This course will be of interest to students pursuing careers in health and those with a general interest in health and health care. Various perspectives of the concepts of health and illness will be introduced. Emphasis is on understanding the origins, factors and conditions that determine health throughout the lifespan, how these factors influence one another and the role/impact of health care. Additional topics include how health is measured, the leading causes of death, illness and disability, as well as how health status has changed throughout history. Students will also learn how to research and critically analyze the health literature and discuss important health issues with their peers.
This course expands upon the general concepts introduced in HLTH 101 while extending the discussion to include issues such as: additional barriers to health; disease prevention; and methods used to plan, monitor, and improve individual and population health. Discussion will include when various interventions are justified and why, and where and when combinations of policies, treatments, education, and other approaches are necessary. The health of Canadians relative to that of people in other countries, as well as the inequalities that exist in health status within Canada and around the globe will be examined. Case examples will be used to illustrate points.
HLTH 103Biological Determinants of Health0.50 units
This course is an introduction to the biological determinants of health designed for students who have little formal knowledge of biology, but who wish to train for careers in health promotion, public health or other social and community services.
Antirequisites
Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
HLTH 104Introduction to Health Data Science0.50 units
In this foundational course, students will learn data literacy and the fundamentals of health data science. This course will introduce students to the importance of data science in public health and health care, exemplified through applications, and discuss ethical considerations and the use of tools and techniques to analyze health data. This includes an introduction to artificial intelligence and machine learning. Students will learn how to extract meaningful information from complex data sets and effectively communicate their findings. Practical, hands-on experience will be gained in programming skills and analysis of health data. This course will set the foundation for upper-year courses in statistics, health informatics, data analytics, and health research methods.
One or more term courses will be offered from time to time as announced by the School of Public Health and Health Systems. Topics will be dependent upon special research and/or instructional interests of the faculty.
This course focuses on the challenges facing older adults and on strategies to promote successful aging. A basic understanding of the physical aging process is explored, distinguishing between pathological states/illness and normal change. Many physical changes and associated functional decline are affected by modifiable factors such as sedentary lifestyles, substance abuse, and diet. Education, environment, and personal supports also play key roles in preventing illness and accidents (e.g. falls, driving accidents, and medication errors). The course addresses the interests of those working with older adults, and anyone who has older grandparents, parents, or friends.
HLTH 204Quantitative Approaches to Health Science0.50 units
An introduction to descriptive and basic inferential statistics and their application to health research. Various statistical techniques commonly used in health research are covered and applied to data using software.
This course will provide students with an introduction to health research and serve as a foundational course for subsequent courses in health research methods. An overview of multiple topics will be addressed. Selected topics might include developing research questions, observations, data sources and types. Students will also be introduced to qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research design approaches.
HLTH 217Biochemistry for Health Sciences0.50 units
This course will cover several fundamental concepts in biochemistry including structure and function of each of the biochemical molecules: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids; metabolic and enzymatic pathways for energy production; regulatory processes; as well as an introduction to the processes of the central dogma. Course content will focus on direct connections to health using clinical examples and applications.
Variations in the meaning and significance of death and dying will be considered from a psychological perspective, with particular attention to the contexts (e.g., cultural, familial, life-span developmental) in which these variations occur.
HLTH 220Psychosocial Perspectives on Lifespan Development and Health0.50 units
This course will focus on the normative psychosocial aspects of development of the individual and their influence on the individual's physical and mental health and well-being. Through the use of a developmental systems, lifespan approach, the course will emphasize the life-long process of development.
HLTH 230Introduction to Health Informatics0.50 units
Health informatics is the multidisciplinary field that aims to optimize the collection, storage, organization, retrieval, analysis, and communication of health data, information, and knowledge. Fueled by recent advances in information technology, informatics increasingly plays a vital role in many areas of health. This introductory course gives an overview of health informatics by discussing modern informatics issues and state-of-the-art applications in various sub-fields within health informatics including bioinformatics, medical informatics, e-Health, public health informatics, and prototyping solutions using open-access data.
This course examines Canadian health systems by considering organizational principles, health resources, service utilization, health care planning, and health promotion strategies. There is a focus on societal and political issues which affect the health of the society through the delivery system.
An introduction to the study of human population, with a focus on mortality, fertility, migration, and spatial distribution in Canada. Methods and measures used in demographic research, sources of demographic data, and the health and social implications of the major demographic trends are discussed.
Enormous inequalities in health persist both within and between countries. These inequalities can be seen across various axes including gender, ethnicity, and access to material resources. As such, those relatively deprived/underprivileged have substantially poorer health than those better off. The course will demonstrate the extent of inequalities in health, and it will explore current theories explaining how inequalities arise, focusing on behavioural/cultural, psychosocial, and structural/material explanations. The course will also investigate the role of various approaches to economic and social policy in creating or reducing inequalities.
Prerequisites
Complete 1 of the following
Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
HEALTH107 - Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-Being (0.50)
One or more term courses will be offered from time to time as announced by the School of Public Health and Health Systems. Topics will be dependent upon special research and/or instructional interests of the faculty.
This course is designed to provide students with a broad overview of microbes in both health and disease. Microbes and the microbiome have important beneficial roles in maintaining health. Other beneficial microbes, such as probiotics, also promote health. Pathogenic microbes, however, can adversely impact health causing severe acute disease to chronic diseases. This course will explore several key groups of microbes and how they either promote health or cause pathology.
HLTH 290An Introduction to Health Neuroscience0.50 units
The primary objective of the course will be to explore the dynamic and bidirectional relationship that develops between the brain and physical health over the life span. By investigating the interaction of individual biological factors (e.g., genetic, epigenetic, and life history traits) and social context (e.g., poverty, socioeconomic position), we would hope to understand how the brain acts as both a target and mediator of processes that influence a person's health and vulnerability to disease. Topics such as developmental programming, gene-environment interactions, resilience, and stress physiology will be considered.
HLTH 301Applied Health Promotion: Theory and Community Engagement0.50 units
This course introduces health promotion history, theories, and change strategies that address individual-level behaviour plus sociocultural, economic, political, and environmental conditions and resources for health that impact communities and foster engagement, empowerment, and functional collaborations. Topics include educational, persuasive, organizational, regulatory, and empowerment approaches for improving health at individual and community levels.
In this course the student is introduced to the theory and practice of public and population health programming, management, and evaluation applicable across the broad spectrum of core public health functions.
This course presents an overview of theories, issues, and compelling directions in health communication, with attention to health literacy, the role of the media, public health campaigns, provider-patient communication, and risk communication. Topics may highlight: social marketing; media advocacy; use of mobile phones, social media, and the Internet for health communication; entertainment education; communication in health care settings.
The physiology of human growth, development, and aging is examined, with special reference to the influence of diet, environment, exercise, and disease on the normal processes.
This course will introduce students to basic principles and methods used in epidemiology. The course will focus on both experimental and observational research designs, estimating outcome measures, principles for establishing cause and effect relationships, and the effectiveness of interventions to prevent and cure disease.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
HLTH204 - Quantitative Approaches to Health Science (0.50)
HLTH 335Introduction to Statistical Analytics in Health0.50 units
The course builds upon fundamental concepts of statistics for their application in health research through the use of statistical software. This course will (i) cover topics of data management, organization, and processing; (ii) emphasize the role of statistical concepts (such as sampling, exploratory data analysis, hypothesis testing, linear models, ANOVA) in statistical computation/coding for application in data analysis; and (iii) teach methods of reporting and interpreting statistical results.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Must have completed the following:
HLTH204 - Quantitative Approaches to Health Science (0.50)
HLTH 340Environmental Toxicology and Public Health0.50 units
An introduction to the basic biological and toxicological processes that determine the effects of environmental pollutants on human health. Emphasis is placed on the mechanisms that give rise to chronic or delayed health effects, such as cancer, genetic mutations, and birth defects.
