Global health concerns include not only infectious and tropical diseases (such as ebola, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases and malaria) but also chronic and non-infectious diseases, as well as age-related illnesses and maternal and child health. Global health also addresses mental illness and the health consequences of trauma, violence, war and displacement. Another key focus in global health is the organization, financing and management of health service systems.

The Global Health program (BA/BSc) at York is the first undergraduate degree of its kind.

The program offers courses through an interdisciplinary framework that brings together the natural sciences, the social sciences and the humanities, providing for unparalleled breadth and depth of knowledge in health, as well as of factors that affect health ranging from biology (e.g. genetics) to social determinants (e.g. poverty and human rights).

The York Advantage

• Specialized options including Global E-Health; Global Health Policy, Management & Systems; Global Health Promotion & Disease Prevention; and Global Health & the Environment will help you develop a rewarding career based on your individual interests.
• We offer online and blended courses (combination of online and in-class) to help you complete your degree as quickly and efficiently as possible.
• Students benefit from Student Success programs in which they can receive writing support (Write to Succeed) and study tips (Peer Assisted Study Sessions), among other programs.
• You’ll enter the workforce career ready, with knowledge and skills gained from in-class instruction and experiential education opportunities.
• A fourth-year practicum in partnership with academic institutions and NGOs in Canada or overseas will provide hands-on work experience to further increase your experience employability.
• The Global Health program is also considered a strong pre-professional degree pathway for medicine, nursing, health law, health administration and relevant graduate degrees.

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Careers with a Global Health degree

Career options for those with a BA or BSc in Global Health include policy development and infectious disease management with international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), education, research, community outreach, community health-care planning, health systems administration, business in both the private and non-profit sectors, and program planning and evaluation with health agencies, government and NGOs.

York’s Career Centre provides career advice and workshops, while the Faculty of Health provides career information specific to Global Health graduates.

For an interesting consideration of the issues surrounding global health, see the in-depth feature produced by PBS in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University and others called Rx for Survival.

You may also want to investigate the Canadian Society for International Health, the International Development Research Centre, Case Studies for Global Health, the Global Health Policy Centre and the World Health Organization for more information about global health initiatives, career options and further education opportunities.