Health Studies


Faculty List
  • R. Antabe, B.A. (Ghana), M.A., Ph.D. (Western), Assistant Professor
  • A. Benoit, B.Sc. (Mount Allison), M.Sc. (Ottawa), M.Sc. (Toronto), Ph.D. (Ottawa), Assistant Professor
  • L. Bisaillon, B.A. (Bishop's), M.Pl. (McGill), Ph.D. (Ottawa), Associate Professor
  • H. Brown, B.A., M.Sc. (Queen's), Ph.D. (Western), Assistant Professor
  • E. Caron-Beaudoin, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Québec à Montréal), Ph.D. (Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique), Assistant Professor
  • A. Charise, B.A., B.Sc. (McMaster), M.A. (Western), Ph.D. (Toronto), Associate Professor
  • K. Colaco, B.Sc. (Waterloo), M.Sc. (McMaster), M.Sc. (Maastricht), Ph.D. (Toronto), Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream
  • O. Ezezika, B.Sc. (Lagos), Ph.D. (Georgia), M. Env. Management (Yale), Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream (Status Only)
  • J. Fields, B.A. (NYU), MA, Ph.D. (UNC Chapel Hill), Professor
  • C. Hartblay, B.A. (Macalaster), M.A., Ph.D. (UNC Chapel Hill), Assistant Professor
  • N. Massaquoi, B.A. (Western), M.S.W., Ph.D. (Toronto), Assistant Professor
  • A. Nair, B.A. (Michigan-Flint), M.S. (London School of Economics), M.P.H. (Cambridge), Ph.D. (Australian National), Assistant Professor
  • D. Schlueter, B.A. (Grand Valley State), Ph.D. (Vanderbilt), Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream
  • S.R. Sicchia, M.H.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Toronto), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
  • M. Silver, B.A., B.S., & M.P.P. (California, Berkeley), Ph.D. (Chicago), Associate Professor
  • N. Spence, B.A., Ph.D. (Western), Assistant Professor
  • W. Tavares, H.B.Sc, (Toronto) Ph.D. (McMaster), Assistant Professor
  • C. Trick, B.Sc. (Manitoba), M.Sc. (Acadia), Ph.D. (UBC), Professor
  • L.J.S. Tsuji, B.Sc., D.D.S. (Toronto), Ph.D. (York), Professor
  • C. Wong, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Toronto), Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream

Chair: M. Silver, Email: dhs-chair@utsc.utoronto.ca
Associate Chair, Undergraduate: C. Wong, Email: dhs-associate-chair-undergrad@utsc.utoronto.ca
Program Coordinator: S. Ramrattan, Email: dhsadvisor.utsc@utoronto.ca
Paramedicine Program: paramedicine.utsc@utoronto.ca 
Pathways in Health Professions Certificate: health.certificate.utsc@utoronto.ca

For more information, visit the Department of Health and Society website.

The Department of Health and Society, formally known as the Interdisciplinary Centre for Health and Society (ICHS), offers two interdisciplinary Major programs that provide students with a critical and comprehensive understanding of health, the biological and social determinants of health, and the impacts of public policy on health and well-being. In the Major/Major (Co-op) Program in Health Studies - Population Health (B.Sc.), students focus on the biological and environmental determinants of health, epidemiology, aging and the life cycle, and the importance of social and behavioural determinants of health. In the Major/Major (Co-op) Program in Health Studies - Health Policy (B.A.), students examine the character and consequences of different health care systems, public health policies, and governmental and civil society responses to ongoing societal issues related to health.

The Department of Health and Society also offers Canada’s first Minor Program in Health Humanities, which explores human health and illness through the methods and materials of the creative arts and interpretive social sciences. 

Effective July 1, 2023, the (Joint) Specialist in Paramedicine (B.Sc.) is now administered in the Department of Health and Society. Note, the program requirements for 2023-24 remain unchanged; students who are presently enrolled in the program or entering in Fall 2023 will follow the program as outlined in the calendar for the year they began the program. For more details regarding this program please contact paramedicine.utsc@utoronto.ca, or refer to the Paramedicine section of the Calendar or the Joint Programs website. The Specialist (Joint) in Paramedicine is offered in collaboration with Centennial College. Completion of this unique four-year program leads to a BSc from UTSC and an Ontario College Diploma in Paramedicine from Centennial College. Upon completion of the diploma portion from Centennial College, students are eligible to take the Ministry of Health exams required to qualify as a Primary Care Paramedic. 