An introduction to the study of biological factors governing disease in humans that will use selected diseases to identify risk factors and illustrate pathogenic mechanisms. The role that behaviour has in modifying biological response to disease may also be considered.
HLTH 344Qualitative Methods for Health Research0.50 units
This course introduces students to the basic qualitative methods, tools, and research designs that are widely used in health research and program evaluation. Students will analyze qualitative data using software.
HLTH 350Principles of Occupational Health and Safety0.50 units
This course explores methodological approaches to the recognition, evaluation, and control of health and safety hazards in the workplace. The health effects of chemicals, physical energies and agents, biological agents, as well as psychosocial stressors are examined. Policies, programs, and practices that encourage a holistic approach to worker well-being are also considered.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Students must be in level 3A or higher
Enrolled in a program offered by Faculty of Health
An introduction to individual and population aging. Topics discussed include: aging from a historical and comparative perspective; aging in subcultures; aging and the social structure; aging and social processes; aging and the environment; work and retirement; and aging and leisure patterns.
Prerequisites
Complete 1 of the following
Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
HEALTH107 - Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-Being (0.50)
Food and nutrition are everywhere. We eat and drink every day, with a multitude of factors influencing the food that ends up on our plates, which then impacts our health and the health of the planet. In this course, we will explore the fundamentals of public health nutrition, with an emphasis on the potential to promote the health of populations and the planet through changes to our food system and eating patterns. Topics include healthy and sustainable eating patterns and how current eating patterns compare, food insecurity, nutritional pseudoscience, and individual and ecologic approaches to promote healthy and sustainable eating.
HLTH 358Social Neuroscience 1: Mental Health and Addiction0.50 units
This course examines the joint contribution of social processes and neurobiology to the risk for and development of mental health conditions in the modern world. Topics may include the social neurobiology of affective disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder), eating disorders, addictions, and suicide.
HLTH 370Ecological Determinants of Health0.50 units
This course explores the interconnections between ecological systems and human health, emphasizing that Earth’s living systems are fundamental determinants of population well-being. Students will use an ecological framework and a One Health approach to examine how ecological considerations can be integrated into public health practice, health care, and policy. Topics may include the health benefits of contact with nature, climate change, ecosystem disruption, air and water quality, wildfires, built environments, and food systems and food security. The course also considers how ecological determinants interact with social and structural determinants of health to shape outcomes across populations.
One or more term courses will be offered from time to time as announced by the School of Public Health and Health Systems. Topics will be dependent upon special research and/or instructional interests of the faculty
This course explores ethical issues in health sciences, emphasizing population and public health. The course begins by considering canonical ethical theories and frameworks for applying these theories to population health. Specific topics in population health, including the conflict between public health and individual autonomy, the just distribution of health resources, and responsibility for health outcomes will then be discussed. The overall objective of the course is to provide students with tools to discuss and assess ethical arguments and to form their own views on issues within population health.
HLTH 392Mental Health Systems and Policy0.50 units
This course will explore concepts of mental health, mental illness, and substance use from a societal perspective. This will include an exploration of risks and protective factors at the individual and social levels. An overview of the addictions and mental health care systems will also be discussed, with particular emphasis on the role of public and private policy.
HLTH 400Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Aging0.50 units
This course provides an opportunity for critical discussion and analysis of a range of key issues in aging and aging research, and of health system and health policy issues affecting older persons. Speakers will represent a variety of disciplines, reflecting the importance of interdisciplinary perspectives in aging research, as well as the combination of biomedical and psychosocial factors that contribute to healthy aging or to the development of frailty and chronic disease.
We are becoming a global community; increasingly, health concerns are international in nature and impact. The student will build upon core content concerning population and public health, health systems, and social determinants of health to address emerging global health concerns.
Innovation is needed to address some of the world's biggest global health challenges. This course will explore the development, implementation, and evaluation of new ideas and approaches to address contemporary global health needs. Emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary, multi-sectoral, and community-engaged efforts to achieve health equity.
Health care policy exists at federal, provincial, local and institutional levels, and shapes every aspect of the Canadian Health Care System. Its ongoing development, implementation, and outcomes are shaped by ideology and empirical evidence through the definition of health issues, setting of priorities for action, and the policy instruments chosen for implementation. This course will introduce students to health policy in Canada and provide them with an understanding of what policy is, how it is developed, who is involved with its production, implementation, and evaluation. Students will learn to critically analyze real world examples of Canadian health policy.
This course addresses the history and development of health systems, and comparison of the social ethics, organization, and financing of different national health systems. Topics include the design of health systems; strengths and weaknesses of alternative systems for public health and health care delivery; current strategies for health system reform in resource-rich and resource-constrained nations; and ethical issues associated with health system reform. This course uses a case-study, problem-based approach.
HLTH 420Health and the Built Environment0.50 units
This course will focus on current issues at the intersection of health, planning, and the built and natural environments. Students will learn the history and evolution of both public health and urban planning professions and academic disciplines and gain an appreciation of the theories and methods used in each. Students will also learn about specific health and planning issues (e.g., air pollution, physical activity, injury, mental health) as well as how better health and health equity can be built into future cities. Students will enhance interdisciplinary collaboration skills by working with classmates across faculties on multiple activities.
HLTH 421Nutritional Aspects of Chronic Disease0.50 units
Nutrition is integral to the etiology, prevention, and treatment of chronic diseases. This course examines nutritional aspects of key chronic diseases affecting the Canadian population. There will be an opportunity for students to explore, in depth, specific conditions and aspects of nutritional assessment or intervention that interest them. Case topics span the lifecycle and such conditions as obesity, eating disorders, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. As well, students present seminars on a topic of their choice.
This course provides a comprehensive examination of dementia from multiple perspectives, including the person living with dementia, family care partners, and the health and social care systems. Key topics include epidemiology, prevention, stigma, meaningful engagement, care, and support.
HLTH 430Geriatric Medicine and Health Care0.50 units
Why do some people age well, and others don't? How do we care for them? This course will address the role of geriatric medicine in the context of an aging population and provide in-depth coverage of frailty and geriatric syndromes. Students will practice critical appraisal skills of geriatric literature, and apply these to understanding how system design, interprofessional care, and geriatric medicine can improve outcomes for older persons. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about health system issues directly from stakeholders.
An independent research project on an approved topic, supervised by a faculty member. Includes an approved proposal and completion of -- introduction, review of literature, methods, data collection, data analysis and presentation of results in thesis form. Recommended for students planning graduate studies.
An independent research project on an approved topic, supervised by a faculty member. Includes an approved proposal and completion of -- introduction, review of literature, methods, data collection, data analysis and presentation of results in thesis form. Recommended for students planning graduate studies.
