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Global Health

Global Health (Video Transcript)

Global Health is the study of improving health and achieving health equity for all people worldwide. As Canada鈥檚 first undergraduate Global Health program, it has been recognized by Maclean鈥檚 magazine as one of 91亚色鈥檚 鈥渟tandout鈥 programs.

In today鈥檚 interconnected world, issues such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and growing rates of obesity and diabetes do not recognize borders. These challenges are linked to broader factors such as population growth, migration, wealth disparity, environmental degradation, corporate activity, and government policy. Health is more than the absence of disease 鈥 it involves physical, mental, and social well-being at both individual and societal levels. The Global Health program equips students with the tools to analyze and address global structures and processes, shaping health outcomes locally and globally.  

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Duration

4 Years

Degrees

Honours (BA, BSc)

Intake

Fall (Sept)

Study Options

Full-time, Part-time

Delivery

In-person

Why Choose Global Health at 91亚色 U?

Be empowered to tackle complex global challenges and make a meaningful impact on health equity worldwide.

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  • Explore global health through science, social sciences, and humanities perspectives.
  • Benefit from small class sizes and research opportunities.
  • Develop teamwork and public engagement skills to advocate, collaborate across sectors and regions, and drive global health equity.
  • Participate in Globally Learning strategies where you can learn with and from students and faculty from across the world.
  • Experience different ways to showcase your learning, including tests, video presentations, podcasts, documentaries, and many more.

Degree Options

We offer both an honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) and honours Bachelor of Science (BSc) option. Both share the same core requirements (48 credits). However, BSc students take additional math, science, and computer science courses while BA students have more flexibility with those credits. Explore our Global Health courses to see detailed course descriptions and offerings.

Students can directly to the Honours BA [OUAC program code: YHS] and Honours BSc [OUAC program code: YHT].

Specialized Honours in Global Health

The Specialized Honours (BA or BSc) option in Global Health is designed for students who want deeper academic focus and hands on practicum experience. In this degree, you will complete 60 major credits, 15 credits in a selected stream, and 12 credits in practicum preparation, placement, and a fourth year research capstone. You will complete your stream electives within one of the five stream areas:

  • Global E-Health
  • Global Health and the Environment
  • Global Health Law, Policy, and Governance
  • Global Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
  • Global Mental Health

Current students can submit a program request change to the Specialized Honours (BA/BSc).

Sample Courses

Explore our complete list of core and elective Global Health courses to see detailed course descriptions and offerings.

  • GH 1010 Foundations of Global Health I 
  • GH 2000 Global Health Policy  
  • GH 2200 Global Determinants of Health 
  • GH 3545 Promoting Global Health 
  • GH 4510 Health and Human Rights 
  • IHST 1020 Agents of Change in a Global World 
  • GH 4220 World Health Assembly Simulation 
  • GH 3300 Introduction to Global Environmental Health  
  • GH 4210 Global Mental Health
  • GH 4500 Global Health and Humanitarianism

Minimum Admission Requirements

Bachelor of Arts (BA) [OUAC code YHS]:

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
  • ENG4U
  • And five additional 4U or M courses
    • SBI4U (recommended)
  • Overall average of at least mid 70s

Bachelor of Science (BSc) [OUAC code YHT]:

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
  • ENG4U
  • 4U math
  • SBI4U or SCH4U or SPH4U 
  • And three additional 4U or M courses
  • Overall average of at least mid 70s

Requirements will vary depending on your curriculum and previous training, please visit for more information.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Students in the Global Health program have opportunities to apply their classroom learning through diverse experiential education settings, including:

4th-Year Practicum

As part of the Specialized Honours (BA or BSc) in Global Health, students will complete a practicum during the second semester of their fourth year. This 11-week, research- or practice-based placement is designed to bridge theory and practice in various health-related settings. Practicum placements can be completed locally in Toronto or with our international partners in countries such as Costa Rica, the Netherlands, and South Africa, offering students a truly global perspective on health issues.

Optional Co-op

As a Global Health student, you can choose to take part in an optional Co-operative (Co-op) program, where you鈥檒l gain paid, full-time work experience during your degree. Participating in a Co-op is a great way to apply your learning, build your professional network, and develop valuable, transferable skills for your future career. Learn more about the Health Co-op program.

Learn about Gabriel鈥檚 4th year practicum experience at

Learn about a 3-week study abroad opportunity in Ho, Ghana from Assistant Professor Godfred Boateng.

Careers in Global Health

The Global Health program prepares students for diverse professional pathways. Some of our graduates pursue advanced studies (Master鈥檚, PhD) or professional schools, such as medicine, law, or public health. Many also enter the workforce directly, thriving in fields like policy analysis, health education, global health promotion, international development, medicine, and research. Learn more about Careers in Global Health.

Pathway to Professional and Medical School

Planning to pursue professional studies such as medicine or law?  Both the BA and the BSc in Global Health can be used as preparation for professional school.  Some of the benefits include:

  • A unique degree combining science, social science, and humanities perspectives
  • Core curriculum includes common prerequisites such as statistics, anatomy, physiology, and social science courses
  • A tight-knit program fostering closer connections with professors and potential academic references
  • Research opportunities to enhance and differentiate professional school applications

Learn more about the Pathways to Professional School, Graduate School and Careers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The BA and the BSc in Global Health share the same core Global Health major courses. All Global Health students in both the BA and the BSc take courses in topics such as human anatomy and physiology, statistics, chronic diseases and care, global health power and politics, etc. Students in the BSc have additional high school pre-requisite requirements and take additional math, science, and computer science courses within their degree. BA students have more flexibility with those credits to take courses outside their major instead. 

Students in the Specialized Honours BA or Specialized Honours BSc in Global Health are required to complete a practicum in their fourth year. Current students can submit a program request change to the Specialized Honours (BA/BSc). 

Global Health students can take part in the optional co-op within the Faculty of Health to gain paid, full-time work experience during their degree. Although this is an option, co-op positions are competitive and not guaranteed. As a co-op student, you would have access to the 91亚色 U co-op job board to apply to postings as well as the support of the Co-op Coordinator. Learn more about the Health Co-op program. 

Yes. More information for 2nd degree students regarding minimum admission requirements, transfer credit, and more is available on our Mature and Transfer website. 

Most professional programs such as Nursing, Medicine, Law, etc. do  not have disciplinary requirements and students can often apply to  them from technically any program, though they may have further  requirements in terms of degree type, pre-requisites, etc. As an applicant, you are responsible for researching the professional programs that interest you and reviewing their admission requirements. 

If interested in using Global Health as a pathway to 91亚色 U's 2nd Entry Nursing program, Global Health would allow you to complete many of the minimum admission requirements for this program (for example, many pre-requisites for 2nd Entry Nursing are already required courses within Global Health), but the completion of some minimum admission requirements would require planning of electives.  

Learn more about the Pathways to Professional School, Graduate School and Careers.


Learn More

Please contact us if you have any questions about applying for Faculty of Health programs, your application status, or your next steps after receiving an offer of admission.

Faculty of Health Recruitment Office
hlthrec@yorku.ca