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a) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
b) Master of Science (MSc)

Specializations:

• Biostatistics
• Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies
• Epidemiology
• Healthcare Epidemiology
• Clinical Epidemiology
• Health Economics
• Health Services Research
• Medical Education
• Population/Public Health

Within the thesis-based programs, the student must select a specialization from the list above.

Descriptions of each specialization and its requirements are found on the Departmental website at: .

In addition to Faculty requirements, the Department requires:

a) Minimum admission grade point average of 3.30 on a four-point scale over the last two full years or equivalent.

b) For applicants required to provide proof of proficiency in English, a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based), or 105 (Internet-based test), an IELTS score of 7.5, a MELAB score of 86, or PTE score of 75.

c) A statement outlining the applicant’s interest and reasons for choosing the program.

d) A letter from a faculty member of our Department indicating interest in supervising the applicant.

e) Work and/or research experience in the health system, community rehabilitation and/or disability studies is highly recommended.

f) Two letters of reference.

The deadline for the submission of complete applications is January 31 for September admission.

Students applying to the MD/MSc or MD/PhD program must apply individually to each program and complete a supplementary application for the Leaders in Medicine Program.

Open Studies Students may take courses before applying for admission to a graduate program. However, these students are not eligible to enrol in the Block Week course: Introduction to Community Health Sciences (Community Health Sciences 600) and three core courses, Essentials of Biostatistics (Community Health Sciences 610), Fundamentals of Epidemiology (Community Health Sciences 640) and Health Research Methods (Community Health Sciences 681). A maximum of 6 units (1.0 full-course equivalent), completed at a satisfactory level (minimum "B+") and within three years of admission to the graduate program, may be credited toward a student's degree requirements. Completing courses does not guarantee admission into the program.

All students must complete the Block Week course: Community Health Sciences 600: Introduction to Community Health Sciences. All students, with the exception of the Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies and the Medical Education Specialization, must also complete the Block Week course: Community Health Sciences 601: “Determinants of Health”.

The additional program requirements are as follows:

Biostatistics
Core Courses
Community Health Sciences 600, 601, 610, 640, 681

Required Courses for Specialization
Community Health Sciences 611, 612, 641

Electives
One of the following required:
Community Health Sciences 664, 661, 740, 741

Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies (CRDS)
Core Course
Community Health Sciences 600

Required Courses for Specialization
Community Rehabilitation 630
6 units (1.0 full-course equivalent) in CRDS
Minimum of 3 units (0.5 full-course equivalents) in quantitative research methods
Minimum of 3 units (0.5 full-course equivalents) in qualitative research methods
A minimum of two half-credit specialization courses determined with the Supervisor.

Epidemiology
Core Courses
Community Health Sciences 600, 601, 610, 640, 681

Required Courses for Specialization
Community Health Sciences 611, 740

Electives
At least one graduate level course appropriate to the advancement of thesis research topic and agreed upon with supervisor.

Health Economics
Core Courses
Community Health Sciences 600, 601, 610, 640, 681

Required Courses for Specialization
Two of the following three courses:
Community Health Sciences 661, 662, 663

Electives
At least one graduate elective appropriate to the advancement of thesis research topic and agreed upon with the Supervisor.

Health Services Research
Core Courses
Community Health Sciences 600, 601, 610, 640, 681

Required Courses for Specialization
Community Health Sciences 660

Electives
At least two graduate electives appropriate to the advancement of thesis research topic and agreed upon with the Supervisor.

Medical Education
Core Courses
Community Health Sciences 600

Required Courses for Specialization
Medical Science 621, Community Health Sciences 623, 625, 627

Electives
Minimum of one graduate-level course appropriate to the advancement of thesis research topic and agreed upon with supervisor.

Population and Public Health
Core Courses
Community Health Sciences 600, 601, 610, 640, 681

Required Courses for Specialization
Community Health Sciences 680

Electives
Minimum of two graduate-level courses appropriate to the advancement of thesis research topic and agreed upon with supervisor.

See departmental website for further information about course requirements: .

Biostatistics
Core Courses
All incoming PhD students are expected to have completed the core courses required at the Master's level.

Required Courses for Specialization
Four courses appropriate to the advancement of the thesis research topic are required. These are selected in consultation with Supervisor/Committee and may include the Required Courses for Specialization at the Master's level if not previously completed.

Electives
As recommended by the student's supervisor/committee appropriate to the advancement of thesis research topic

Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies (CRDS)
Core Courses
All incoming PhD students are expected to have completed Community Health Sciences 600 and the required specialization courses at the Master's level.

Required Courses for Specialization
Community Rehabilitation 730
Courses appropriate to the advancement of the thesis research topic are required. These are selected in consultation with Supervisor/Committee, must be approved by the Graduate Program Director, and may include the Required Courses for Specialization at the Master's level if not previously completed.