This course focuses on the key issues related to the design, conduct, analyses, and interpretation of experimental studies. Examples will be drawn from animal research investigating disease mechanisms and from clinical and population studies investigating efficacy of preventive or therapeutic strategies.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
HLTH335 - Introduction to Statistical Analytics in Health (0.50)
STAT316 - Introduction to Statistical Problem Solving (0.50)
HLTH 435Knowledge Translation for Public Health and Health Care0.50 units
This course is about bridging gaps between evidence-based knowledge and real world policies and practices. Along with concepts and skills about knowledge synthesis, the focus is on integrated knowledge-to-action processes for engagement, collaboration, implementation, and scale-up to meet objectives of changing policies, behaviours of health care providers and other individuals, and organizational practices. Topics and skills may include use of systematic and scoping reviews of literature, Diffusion of Innovations and Social Marketing frameworks, behavioural economics, policy change strategies, public health ethics, Health Impact Assessments, Critical Public Health perspectives, and issues from current events.
HLTH 442Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases0.50 units
This course builds upon the concepts learned in HLTH 333. The primary objective is to provide an understanding of the fundamental concepts, principles, and applications of non-communicable disease epidemiology. The course emphasizes the application of epidemiologic methods to identify risk and protective factors for chronic diseases.
HLTH 443Epidemiology of Communicable Diseases0.50 units
This course introduces the basic methods for communicable disease epidemiology and discusses important infectious diseases, including their history, ecology and current public health significance. The course focuses on epidemiological methods in infectious disease research, prevention, and control, such as outbreak investigations, disease surveillance, case-control and cohort studies, laboratory tools, molecular epidemiology, dynamics of transmission, and assessment of vaccine field effectiveness. A range of communicable diseases will be discussed including respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, bloodborne diseases, and vector-borne diseases.
This course will provide an in-depth examination of pandemics with emphasis on preparedness, planning, and control. It will include topics on history of pandemics, their origins, prevention, and control, and their impacts (e.g., social, economic, political). Students will learn about infectious diseases mainly related to pandemics, best practices to prevent and control transmission, and impacts on society and populations.
HLTH 448Advanced Studies in Social Determinants of Health0.50 units
This course will provide an in-depth examination of social determinants of health, both in North America and around the world. Students will apply their knowledge and understanding of nonbiological contributors to health by observing, studying, and 'unpacking' actual health issues in the local community.
HLTH 449Substance use in Contemporary Society0.50 units
This course will provide an overview of substance use in contemporary society. Students will develop a critical understanding of substance use pleasures, risks, or harms, and related public health interventions and strategies. Students will explore the social, political, economic, and biological determinants of substance use, and then critically examine real-world drug policy and practice issues.
This course examines the links between gender, sex, and health. Students are introduced to the social and cultural theorizing on sex and gender, including critical and postmodern approaches. Topics that are explored in this course deal with the social construction of gender, medicalization, gender and health inequalities, reproductive health, gender in the context of health care organization and structure, and intersection of gender with other systems of social inequalities.
HLTH 451Analysis and Management of Health Information in Aging Populations0.50 units
The course combines an overview of health policy issues and service delivery with methodological considerations in the analysis of health information from a variety of sources. The topics to be addressed may include the role of health information in evidence-based practice and policy development; basic concepts of demography and health information management; secondary data analysis; case-mix based funding systems; performance indicators, quality, and accountability in health care; clinical applications of health data; need analysis; cost analysis; international comparisons.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
HLTH335 - Introduction to Statistical Analytics in Health (0.50)
STAT316 - Introduction to Statistical Problem Solving (0.50)
HLTH 452Decision Making and Decision Support in Health Informatics0.50 units
One of the major aims of health informatics is to help health professionals make better decisions. To this end, diverse models and methods of decision making and decision support have been developed and implemented in health care settings. This course reviews theories, methods, and technologies for aiding the process of making decisions in health care.
This course focuses on the fundamental computing methods and concepts that are commonly employed in modern health informatics in order to collect, store, organize, process, analyze, and communicate digital health data/information/knowledge. Students will gain both theoretical knowledge and practical experience so that they can apply the learned methods in practice after completing this course.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Must have completed the following:
HLTH230 - Introduction to Health Informatics (0.50)
Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
CS105 - Introduction to Computer Programming 1 (0.50)
This course provides an introduction to the field of information visualization: the use of computer graphics and interaction to help humans understand, interpret and solve problems using complex data. Topics will be covered using case studies, and include what is visualization?; use of colour, shape, and contrast in representing data; rules of thumb for creating visualizations; and case studies.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Must have completed the following:
HLTH230 - Introduction to Health Informatics (0.50)
Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
CS105 - Introduction to Computer Programming 1 (0.50)
HLTH 455Disease Mapping and Geographic Information Systems0.50 units
This course introduces disease mapping. It covers what, why, and how concerning disease mapping with a focus on how. Through hands-on experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), students learn how to produce maps for displaying and analyzing geographic patterns of diseases. They also learn how to identify locations of disease clusters and obtain clues as to the disease etiology.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
HLTH335 - Introduction to Statistical Analytics in Health (0.50)
STAT316 - Introduction to Statistical Problem Solving (0.50)
HLTH 458Social Neuroscience 2: Lifestyle and Chronic Illness0.50 units
This is an in-depth course intended for the intensive study of psychological, neuroscientific, and social processes that together set the stage for the development of chronic illnesses in the modern world. Topics include exercise neuroscience, health-related decision processes, and neural responses to health risk communications in the media.
This course examines the social and neurobiological dimensions of eating. Using methods from behavioral sciences, neurosciences, and population health, we will explore the ways in which homeostasis, hedonic indulgence, social conformity together explain why we eat what we do. Topics will include brain representation of taste, neural and social dimensions of the flavour experience, self-control processes in eating, and neural gating and potentiation of social cognitive processes involving food.
HLTH 461Experimental Methods in Behavioural Neuroscience0.50 units
As a senior laboratory course, the primary objective will be to provide students with a broad conceptual and practical understanding of how to design, conduct, and interpret animal-based experiments that seek to answer neuroscience-themed questions with relevance for public health. To this end, students will receive instruction upon, and gain direct experience in, a variety of areas; for example, animal ethics and husbandry, experimental design, behavioural techniques to assess learning and memory, molecular techniques to assess protein-level changes, statistical analysis, and the preparation of a scientific manuscript.
This course provides an in-depth examination into how genes, environment, and epigenetics interact over the lifespan to increase risks for complex diseases and disorders. Students will explore how environmental exposures such as diet, drugs, psychosocial stress, and environmental toxicants can become biologically-embedded via stable epigenetic changes that affect long-term gene expression. Underlying molecular mechanisms for epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and the role of non-coding RNAs will also be covered.
The primary objective of the course will be to provide a basic understanding of how drugs can alter the function of neural cells and how these changes can affect mood, cognition, and behaviour. Key topics to be discussed include biological principles of pharmacology; general structure and function of the nervous system; major neurotransmitter systems of the brain; mechanisms of drug action on neurotransmission; and pharmacotherapy for mental health illness.
For the School of Public Health Sciences' (SPHS) student who desires to pursue a particular topic in depth through guided independent research and/or reading. A SPHS faculty member must approve and supervise a student's project prior to registration. May be repeated in subsequent terms. Depending on student demand and availability of teaching resources, special topics may be presented to small groups in a lecture format. Such topics have included pharmacology, behavioural immunity, nutrition, and the health care system.
One or more term courses will be offered from time to time as announced by the School of Public Health and Health Systems. Subjects will be dependent upon special research and/or instructional interests of the faculty.