In addition to pursuing a rich core curriculum, students are strongly encouraged to diversify their learning by drawing upon relevant courses in various programs including Anthropology, Arts, Culture and Media Studies, Economics, Environmental Studies, Human Biology, International Development Studies, Mental Health, Philosophy, Public Policy, Sociology, and Statistics.

Students are encouraged to contact the Program Coordinator or Associate Chair, Undergraduate to discuss program requirements and their individual course of study.

Planning a Program in Health and Society

Students are advised to take required courses in the Major programs as early in their careers as possible. HLTA02H2 and HLTA03H3 should be taken during the first year. Failure to do so may lead to timetable conflicts and could prolong the completion of the program. Normally, students select whether to pursue the Health Policy stream (which leads to a B.A. degree) or the Population Health stream (which leads to a B.Sc. degree) at the beginning of their second year of study.

Prerequisites:
Students are not permitted to register in courses for which they have not completed the prerequisites indicated in the Calendar. Students may only enter a course for which they lack the prerequisites by obtaining the permission of the instructor prior to registration. Ineligible students will be removed from courses.

Special Topic and Advanced Topic Courses:
Themes for special topic courses will vary year to year. For more information, please visit the Department of Health and Society website.

Routes and Threads

Here, we present comprehensive frameworks for exploration within the realm of Health and Society, showcasing the robustness of our department and faculty. These frameworks, termed 'routes and threads,' act as guideposts for students in their course selection and academic journey, providing avenues for delving into specific interests. Dynamic and interwoven, these categories underscore various aspects within Health and Society, offering suggestions for thematic exploration. Students are also urged to chart their own thematic pathways tailored to their individual passions:  

Aging, Development, and the Lifespan
HLTA20H3, HLTB24H3, HLTB33H3, HLTC22H3, HLTD20H3, HLTD26H3, HLTD51H3

Allied Health and Health Education
HLTC17H3, HLTC81H3, HLTD07H3, HLTD18H3, HLTD80H3, HLTD81H3, HLTD82H3 

Body Systems
HLTA20H3, HLTB11H3, HLTB20H3, HLTB22H3, HLTB33H3, HLTB44H3, HLTC19H3, HLTC25H3, HLTC26H3, HLTC30H3, HLTD44H3 

Contemporary Issues in Health
HLTA91H3, HLTB30H3, HLTB60H3, HLTC02H3, HLTC20H3, HLTC23H3, HLTC46H3, HLTC49H3, HLTC60H3, HLTD07H3, HLTD20H3, HLTD27H3, HLTD29H3, HLTD46H3, HLTD47H3, HLTD48H3, HLTD49H3, HLTD82H3

Cultural, Social, and Sociological Perspectives in Health
HLTB41H3, HLTB42H3, HLTC47H3, HLTC49H3, HLTD06H3, HLTD29H3, HLTD46H3, HLTD47H3, HLTD49H3, HLTD82H3

Disability, Ableism, and Health Humanities
HLTB24H3, HLTB50H3, HLTB60H3, HLTC20H3, HLTC50H3, HLTC52H3, HLTC53H3, HLTC55H3, HLTC60H3, HLTD50H3, HLTD51H3, HLTD52H3, HLTD53H3, HLTD54H3, HLTD56H3

Disease Patterns
HLTA20H3, HLTB22H3, HLTB33H3, HLTB44H3, HLTC19H3, HLTC25H3, HLTC30H3, HLTD23H3, HLTD44H3

Global and Environmental Health
HLTC24H3, HLTC26H3, HLTC49H3, HLTD13H3, HLTD25H3, HLTD27H3, HLTD28H3, HLTD44H3, HLTD48H3, HLTD82H3

Policy, Healthcare, and Public Health
HLTB16H3, HLTB24H3, HLTB31H3, HLTB40H3, HLTC42H3, HLTC43H3, HLTC44H3, HLTD11H3, HLTD27H3, HLTD49H3

Research Methods and Methodologies
HLTB15H3, HLTB27H3, HLTC04H3, HLTC27H3, HLTC53H3, HLTC55H3

Statistics and Data Sciences
HLTB27H3, HLTC16H3, HLTC27H3

A more comprehensive list can be found on the DHS website.  

Program Combination Restrictions

The Major/Major (Co-op) Program in Health Studies - Population Health (B.Sc.) and Major/Major (Co-op) Program in Health Studies - Health Policy (B.A.) cannot be combined.

Experiential Learning and Outreach

For a community-based experiential learning opportunity in your academic field of interest, consider the course CTLB03H3, which can be found in the Teaching and Learning section of the Calendar.