Epidemiology
Core Courses
All incoming PhD students are expected to have completed the core courses required at the Master's level.

Required Courses for Specialization
Other courses appropriate to the advancement of the thesis research topic. These are selected in consultation with Supervisor/Committee, require Graduate Program Director approval and must include the Required Courses for Specialization at the Master's level if not previously completed. Suggested courses for consideration include:
Community Health Sciences 664, 661, 741.

Health Economics
Core Courses
Core courses required at the Master's level and/or other pre-requisite courses from the elective courses selected (see below). Courses will be selected with the supervisor and receive Graduate Program Director approval depending on the student's Master's training and as appropriate to the advancement of the thesis research topic.

Required Courses for Specialization
Students are expected to have completed the required courses for the Health Economics specialization at the Master's level. If not, incoming students are expected to complete two of the three courses as required for the specialization at the Master's level.

Electives
At least four electives (including advanced methods courses) appropriate to the advancement of the thesis research topic and agreed upon with the Supervisor.

Health Services Research
Core Courses
Core courses required at the Master's level and/or other pre-requisite courses from the elective courses selected (see below). Courses will be selected with the supervisor, and must be approved by the Graduate Program Director depending on the student's Master's training and as appropriate to the advancement of the thesis research topic.

Required Courses for Specialization
Students are expected to have completed the required course for the Health Services Research specialization at the Master's level.
In consultation with the supervisor, and with the Graduate Program Director's approval, students are expected to complete at least three advanced methods courses (at the 600 or 700 level) either from the following list (Community Health Sciences 611, 664, 683, 741, 761) or from another department.

Medical Education
Core Courses
Community Health Sciences 600

Required Courses for Specialization
All incoming PhD students are expected to have completed the specialization courses required at the Master's level.

Electives
Minimum of one graduate-level course appropriate to the advancement of thesis research topic and agreed upon with supervisor.

Population and Public Health
Core Courses
All incoming PhD students are expected to have completed the core courses required at the Master's level.

Required Courses for Specialization
Four courses appropriate to the advancement of the thesis research topic are required. These are selected in consultation with Supervisor/Committee and may include the Required Courses for Specialization at the Master's level if not previously completed.

See departmental website for further information about course requirements: .

Students are required to comply with Tri-Council Research Ethics training. Attendance at Research Integrity Day is required once during a student’s program, preferably within the first year of their program.

All students attend the jointly offered Community Health Sciences and O'Brien Instutute for Public Health seminars offered during the academic year.

The Department does not normally give credit for undergraduate courses.

Expected completion time for the MSc program is two to three years (maximum four years) and for the PhD program is four to five years (maximum six years).

Time limits for MSc/PhD students in the Leaders in Medicine program are slightly different. Expected completion time for the MD/MSc program is four to five years (maximum six years) and for the MD/PhD program is six to seven years (maximum eight years).

Applicants must secure a supervisor prior to applying for admission. The Supervisor, in consultation with the student and the Graduate Program Director, recommends the Supervisory Committee within 3-6 months of registration. The student and Supervisor sign and submit an Appointment of Supervisor and/or Supervisory Committee form.

Students in the Leaders in Medicine Program must also have a Supervisory Committee as in above regulations. Both MD/MSc and MD/PhD students will also be evaluated and advised by a Joint Liaison Committee composed of the Associate Dean (Graduate Sciences Education), Associate Dean (Undergraduate Medical Education), and the Associate Dean (Research) of the Cumming School of Medicine.

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements, the program requires:

Candidacy

For the PhD candidacy exam the student and Supervisory Committee establish a concept map outlining the student’s study area and an accompanying reading list. The Supervisory Committee develops three exam questions that meet the competency requirements as outlined by the department. These questions are derived from the concept map and reading list developed for each student. Questions on the research proposal are not included. The student has three weeks to prepare written solutions to the three questions. The oral examination follows seven days later.

Thesis Examination

In both MSc and PhD programs final thesis oral examinations are open.

Scheduling of the Examination

All members of the Supervisory Committee must have reviewed the student’s draft thesis document before an examination can be scheduled.

Composition of the Committee

The Internal Examiner may be internal to the home program.

The proposal is usually 12 to 15 single-spaced, typed pages. Appendices are permitted and should include the research instrument and, if the research involves agencies or institutions outside of the Department, their written permission to conduct the research. Doctoral students should include a complete literature review as an appendix. See departmental website at .

After approval by the student’s Supervisory Committee and before commencement of data collection, all proposals are submitted to the Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board for ethical review, and some are submitted to the appropriate committee for impact review.

None.

Financial assistance may be available to qualified students. For information on awards, please see the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this calendar.

The Department’s deadline for applications to the Graduate Award Competition is January 15. Funding opportunities can be found at and .

None.

Current faculty and their areas of research are on the departmental website at: .