This course provides students with an opportunity for an in-depth exploration of a topic of specific interest to the student, and to develop/enhance skills related to this area. For example, students could work as a member of a research team (on or off campus), or complete a placement at a health care, community-based, or other type of organization. Students must identify a supervisor, design an apprenticeship experience, establish individualized learning goals, and develop a plan for evaluation. As this course will be graded, there must be at least one academic deliverable (e.g., a review of the literature, proposal, presentation, knowledge dissemination product, etc.). The apprenticeship is unpaid and students will normally spend 6-8 hours per week for at least 12 weeks during the term.
The right to adequate food was recognized in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Nonetheless, millions of people globally are not able to access enough food and/or adequate quality of food to support optimal health and well-being, with climate change and conflict exacerbating rates of hunger. Achieving food and nutrition security is fundamental to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals, with SDG2 explicitly focused on achieving zero hunger. In this course, we will explore the conceptualizations and measurement of food and nutrition security; the prevalence of and factors associated with food and nutrition security at the local, national, and global levels; and interventions to ameliorate food and nutrition insecurity.
HLTH 479Child Mental Health Epidemiology0.50 units
Mental health problems in childhood and adolescence impose a significant burden on the public health system. The course presents the epidemiology of common child mental disorders and includes discussions on theoretical frameworks related to child mental health, measurement of psychopathology, the mental health system, and ethical conduct of research in vulnerable populations. There is heavy emphasis on group work whereby students will develop a research study in the area of child mental health.
This capstone course provides an opportunity for students to reflect on the competencies they have developed throughout their undergraduate degree, identify and articulate transferrable skills, and showcase their achievements from their coursework. Students will create a cumulative project that highlights their development of core competencies within health sciences and public health.
Service learning is a method of teaching and reflection designed to use community service as a vehicle to enrich and integrate classroom learning, teach civic responsibility, encourage lifelong civic engagement, and strengthen communities. Students will be required to identify and design community learning placements, including the establishment of specific learning and outcome objectives, and a method of evaluation. Provisions must be approved by the community agency and the course co-ordinator. Placements are normally 8 to 10 hours per week for 8 weeks. In the final week of the term students will meet to reflect upon and share their experience with fellow students. Students will also complete a written report detailing whether and how they achieved their objectives, what they learned from the process relevant to the practice of health promotion, and how their experience utilized or exemplified course based material and assignments. Reports will be reviewed and graded as pass/fail by both the community partner and a faculty service leader.
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the scope of public health and the competencies that students will develop throughout the MPH program. This course consists of an institute of talks, activities, and workshops focused on active learning. Students who take this course will learn about the: 1) history and achievements of public health; 2) public health ethics; 3) functions of public health practice (assessment, prevention, protection, promotion and emergency response); 4) systems thinking; and 5) local, provincial, and national public health agencies. Students will also learn about working on interprofessional teams through group work throughout the course. This course serves as an introduction to the MPH program, the School of Public Health Sciences and the University of Waterloo.
HLTH 601Lifespan Determinants of Health and Disease0.50 units
The course will examine the determinants of health and disease from a multi-disciplinary lifespan perspective. An integrated approach will be taken to consider biological, behavioral, and social factors relevant to health and disease at different ages and to discuss issues of prevention within a broadly-based public health orientation.
Overview of the conceptual, theoretical, practical, and professional foundations of public health. The course will help students build an understanding of the historical origins and achievements of public health practitioners and establish an appreciation of the core values that underpin, and the core functions that make up, public health. Examination and analysis of current approaches to prevent, control, and manage the major causes of illness and disease worldwide. The course also serves as an introduction to the MPH program. As such, it is required to be taken in the first term of the MPH program.
HLTH 602BCapstone Integrative Seminar for Public Health0.50 units
The culminating experience in the UW MPH program, the Capstone provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate two very important dimensions of readiness to practice in public health: the ability to work in a diverse and multidisciplinary team and the ability to integrate lessons learned from a variety of sources (including, but not limited to, course work and practicum) and bring them to bear on a concrete public health problem. Graded on a Credit/Non-Credit basis. (The course is delivered in a two-week block at the end of the MPH program sequence, on the UW main campus).
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Must have completed the following:
HLTH640 - Professional Experience Practicum (1.50)
A critical analysis of health policy formulation, implementation and evaluation related to population health initiatives and health services delivery. The course will include discussion of health system financing, organization, management and regulation and the role of various regional, provincial, and national agencies in health policy formation. It will compare the Canadian health system with systems in other countries.
HLTH 604Public Health and the Environment0.50 units
This course will explore the major sources of environmental stressors and types of environmental processes posing a risk to public health, and the mechanisms through which these interact with biological systems to exert adverse effects on human health.
The use of regression models (for continuous and categorical outcomes) for analysis of multi-variable data sets. Strategies for model building, fitting of models, assessing model assumptions and testing hypothesis. Application of these models to problems in the health sciences.
Antirequisites
Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
HLTH605B - Quantitative Methods and Analysis (0.50)
HLTH 605BQuantitative Methods and Analysis0.50 units
This course is a rigorous introduction to biostatistics for those planning a career in public health. Students will learn various biostatistical techniques, how to apply those techniques in the analysis of data from health studies, and how to interpret the results from those analyses. After a brief review of material from a basic statistics course, topics covered will include simple and multiple linear regression, analysis of categorical data, simple and multiple logistic regression, and survival analysis. Emphasis will be on (i) conceptual understanding of topics, including literacy necessary for understanding scientific papers in public health, as well as (ii) carrying out various data analysis applications.
An investigation of the epidemiology of selected non-infectious diseases with emphasis on the identification of risk factors and on the methodology of epidemiological investigations.
Antirequisites
Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
HLTH606B - Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health (0.50)
HLTH 606BPrinciples of Epidemiology for Public Health0.50 units
This course introduces the principles, methods, and uses of epidemiology in the practice of public health. After completion of this course, students will be able to critically read and interpret epidemiologic research and clearly communicate epidemiologic findings. They will be familiar with health status measurement, data sources, screening, surveillance, outbreak investigation, and methods to support program planning and evaluation. Students will have a sound understanding of basic epidemiologic concepts, including prevalence, incidence, study designs, measures of association, bias, confounding and causal inference.
HLTH 607Social, Cultural and Behavioural Aspects of Public Health I0.50 units
An introduction to the social, cultural and behavioural foundations of public health and outline the contributions of the social sciences to the planning and implementation of public health interventions. Prerequisite PHS 601.
HLTH 608Health and Risk Communication in Public Health0.50 units
An overview of theories, research findings, and applications of health communication and risk communication in public health. The course examines theories of group interaction and mass communication related to community perceptions of public health problems and practices, the impact of new technologies on public health communication, intercultural issues in health communication, health literacy, social marketing, and links between health communication and public health policy. Prerequisite PHS 601.
HLTH 609Management and Administration of Public Health Services0.50 units
Approaches to strategic planning and organizational design, key concepts of human resource management in achieving the strategic objectives of public health organizations, and the fundamentals of operation planning, budgeting, financial management and project management. Prerequisite PHS 601.
HLTH 610Program Development and Service Delivery for the Elderly0.50 units
The various programs and services, particularly in the non-medical areas, will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on various programs which are available to the elderly residing in the community, such as home care and homemaking services, various outreach programs, including day hospitals, placement and coordination services, geriatric assessment services, vacation relief beds and foster home programs. The reasons for the changes which have taken place over time will also be investigated. In addition, the cost-effectiveness and methods how such cost-effectiveness can be evaluated will be outlined. As with HSG 703, students in this course will be expected to undertake some field work.
