This program focuses on examining the effects of health policies, health systems, healthcare programs, and related practices, norms, organization, and decision-making on health outcomes that are often inequitable. The MA and PhD in Health will stress the achievement of equity in health through policies, systems, practices and data analytics for improving social causes of inequity in health and the organization and delivery of health care.

Applicants are to choose one program field at the time of application from the following options:

1. Health Policy and Equity
2. Health System Management and Health Data Analytics

The specialized field in Health Policy and Equity (HP&E) is designed to ask questions and challenge assumptions that everyone accessing health care is treated equally, or has an equitable chance at good health. The field considers the determinants of inequity such as gender, poverty, age, race/ethnicity, migration status, and social exclusion.

The specialized field in Health System Management & Health Data Analytics (HSM & HDA) uniquely brings these two areas together to examine the nature of data and evidence, and the complexity of decision making in the health system context. This specialized field seeks to contribute knowledge regarding both the technological and the socio-political aspects of how health system decisions are made and how system change occurs (or why it sometimes fails to occur).

MA Program

The MA program examines health policy and equity with emphasis on how societal economic, political, and social structures and processes influence health. Attention is given to how public policy shapes the a) social inequalities that cause disease and b) the organization and delivery of care. The program is critical social science-oriented and draws upon various disciplines including educational theory, health studies, political economy, philosophy, political science, law, psychology and sociology, among others.

The graduate students are offered opportunities to closely interact with faculty and peers through coursework, comprehensive research paper, and other practical experiences through community partnerships. We support and encourage our students to attend academic conferences and share their work through peer-reviewed publications. The Health Graduate Student Association and other groups at the university offer opportunities for engagement, networking and learning from peers, scholars and guest speakers.

PhD Program

The PhD program offers comprehensive curriculum covering major scholarly perspectives in health policy and equity. The doctoral program is structured to encourage advanced research and new scholarship along with opportunities to contribute in advancing the scholarly field of health policy and equity.

The doctoral students closely interact with our interdisciplinary faculty and complete their comprehensive exam and dissertation. We support and encourage our students to attend academic conferences and share their work through peer-reviewed publications. The Health Graduate Student Association and other groups at the university offer opportunities for engagement, networking and learning from peers, scholars and guest speakers.