Top 10 Colleges For Masters In Public Health In Canada: Eligibility & Process

The need for public health professionals has increased more than ever before, with serious issues like COVID-19 affecting the life of people in unexpected ways. Canada has some of the best universities that focus on research and healthcare, making it one of the best places in the world to study.

Top Universities & Colleges That Offer Masters In Public Health In Canada

The following are some of the best universities that offer masters in public health in Canada:

1. University of Alberta – Edmonton, Alberta

The University of Alberta, located in Alberta, Canada, is a public research university that offers several diplomae, bachelor’s programmes, and master of science programmes that focus on research and healthcare. The university ranks No. 126 in the QS World University Rankings 2022, No. 125 in the Times Higher Education University Rankings 2022, and No. 135 in the US News & World Report Global Universities 2022. The university offers an MPH programme with seven specializations, such as the following:

• MPH degree in Applied Biostatistics
• MPH in Environmental Health & Occupational Health
• MPH in Epidemiology
• MPH in Food Safety
• MPH in Global Health
• MPH in Health Policy & Management
• MPH in Health Promotion

The programme can be completed in 20 months by full-time students and in 36 months by part-time students, even though the university allows a maximum of 6 years for the student to complete it. The university provides an opportunity to obtain additional credentials along with the Master of Public Health degree by taking up to two graduate embedded certificates (GEC). Further, it helps students bridge theory and practices through coursework and practicum. The tuition fee is around CAD 8700 per year. The following are the deadline for registrations for the respective terms:

• Fall Term: August 20
• Winter Term: December 22
• Spring Term: April 17
• Summer Term: June 18

2. University of Toronto – Toronto, Ontario

The University of Toronto is one of the leading institutes in Ontario that is research-intensive. The university has three campuses and accepts international students from around 159 countries. The University ranks No. 26 in the QS World University Rankings 2022, No. 18 in the TIMES Higher Education University Rankings 2022, and No. 16 in the US News & World Report Global Universities 2022. The university offers several public health science courses, such as: MPH with specialization in:

• Epidemiology
• Family and Community Health
• Indigenous Health
• Nutrition and Dietetics
• Occupational and Environmental Health
• Social and Behavioral Health Sciences

The MPH programme may be taken up full-time or part-time. All disciples of MPH begin in September except for the Indigenous Health field, which starts in May. The application deadline for the fall entry is in January. The full-time programme is for 3 years, and the part-time programme is for 6 years. The tuition fee for the programme is around CAD 17,835 per year.

3. Lakehead University – Thunder Bay, Ontario

Lakehead University offers around 57 undergraduate, and 30 PG and doctorate programmes. The university ranks between 801 to 1000 in the TIMES Higher Education University Rankings 2022, and at No. 1279 in the US News & World Report Global Universities 2022. Lakehead University provides a master of public health degree with the following specialization options:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Indigenous and Northern Health
• Social-Ecological Systems
• Sustainability and Health
• Nursing

The programme can be completed full-time on campus or through distance learning on a flexible schedule except for the nursing specialization. The students have the option of completing the programme as a course-based or thesis-based except for the nursing specialization. The full-time programme is for 3 years, and the part-time programme is for 4 years. The tuition fee is around CAD 7930 per term, which is around CAD 23,790 per year.

4. University of Ottawa – Ottawa, Ontario

The University of Ottawa is a public research university in Ontario that offers around 400 undergraduate and graduate studies in subjects such as social science, law, education, and health science. The university ranks No. 230 in the QS World University Rankings 2022, No. 162 in the TIMES Higher Education University Rankings 2022, and No. 199 in US News & World Report Global Universities 2022. The University of Ottawa provides a full-time 16-month-long MPH degree programme that includes a practicum experiential learning method. All the students of this programme will learn about public health policy. The programme offers the following specializations:

• Public Health Practice
• Public Health Policy
• Global Health
• Population Health Risk Assessment

The application deadline for the fall entry is on February 28. The estimated tuition fee is around CAD 10,860 per year.

5. University of Waterloo – Waterloo, Ontario

The University of Waterloo is a public research institute in Ontario that was one of the first institutes in the world to provide access to state-of-the-art computer facilities to undergraduate students. The university ranks No. 149 in the QS World University Rankings 2022, between 201 to 250 in the TIMES Higher Education University Rankings 2022, and No. 199 in the US News & World Report Global Universities 2022. The master of public health degree offered by the university is available on campus, online, and as a hybrid mode of learning. The full-time programme is for 24 months, and the part-time programme is for 48 months. The deadline for the winter entry is during October. The tuition fee for the full-time online course is around CAD 10,766 per year. The university offers another similar online degree, master of health informatics, for which the tuition fee is around CAD 11,511 per year.

Eligibility Criteria For Masters In Public Health In Canada

The following are the admission requirements for international students who want to pursue masters in public health in Canada courses:

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree in a relevant major from a recognized university with a minimum score of 75%
• At least one course of the bachelor’s degree must be statistics
• Proof of relevant work or volunteer experience
• Essay on what made the candidate choose MPH may be required by some universities
• Resume May also be required by some universities
• Two References: At least one of the references must be academic

English Language Requirements To Pursue Masters In Public Health In Canada

International students who do not belong to English-speaking countries need to submit proof of proficiency in the English language. The following are the English Language proficiency test scores accepted by Canadian universities that offer master’s degrees in public health:

• CAEL Online Score: minimum overall score of 60
• Cambridge Advanced English Score (C1 advanced or C2 proficiency): minimum overall score of 176
• Duolingo English Test Score: minimum overall score of 110
• IELTS (Academic Test) Score: minimum overall score of 6.5
• MET Score: minimum overall score of 85
• PTE Academic Score: minimum overall score of 58
• TOEFL Score:
• iBT Score: minimum overall score of 80
• cBT Score: minimum overall score of 213

Application Process For Masters In Public Health In Canada

The following are the steps that applicants must follow to apply for a Masters in Public Health in Canada programme:

• Candidates must the website of the desired university
• The candidate must then select the appropriate public health programme they want to pursue.
• The applicant must make sure that they meet all the eligibility requirements for the programme as listed on the website.
• If the programme is thesis-based, the candidate must first identify a potential supervisor before applying for the programme.
• The candidate must fill in the application form with the correct details.
• The applicant must then upload digital copies of supporting documents such as transcripts, degree certificates, mark sheets, CV, etc., along with the application form.
• Test scores such as GRE and English language proficiency test scores must also be attached to the application form.
• The applicant must submit the application form and pay the non-refundable application fee.
• Applicants who need funding can apply for scholarships at this point.
• The admission team reviews the application form and supporting documents.
• If they find the application valuable, the candidates will receive an email with a conditional offer letter.
• If the student wishes to continue with the admission process, they need to pay the tuition fee, pay the accommodation fee and provide any additional documents required by the institution before enrolling in the programme.

Conclusion

The master of public health degree is a very competitive course with extensive practical training in real-life situations. Canada ranks No. 10 in the Commonwealth Fund’s 2021 report on the excellence in health care systems in the world, making it one of the best places to study for the MPH degree. Pack your bags and begin your dream journey of studying MPH in Canada.

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