This course examines the environment in which health systems operate, with a focus on policy formulation legislative frameworks, governance structures, and funding models. Special attention is given to issues related to electronic health records and health information systems. A focus on international settings with strong track records in health informatics is central to this course.
HLTH 612Data Structures and Standards in Health Informatics0.50 units
This course focuses on health data as a key component of all health informatics systems. Topics include ontologies and other classification taxonomies found in health systems, data standards (with a focus on Canadian implementations of international standards), privacy and security of health data, client/patient assessment tools, and ethical considerations.
HLTH 614Foundations of Program Evaluation0.50 units
This course covers methods and applications of intervention evaluation in public health, as a means to ensure the effectiveness, accountability and continuous improvement of public health interventions. Basic evaluation models and concepts of evaluation design are provided as an introduction, including the relationship between intervention planning (organization and program planning) and evaluation. Both qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches are presented. Case examples are used to illustrate methodological, political and ethical challenges of program evaluation in the public health context.
HLTH 615Requirements Specification and Analysis in Health Systems0.50 units
This course introduces students to the requirements of definition phase of software development. Models, notations, and processes for software requirements identification, representation, validation, and analysis are discussed, as are mechanisms to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of health information systems.
HLTH 616Decision Making and Systems Thinking in Health Informatics0.50 units
This course focuses on the process by which decisions are made and how decision-making processes can be codified and machine supported. It will include topics such as reasoning and inference, techniques for managing uncertainty and information representation. The course is anchored in a systems thinking approach to problem solving.
HLTH 617Population Intervention for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion0.50 units
This course covers the principles and methods for effectively designing, selecting, and implementing public health interventions that address environmental, social, and behavioural risk factors, in order to improve population health. Students will determine when interventions are justified, including by assessing specific communities’ needs, assets, capacities, and desired health outcomes. Students will also differentiate between individual and population level interventions; explore various types of interventions; and use theory and evidence to design population-based interventions. Emphasis is placed on integrating and applying methods, concepts, and theories.
HLTH 618Research Tools for Public Health Practice0.50 units
This course introduces and reviews the full range of research deigns, methods, and tools that are employed in contemporary public health practice, emphasizing the use of evidence to inform decision-making. Topics include: quantitative/epidemiologic research designs, qualitative methods and analysis, community-based participatory research methods, approaches to health program evaluation, critical appraisal of different kinds of evidence, the implications of artificial intelligence for public health, and knowledge translation/mobilization strategies.
HLTH 619Fundamental Research Methods in Health Informatics0.50 units
This course focuses on the fundamental methods that are commonly employed in modern health informatics research to collect, store, organize, process, analyze, and communicate data/information/knowledge. An introduction to programming in Python is provided during the first half of the course, which is then applied through the use of machine learning to examine public health data. Students will gain both theoretical knowledge and practical experience so that they can apply the learned methods in practice after completing this course.
Fall/Winter/Spring Specific topics may include health behaviour change, decision making in health delivery systems, stress coping strategies, risk assessment and management, psychopharmacology and addiction, nutrition and chronic disease, psychosocial factors in disease, accident and injury control, health assessment, health and the aging person, etc.
HLTH 621Decision Making and Decision Support in Health0.50 units
One of the major aims of heal informatics is to help health professionals make better decisions. To this end, diverse models and methods of decision making and decision support have been developed and implements in health care settings. This course reviews theories, methods, and technologies for aiding the process of making decisions in health care.
HLTH 622Nutritional Aspects of Chronic Disease0.50 units
Nutrition is integral to the etiology, prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. This course will examine nutritional aspects of key chronic diseases affecting the Canadian population. There will be an opportunity for students to explore, in depth, specific conditions and aspects of nutritional assessment or intervention that interest them.
HLTH 623Risk and Exposure Assessment in Public Health0.50 units
Methods used to assess human health risks associated with biological, chemical and physical exposures in the environment, focusing on hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. The course examines the strengths and weaknesses of various types of risk assessment approaches, the inherent uncertainties in each stage of risk assessment, and the interactive role of risk assessment and risk management in public health decision-making. Course open to MPH students. Others may be admitted with consent of instructor.
HLTH 624Environmental Toxicology in Public Health0.50 units
Introduction to the underlying principles governing the interactions of foreign chemicals with biological systems, including a description of the human health effects that can occur as a result of chemico-biological interactions in the environment. Course open to MPH students. Others may be admitted with consent of instructor.
HLTH 625Foundations of Qualitative Research Methodologies0.50 units
This workshop oriented course provides a foundational overview of various qualitative research processes beginning with philosophical underpinnings, and continuing through theoretical perspectives, methodologies, methods, analysis, and write-up. Specifically, ontological and epistemological approaches of prediction, understanding, emancipation, and deconstruction will be introduced and discussed as students immerse themselves in rigorous fieldwork in relation to current qualitative trends in health and well-being.
HLTH 626Analysis and Management of Health Information in Aging Populations0.50 units
The course combines an overview of health policy issues and service delivery with methodological considerations in the analysis of health information from a variety of sources. The topics to be addressed may include the role of health information in evidence-based practice and policy development; basic concepts of demography and health information management; secondary data analysis; case-mix based funding systems; analysis; cost analysis; international comparisons.
This course provides a comprehensive examination of dementia from multiple perspectives, including the person living with dementia, family care partners, and the health and social care systems. Key topics include epidemiology, prevention, stigma, meaningful engagement, care and support.
HLTH 628What is Fair? International Perspectives on Equity in Work and Health0.50 units
The aim of this course is to increase knowledge about health equity from an international perspective, by focusing on the field of work and health. This is an international on-line course, co-taught by Canadian and Swedish instructors, that gives students the experience of working on comparative policy and practice assignments and projects with peers at international universities. Some assignments differ for MSc and PhD students. The assignments address concepts of social determinants of health, intersectionality, and equity as they relate to healthy work environment factors.
This course provides an introduction to the field of information visualization: the use of computer graphics and interaction to help humans understand, interpret and solve problems using complex data. Topics will be covered using case studies, and include what is visualization?; use of colour, shape, and contrast in representing data; rules of thumb for creating visualizations; and case studies.
HLTH 630Advanced Geriatric Medicine and Healthcare0.50 units
This course will address the role of geriatric medicine in the context of an aging population. We will identify and explain gaps in the health care of seniors that led to the development of geriatric medicine as a separate specialty and be able to discuss the role of geriatric medicine in the health care system. The course will consider models of frailty, methods for measuring frailty, and their implications for the health system, and discuss the epidemiology, burden of disease, and impact on health care of ¿geriatric giants¿ and common illness in older persons.
This course covers the fundamental principles of public health surveillance and monitoring, specifically the systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health-related data on an ongoing basis to inform public health action. Topics covered include data and systems in Canada and other countries, current techniques, information management and organization, and methods for assessment, evaluation, and program delivery.
HLTH 632Health Economics and Public Health0.50 units
An exploration of the socioeconomic determinants of health, the role of economics in public health policy, and the uses of economic evaluation methods in public health decision-making. Course open to MPH students. Others may be admitted with consent of instructor.
