource-constrained nations. A case studies approach. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

HSCI 825 - Advocacy and Communication (3)

Health advocacy, the policy framework within which it operates, its key principles, skills, and practice issues. Role, theories, and methods of health communication and advocacy in global health from the community to global level. Useful means: media advocacy, community mobilization, and trans-national collaboration. Use of information technology to promote population health and pro-health policy change. A case studies approach. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

HSCI 826 - Program Planning and Evaluation (3)

Practical approaches to health needs assessment, needs prioritization, health program planning, and health program evaluation in low-to-middle income countries and/or resource-poor settings. Gender-based analyses are emphasized throughout. A case study approach. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

HSCI 829 - Health Policy Making in a Global Context (3)

A case-study based approach to policy analysis, formation, decision-making and evaluation in global health contexts. Frameworks for developing policy. Program planning and evaluation methodologies. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

HSCI 842 - Indigenous Health in Canada (3)

The Indigenous peoples of Canada – the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples – have rich and diverse histories. However, common to most is that health and wellness are understood differently through an Indigenous worldview, with a more wholistic understanding which includes the inter-generational effects of colonization. This course will first consider different definitions of health and illness. It will then explore the health conditions of the Indigenous peoples of Canada, including a comparative examination of social and historical factors that contribute to poor health conditions, as well as Indigenous initiatives to restore wellness to their Nations. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program, or permission of the instructor.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Jeffrey Reading
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Fri, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 855 - Health Promotion in Practice (3)

The values and principles that guide health promotion practice in Canada and in other contexts. The evolution of health promotion core strategies and concepts. Participatory and system approaches to advocacy, inter-sectoral and community action. Innovation and leadership to influence health promotion interventions and policies. Prerequisite: HSCI 901 or permission of the instructor.

Population Health Concentration

In addition to the core requirements, students who choose this concentration must complete all of

HSCI 827 - Analysis of Health Care Systems (3)

Analyze factors that determine the organization and performance of health services for individuals and populations.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Ruth Lavergne
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 835 - Social Determinants of Health (3)

Examination of the major social determinants of health: income and social status, social support networks, education, employment/working conditions, social environments, physical environments, healthy child development, disabilities, gender, racialization, colonization, and culture. Evaluation of empirical research linking social determinants of health to health outcomes. Theoretical frameworks are introduced to operationalize social factors and their intersections for the purposes of application in public health research.

HSCI 855 - Health Promotion in Practice (3)

The values and principles that guide health promotion practice in Canada and in other contexts. The evolution of health promotion core strategies and concepts. Participatory and system approaches to advocacy, inter-sectoral and community action. Innovation and leadership to influence health promotion interventions and policies. Prerequisite: HSCI 901 or permission of the instructor.

and one of

HSCI 804 - Biostatistics for Population Health Practice II (3)

Statistical methods related to public health. Probability distributions, basic statistical inference on means and proportions and general concepts of hypothesis testing. Measures of association. Simple and multivariable linear regression models, dummy variables, and logistic regression models. Survival data analysis. Prerequisite: HSCI 801.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Hui Xie
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Fri, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 805 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Methods (3)

Follow-up course to HSCI 802. Designing, conducting, analyzing, and interpreting epidemiologic research. Theoretical frameworks, concepts of inference, measures of disease occurrence and effect, study designs, issues in measurement, bias, confounding, and interaction. Critical assessment of the epidemiologic and public health literature. Prerequisite: HSCI 801 and 802.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Lawrence McCandless
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Tue, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 825 - Advocacy and Communication (3)

Health advocacy, the policy framework within which it operates, its key principles, skills, and practice issues. Role, theories, and methods of health communication and advocacy in global health from the community to global level. Useful means: media advocacy, community mobilization, and trans-national collaboration. Use of information technology to promote population health and pro-health policy change. A case studies approach. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

HSCI 826 - Program Planning and Evaluation (3)

Practical approaches to health needs assessment, needs prioritization, health program planning, and health program evaluation in low-to-middle income countries and/or resource-poor settings. Gender-based analyses are emphasized throughout. A case study approach. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

and three elective graduate HSCI courses

Social Inequities and Health Concentration

In addition to the core requirements, students who choose this concentration must complete all of

HSCI 807 - Theorizing and Researching Health Inequities (3)

Examination of critical theories, research methodologies and methods central to understanding and addressing complex health inequities. Emphasis on social structural factors, mechanisms and pathways through which gender, racialization, social class and other social axes of marginalization and power intersect to influence health equity at the population level. Prerequisite: HSCI 802 and 803 or permission of instructor.

HSCI 827 - Analysis of Health Care Systems (3)

Analyze factors that determine the organization and performance of health services for individuals and populations.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Ruth Lavergne
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 835 - Social Determinants of Health (3)

Examination of the major social determinants of health: income and social status, social support networks, education, employment/working conditions, social environments, physical environments, healthy child development, disabilities, gender, racialization, colonization, and culture. Evaluation of empirical research linking social determinants of health to health outcomes. Theoretical frameworks are introduced to operationalize social factors and their intersections for the purposes of application in public health research.

HSCI 839 - Strategies for Reducing Health Inequities (3)

Critical application of theory and research on social inequities and health to the development of interventions, programs and policies for reducing health inequities at the population level. Emphasis on critical, collaborative, evidence-based, reflexive public health practice. Prerequisite: HSCI 807, 838, or permission of the instructor.

and one of

HSCI 822 - Global Health Governance (3)

Focuses on the rationales and institutional arrangements needed for collective action to address the health impacts arising from globalization. Using case studies, the course provides understanding of the practical challenges of policy making and diplomacy in a global context. The roles and limitations of key institutional actors and governance instruments are assessed, along with emerging forms of global health governance as collective action responses to global health needs. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the Instructor.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
John Calvert
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Thu, 8:30–11:20 a.m.
Burnaby
HSCI 823 - Health, Gender and Development (3)

Central role played by gender in health and development. Relationship of gender inequities to access to and control of resources needed to protect health. Use of gender lens in evaluating health systems and economic outcomes. Practical application of gender in health development approach to health financing, resource allocation policy problems in resource-constrained nations. A case studies approach. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

HSCI 829 - Health Policy Making in a Global Context (3)

A case-study based approach to policy analysis, formation, decision-making and evaluation in global health contexts. Frameworks for developing policy. Program planning and evaluation methodologies. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program or permission of the instructor.

HSCI 842 - Indigenous Health in Canada (3)

The Indigenous peoples of Canada – the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples – have rich and diverse histories. However, common to most is that health and wellness are understood differently through an Indigenous worldview, with a more wholistic understanding which includes the inter-generational effects of colonization. This course will first consider different definitions of health and illness. It will then explore the health conditions of the Indigenous peoples of Canada, including a comparative examination of social and historical factors that contribute to poor health conditions, as well as Indigenous initiatives to restore wellness to their Nations. Prerequisite: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to the graduate program, or permission of the instructor.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
Jeffrey Reading
Jan 3 – Apr 8, 2019: Fri, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby

and two elective graduate HSCI courses

Note: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV students enrolled in the Accelerated Master's within Health Sciences may apply a maximum of 10 graduate course units, taken while completing the bachelor's degree, towards the upper division undergraduate electives of the bachelor's program and the requirements of the master's degree. For more information go to: /dean-gradstudies/future/academicprograms/AcceleratedMasters.html.

Program Length

Students are expected to complete the program requirements in six terms.

Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations

All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the Graduate General Regulations, as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled.