Take a different approach to fighting disease.
Focus on preventing illness, not simply treating people once they get sick. At Waterloo, you’ll learn how to promote healthy lifestyles, improve health care systems, and bring together the science and the social aspects of health.
Whether you opt for the regular or co-op stream, Health Studies gives you the skills for improving human health, along with lots of room for electives. And with five specializations and dozens of campus-wide minors, you can tailor your studies to your specific areas of interest.
You’ll graduate with the skills to tackle global health epidemics, transform public health policy, and pave the way for new medical breakthroughs.
Health Studies admission requirements
Ontario students: six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including
- Any 4U English (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Any 4U Mathematics (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Biology (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Chemistry (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
Admission averages: Regular: Low 80s | Co-op: Mid-80s
The following courses are recommended: Advanced Functions, Physics (for students interested in the Pre-Health Professions specialization)
We recommend completing the Admission Information Form once you've applied.
Not studying in Ontario? Search our admission requirements for Health Studies.
First-year courses
In your first term, BIOL 130L and CHEM 120L together count as one course. You’ll have five courses each term.
September to December
January to April
After first year
About half of the classes you’ll take will be Health courses. With your remaining classes, you can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.
View all the courses required for your degree.
Sample upper-year courses
HLTH 320 – Psychosocial Perspectives on Lifespan Development and Health
HLTH 341 – Principles of Pathobiology
HLTH 352 – Sociology of Aging
HLTH 442 – Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases
Laavanya chose Waterloo’s Health Studies program because of its multidisciplinary nature. Since graduating, Laayanya has been admitted to medical school to pursue her goal of becoming a physician.
Apply directly to this program on your application
Earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies
Co-op = relevant paid work experience
By alternating school terms and paid co-op work terms throughout your degree, you can explore new career areas and types of employers as your career interests evolve.
Sample co-op job titles
- Genetic counselling assistant
- Healthy women project coordinator
- Health promotion assistant
- Patient flow facilitator
- Clinical research assistant
- Health and safety specialist
Sample co-op employers
- Cancer Care Ontario
- University Health Network
- Trillium Health Centre
- Heart and Stroke Foundation
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
- Regional Municipality of Peel
Specializations and options to customize your degree
Offered by the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
Join the Health Studies Living-Learning Community
Customize your Bachelor of Science in Health Studies degree
You can add additional areas of expertise to your degree by including one or more of the areas of focus in Health Studies.
- Gerontology
- Aging Studies
- Health Informatics
- Pre-Clinical Specialization
- Health Research
Popular areas of focus for Health Studies students include Gerontology, Psychology, Human Nutrition, Pre-clinical, and Health Research. You can also include one of the minors available to all Waterloo students.
What can you do with a degree in Health Studies?
Your Health Studies degree lays the foundation for a career in health professions such as medicine, clinical research, epidemiology, and occupational health. Or, go on to pursue an accelerated master’s degree in our School of Public Health and Health Systems.
Sample careers
- Family Physician - London Lambeth Medical Clinic
- Health Promotion Specialist - Region of Peel
- Tobacco Cessation Specialist - Canadian Cancer Society
- Epidemiologist - University Health Network
- Clinical Research Coordinator - The Centre for Dermatology
- Policy Analyst - Employment & Social Development Canada
- Speech Language Pathologist - Peel District School Board
Further education
While the full range of further education depends on your individual interests, these are common areas where graduates pursued a master's, PhD, or other professional program.
- Medicine
- Nursing
- Pharmacy
- Speech language pathology
- Law
- Epidemiology
- Public health
- Health informatics
Be more than a number
With small tutorial sizes right from first year, you’ll really get to know your classmates — and your world-renowned professors.
Friends for life
Make lasting bonds through the Health Living-Learning Community, mentorship programs, and health-related student clubs.
Learn more about Health Studies
- Visit the Health Studies website
- Email Pamela Hurvid, our Applied Health Sciences recruitment co-ordinator, who can answer any questions about the program
- How do I choose between Health Sciences and Life Sciences?
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