The wide adoption of mobile technology presents a new opportunity. Leveraging this existing technology, healthcare systems can deliver remote care and collect real-time data on patients outside of health centres, minimizing unnecessary visits to hospitals and providing healthcare access to remote populations. In this course, we will explore how digital health technology has been designed, evaluated, and deployed in different countries. Case studies will be used to demonstrate how institutional and governmental constraints have a strong impact on the success of the deployment. The course will address the different digital health technologies in the market, such as Telehealth, remote patient monitoring, tele radiology, consumer health informatics, and mHealth. Important aspects of technology development like patient confidentiality, privacy, standards, communication and security protocols, regulatory requirements, among others, will be discussed when presenting the development of each digital health solution. By the end of this course, students will be prepared to design, evaluate, and deploy a digital health intervention and will have a solid understanding of the barriers and requirements for deploying digital health technology.
HLTH 634Environmental Epidemiology for Public Health0.50 units
This course will cover epidemiological theories, methods, and applications used to address major environmental risks to public health, through a focus on the design, conduct, and interpretation of results from epidemiological studies of various designs. Public health risks will include the major pathways for exposure to microbial, chemical and physical hazards (e.g. ambient and indoor air, drinking and recreational water, food, physical contact).
HLTH 635Public Health, Environment and Planning0.50 units
An exploration of the complex set of relationships among public health, environment and planning at the community and global levels. Topics covered include the concept of sustainable development and how it relates to public health.
This course examines the application of information technologies and information systems in public health practice. Selected topics include managing information to deliver value; data standards in public health; privacy, confidentiality and security in public health; surveillance systems, informatics of toxicology and environmental public health. Course open to MPH students. Others may be admitted with consent of instructor.
HLTH 639Experiential Learning in Evaluation0.50 units
This course will provide graduate students with hands-on experience in designing evaluation processes for programs, services, responses and/or interventions. Students will be exposed to contemporary trends and issues in evaluation theory, as well as methods and practice, while working with stakeholders. Course content covers evaluation planning, design and implementation. Attention will be given to theories of change, stakeholder engagement, evaluation approaches and methodologies. Working with stakeholders to understand program context and apply it to the design of an evaluation is a key feature of this course. The course uses real world problems across a range of applied health interests, and emphasizes experiential learning through a case- and team-based approach.
HLTH 640Professional Experience Practicum1.50 units
Fall, Winter, Spring. The supervised practicum is intended to provide professional program students with an opportunity to apply course learning in a health or health system setting. The placement may involve any of the activities or functions of students' field of study: public health, informatics, evaluation, etc. A contract stipulating practicum objectives, and work to be completed and evaluated to meet these objectives, must be jointly approved by the student, the student's field supervisor, and the course instructor. A written report by the student, together with products produced during the practicum and interim and final feedback from the field supervisor, are used by the course instructor to evaluate student performance. Completion of all prerequisite coursework is required before commencing the practicum.
Fall/Winter/Spring. The supervised practicum is intended to enhance basic or applied research and/or practice skills. The placement may involve a combination of research design or program development, data collection (using quantitative or qualitative methods), analyses, interpretation, presentation, and application. A contract stipulating practicum objectives, and work to be completed and evaluated to meet these objectives, must be jointly approved by the student, the student's field supervisor, the student's academic advisor (if applicable), and the course instructor. A written report by the student, together with a letter from the field supervisor, are used by the course instructor to evaluate student performance. This course is intended for Masters level students.
HLTH 642Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Aging0.50 units
This course provides an opportunity for critical discussion and analysis of a range of key issues in aging and aging research, and of health system and health policy issues affecting older persons. Speakers will represent a variety of disciplines, reflecting the importance of interdisciplinary perspectives in aging research, as well as the combination of biomedical and psychosocial factors that contribute to healthy aging or to the development of frailty and chronic disease.
Innovation is needed to address some of the world's biggest global health challenges. This course will explore the development, implementation, and evaluation of new ideas and approaches to address contemporary global health needs. Emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary, multi-sectoral, and community-engaged efforts to achieve health equity. Held with HLTH 403.
HLTH 644Indigenous Wellbeing, Health, and Social Justice0.50 units
This interdisciplinary course is intended to engage and advance knowledge and practice in Indigenous wellbeing and health through a social justice lens. The course critically links determinants of Indigenous Peoples¿ wellbeing and health to historical and ongoing colonial priorities and practices. Disparities in health and social issues, access to care, and systemic challenges, including racism experienced by Indigenous Peoples in different regions and contexts, are shared as points for discussion and reflection. An intersectionality lens is applied in consideration of the unique wellbeing and health experiences among Indigenous Peoples, including Indigenous women, youth, and Two Spirit Peoples. Indigenous approaches to science, healing, and community-based ethical practices are also profiled in social work and health care delivery, research, policy, and programming. The knowledges, values, and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples are highlighted throughout this course, incorporated within a variety of resources including readings, film and other arts-based narratives that include Indigenous scholars and community activists, in the delivery of course content and assignments. This course was created in consultation with a local Indigenous Advisory Circle that included community-based Indigenous Elders, health leaders, social workers, and academics involved in Indigenous initiatives and research. (Note: This is an online course).
HLTH 645MInformation Technology Fundamentals for Health Professionals0.25 units
This course provides health professionals with a foundational understanding of information technology (IT) in healthcare. Students will explore essential IT concepts, including computer hardware, software, networking, databases, and security, with a focus on their roles in health information systems. Through hands-on exercises and real-world examples, students will learn how health data is collected, stored, retrieved, and protected in modern healthcare and public health environments.
HLTH 646MApplications and Evaluation of Health Information Technology0.25 units
This course focuses on the practical applications of Health IT, examining how digital health technologies support healthcare delivery, public health, and research. Students will explore health IT system architectures, technology assessment frameworks, and emerging innovations such as cloud computing, mobile health (mHealth), data analytics, and artificial intelligence. Through case studies and hands-on projects, students will evaluate and design IT solutions to improve population health and healthcare operations.
HLTH 648MEthics and Privacy Considerations for Digital Technology and AI in Health0.25 units
This course will explore the legal, ethical, and policy implications of the use of digital technology, artificial intelligence and big data applications in healthcare and public health.
HLTH 649MLeadership in Digital Health and Transformation0.25 units
This course equips students to effectively drive innovation and transformation in the rapidly evolving landscape of digital health. Students will engage in case studies and projects that simulate real-world digital health initiatives, learning essential leadership skills to identify business and clinical needs, manage change, and oversee budget and project management. Designed for future leaders in the field, this course offers practical insights and strategies to navigate and influence advancements in digital health.
HLTH 651Theory and Applications in Program Evaluation0.50 units
An advanced program and policy evaluation course that provides theoretical knowledge, skills, and application of program evaluation approaches, including organizational and program planning. A more in-depth coverage of topics will be presented, including case studies and the understanding and use of program and policy intervention theory. This includes the creation of logic models, the identification of the purpose of the evaluation, the development of an appropriate evaluation design, and consideration of factors associated with knowledge use.
HLTH 652Qualitative Methods and Analysis0.50 units
This course explores qualitative method approaches to program evaluation and public health practice. A critical analysis will inform health policy and practice based on methodological approaches most appropriate to the type of evaluation being conducted. Data collection tools, such as focus groups or interviews will be taught, as well as useful techniques for data analysis, interpretation of results, and presentation of findings. Mixed methods are introduced.
HLTH 653Evaluation Practice and Management0.50 units
Key concepts necessary for successful evaluation practice and management are discussed and applied using case examples. Evaluation practice examples that are discussed include learning to understand and incorporate consideration of diversity, societal, organizational and environmental context in the conduct of evaluations. Key project management concepts relevant to each step of the evaluation of intervention will be covered, including (but not limited to) selecting research questions and focusing design considerations, budgets, timelines, politics, and contingency plans as well as creating and working in teams.
HLTH 655Health Measurement and Survey Methods0.50 units
This course provides in-depth coverage of measurement and survey methods needed for evaluation data collection and other research or clinical applications. Various measurement approaches will be studied, including classical test theory and item response theory. Students will learn how to develop a measure or questionnaire and test its reliability and validity, or to critically appraise an existing measure or questionnaire. Issues and methods related to administering health measures or questionnaires will be covered, including sampling and ethical issues.
HLTH 656Quantitative Methods and Analysis for Program0.50 units
This course will provide an introduction to quantitative methods for use in program evaluation practice. Students will learn the importance of quantitative methods and analysis, appropriate analytic techniques to address certain evaluation questions, and how to interpret and report the results from those analyses. Study designs as well as descriptive and inferential statistics will be reviewed. Specific topics will include measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability, analysis of variance, categorical data analysis, correlation and regression, and data visualization. Emphasis will be on the theoretical and conceptual understanding and application of quantitative analysis relevant to program evaluation.
HLTH 657MApplication of Artificial Intelligence in Health0.25 units
This course focuses on the application of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in the field of in healthcare and public health settings. Big data sources available for population health studies will be introduced to students and challenges related to AI in health data will also be discussed. The learning activities consist of lectures, student-led journal club discussions and a term paper to propose the application of ML techniques to solve population health or public health problems. Students who do not have the prerequisites but have completed an equivalent course that provides programming skills may be permitted to enrol in the course at the instructor’s discretion.
HLTH 658MMachine Learning Techniques in Health0.25 units
This course focuses on the techniques of machine learning (ML) commonly used to solve healthcare and public health problems. Various analytics techniques, including data wrangling, visualization, unsurprised and supervised learning, will be introduced to students. Challenges and strategies related to missing data, imbalanced data and model selections will also be discussed. The learning activities consist of lectures, labs, and a final project to demonstrate the proficiency of ML techniques to solve population health or public health problems. Students who do not have the prerequisites but have completed an equivalent course that provides programming skills may be permitted to enrol in the course at the instructor’s discretion.
HLTH 661Geographic Information Systems and Public Health0.50 units
The course introduces the concepts, methods, and applications of Geographic Information System (GIS), with a focus on spatial analysis in public health. The strong emphasis on assignments that require application of concepts and methods provides students with hands-on experience of important GIS applications in public health, including disease surveillance and control, disease risk estimation, health service planning, mapping disease, disease cluster detection, and analyzing environmental hazards at the neighbourhood, municipal, regional, and international level. Students will learn the fundamentals of GIS, methodologies for analysing spatial data, study design, spatial data issues and interpretation of the results of analyses for GIS applications in public health. There is no prerequisite for this course. However, basic knowledge of statistics with an interest in information technology, public health, and mapping is highly desirable.
"Global Health" refers to health issues and concerns that transcend national borders, class, race ethnicity, and culture. This course will examine Global Health issues and challenges in the 21st century from a Public Health perspective. Issues range from socioeconomic factors, health systems, culture, human rights, ecological sustainability, humanitarian assistance, and war and peace. Group work is emphasized. There may be opportunities for service learning or interviews with frontline providers to explore Global Health in a local context.
Course content includes normative and non-normative development across the lifespan as it is relevant to individual and population health and public health programming. The human is treated as an independent system nested within an environmental system. Consideration will be given to the interaction of the commonly recognized developmental domains, the individual's context, and wellness. Topics of discussion may include the impact on health and wellness of developmental continuity, resilience, transitions, and milestones.
HLTH 664Analysis and Management of Health Information for Aging Societies0.50 units
The course focuses on how information from surveys and administrative or clinical databases can be used to support evidence-informed decision making in the context of population aging. The course will combine an overview of health policy issues and service delivery with methodological considerations in the analysis of health information from a variety of sources.
The focus of the course is on basic physiological and immunological mechanisms involved in major contemporary health problems, including those which are contributed to by behavioural factors.
HLTH 667MGenerative AI Core Techniques, Architectures and Algorithms for Data Representation and Generation0.25 units
This course provides an introduction to the computational and mathematical foundations of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), with an emphasis on the models and algorithms that underpin modern generative systems. Students will learn the principles behind core generative model families, including autoencoders, variational autoencoders (VAEs), generative adversarial networks (GANs), autoregressive models, normalizing flows, diffusion models, and transformer-based large language models. Topics include latent representations, probabilistic modelling, attention mechanisms, optimization strategies, training objectives, and challenges such as mode collapse, stability, and scalability. Tutorial sessions will guide students through the implementation of selected generative architectures in Python and PyTorch, exploring training dynamics, evaluating generated outputs, and understanding model behaviour through visualization and diagnostics.
HLTH 668MApplied Generative AI in Health: Evaluation, Safety, Governance, and Responsible Use0.25 units
This course focuses on the practical application, evaluation, and responsible integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies in clinical medicine, public health, and health system operations. Students will explore real-world GenAI tools—including large language models (LLMs), clinical documentation copilots, chatbot, and synthetic data platforms—and learn how to assess accuracy, reliability, privacy risks, fairness impacts, and clinical safety. Emphasis is placed on practical evaluation frameworks, health-sector governance, and the regulatory context (PHIPA, PIPEDA, FDA/Health Canada guidance). Students will analyze real-world use cases, such as AI Scribe for clinical summarization, Chatbot for public health communication, LLM for social media data processing and qualitative analysis, and synthetic data generation. Ethical considerations—including bias, hallucination risks, accountability, safety monitoring, and transparency—are woven throughout the case studies.
The primary objective of the course will be to provide a basic understanding of how drugs can alter the function of neural cells, and how these changes can affect mood, cognition, and behaviour. Key topics to be discussed include: a) biological principles of pharmacology, b) general structure and function of the nervous system, c) major neurotransmitter systems of the brain, d) mechanisms of drug action on neurotransmission, and e) pharmaotherapy.
HLTH 672Epidemiologic Methods in Aging Research0.50 units
This course introduces the application of epidemiologic methods to the study of older persons. This lecture/discussion will present core epidemiologic concepts and methodologic issues in epidemiologic students of older persons. We will then study predictors of health and three major health outcomes: longevity/mortality, functional status/disability, and disease. Students will critically evaluate epidemiologic studies in aging research and will investigate a specific topic in this field in depth.
HLTH 701Interdisciplinary Seminar in Public Health and Health Systems0.50 units
This advanced seminar examines modes of research inquiry in the health sciences. Issues related to measurement, casual inference, experimental and quasi-experimental research designs, descriptive, interpretive, and ethnographic methods of data collection will be examined. The objectives of the course are to build aspiring scholars' expertise in diverse modes of inquiry and systems of knowledge production in the health sciences, in critical assessment and contextualization of methodologies within the academic, interdisciplinary research, collaboration, and knowledge translation.
HLTH 704Advanced Qualitative Methods for Health Research0.50 units
The aim of this course is to equip students with advanced knowledge and skills to understand, conceptualize, design, conduct, and critically evaluate qualitative health research. It is designed for students wishing to develop their own research at the master's or doctoral level. Emphasis is on: 1) exploring the relationship between techniques designed to gather particular kinds of data and the broader epistemological and theoretical questions underpinning qualitative health research; and 2) giving students an opportunity to practically engage with key qualitative research skills (interviewing, data analysis) and to reflect on the ethical, theoretical, and practical issues that arise in conducting qualitative research in health settings.
HLTH 705Advanced Statistical Methods for Analyzing Public Health and Health Systems Data0.50 units
This course will focus on statistical methods for analyzing and drawing inferences from longitudinal data, time-to-event data and incomplete/missing data, with emphasis on their application for public health sciences. Topics include linear and generalized linear regression models (for correlated data), and imputation techniques for incomplete correlated and multilevel data. Students will learn appropriate methods to implement (particularly through the use of software) and interpret analyses of various types of complex public health data.
HLTH 706Advanced Epidemiological Methods0.50 units
Building on HLTH 606, this course provides an in-depth survey of theory and methods in epidemiology, focusing on answering complex research questions using epidemiologic methods. Course topics include modeling multinomial, count, rate, and survival data and disease transmission; infectious disease dynamics; assessing the reliability/validity of measurement instruments; an in-depth examination of various study designs (e.g., case control, nested case control, case-cohort, randomized controlled trials, panel studies, and hybrid study designs); critical appraisal of the medical literature; and systematic reviews and meta-analysis.
HLTH 717MAdvanced Artificial Intelligence in Health I0.25 units
This course presents advanced applications of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and their applications in solving challenges unique to health data. Common characteristics of big health data, such as multi-domain inputs, being observational, often unstructured, and potentially containing private information, are common barriers to the application of ML and AI in this field. This course will discuss some advanced ML solutions to those barriers and how AI advances are being applied to health. This is a modular seminar-style course. There will be a series of lectures from faculty members and researchers from the health and AI community. Students who do not have the prerequisites but have Python programming and ML skills may be permitted to enrol in the course at the instructor’s discretion.
Prerequisites
Complete 1 of the following
Must have completed the following:
HLTH619 - Fundamental Research Methods in Health Informatics (0.50)
Must have completed the following:
HLTH657M - Application of Artificial Intelligence in Health (0.25)
HLTH658M - Machine Learning Techniques in Health (0.25)
HLTH 718MNatural Language Processing Algorithm and Application in Health0.25 units
This course presents natural language processing techniques (NLP) and their optimization and applications in healthcare and public health. Classic NLP techniques and the state-of-the-art transformer-based language processing models will be introduced. Challenges and barriers of processing and understanding medical notes, reports and social data will be discussed. This course will present some advanced NLP solutions to those barriers and how NLP advances are being applied to health. This is a modular seminar-style course. There will be a series of lectures from faculty members and researchers from the health and NLP community. Students who do not have the prerequisites but have Python programming and ML skills may be permitted to enrol in the course at the instructor’s discretion.
Prerequisites
Complete 1 of the following
Must have completed the following:
HLTH619 - Fundamental Research Methods in Health Informatics (0.50)
Must have completed the following:
HLTH657M - Application of Artificial Intelligence in Health (0.25)
HLTH658M - Machine Learning Techniques in Health (0.25)
HLTH 719Advanced Research Methods in Health Data Science0.50 units
This course covers advanced research methods in health data science that are often applied in cutting-edge health research on a variety of datasets. Fundamental research methods, including epidemiology, health informatics and statistics will be extended to greater depth for use in data science. This course is targeted at training those students seeking to understand and apply multiple analytic techniques to a variety of data. In addition, latest information technology will be discussed and applied in the context of health informatics.
Prerequisites
Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
HLTH605B - Quantitative Methods and Analysis (0.50)
HLTH606B - Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health (0.50)
HLTH619 - Fundamental Research Methods in Health Informatics (0.50)
An in-depth analysis of specific topics of interest. Representative topics may include advanced epidemiological and statistical methods for health research, cancer prevention and control, advanced health program evluation, psychoneuroimmunology, addictions, caregiver issues, etc. The form of the study may include a literature review or the planning and execution of and execution of an independent study leading to a mamor paper for possible publication.
An overview of sociological approaches - theoretical and methodological - to the study of health, illness, and health care. Both the social organization of the health care system and the socio-cultural determinants of health and illness are considered.
This course will provide an overview of current thinking on work and health by introducing students to major substantive topics in the area from a multi-disciplinary perspective. The course will critically examine a variety of topics that may be investigated from different disciplinary perspectives. Classes will include presentations by faculty members representing different disciplines in the collaborative program. Examples of topics discussed in a given term may include work-stress relationships, healthy workplaces, and vulnerable populations.
HLTH 731Critical Perspectives on Work and Health Systems0.50 units
This course will provide students with knowledge about social, organisational, legal and political dimensions of occupational health and safety so that they can design and implement research in work and health. We will begin by reviewing the basic building blocks of our work and health systems: injury prevention and illness/injury rehabilitation systems. Using a variety of disciplinary perspectives, the course will then turn to key contemporary topics in work and health including COVID-19, the changing nature of work including the gig economy, financial incentive systems to maintain safe work spaces, return-to-work programs, and worker representation in work and health.The course will include presentations by researchers and practitioners from the work and health domain who will facilitate discussions on the challenges and opportunities of conducting and applying research in these areas.
This seminar is a forum for student presentations about results of or proposals for research. Invited speakers will also present results of research from time to time. Attendance at the seminar is required for two terms (i.e., during the candidates' first two years in the program). Attendance beyond that is encouraged. The range of topics that will be addressed in the seminar crosses all areas of investigation in the collaborative program. Grading will be on a credit/no credit basis.
This seminar is a forum for student presentations about results of or proposals for research. Invited speakers will also present results of research from time to time. Attendance at the seminar is required for two terms (i.e., during the candidates' first two years in the program). Attendance beyond that is encouraged. The range of topics that will be addressed in the seminar crosses all areas of investigation in the collaborative program. Grading will be on a credit/no credit basis.
Fall/Winter/Spring. The supervised research practicum is intended to enhance basic or applied research skills as demonstrated through previous practica, research assistantships or other research experiences. The placement may involve a combination of research design or development, data collection (using quantitative or qualitative methods), analyses, interpretation and presentation. A contract stipulating practicum objectives, and work to be completed and evaluated to meet these objectives, must be jointly approved by the student, the student's field supervisor, the student's academic advisor (if applicable), and the course instructor. A written report by the student, together with a letter from the field supervisor, are used by the course instructor to evaluate student performance.
HLTH 750Fundamentals of Aging, Health and Well-being0.50 units
This survey course will be team-taught by members of the collaborative program and will serve to introduce students to major sub-areas of aging, health and well-being research. Topics will be covered from each Department within the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences.
HLTH 751AAging, Health and Well-Being Research Seminar 1
This seminar is a forum for Aging, Health and Well-Being students to present about their research. Invited speakers will also discuss relevant research or professional development. Attendance at the seminar is required for two terms (i.e., through completion of HLTH/KIN/REC 751A and HLTH/KIN/REC 751B, respectively, over the students' first two years in the program). The topics addressed in the seminar cross all disciplines of the Collaborative Aging, Health and Well-Being Program.
HLTH 751BAging, Health and Well-Being Research Seminar 2
This seminar is a forum for Aging, Health and Well-Being students to present about their research. Invited speakers will also discuss relevant research or professional development. Attendance at the seminar is required for two terms (i.e., through completion of HLTH/KIN/REC 751A and HLTH/KIN/REC 751B, respectively, over the students' first two years in the program). The topics addressed in the seminar cross all disciplines of the Collaborative Aging, Health and Well-Being Program.