Career planning

People using technology.

There are numerous rewarding health-related careers and opportunities for current School of Public Health Sciences (SPHS) undergraduate students. On these pages, we outline various career options, further education paths, and additional resources for obtaining experience and guidance throughout university and in the workplace.

Take some time to consider the following: 

  • What is your goal? 
  • What kind of job are you looking to get?
  • Where do you want to be?
  • What are your workplace values? 
  • Do you have any experience in the field that would be applicable for that position?

Throughout your undergraduate degree, you will learn more about health careers and what they entail. Keep an open mind to ensure you don’t miss out on any new opportunities, experiences or knowledge.

Potential careers

There are many different avenues in the health field. See Potential careers webpage for information on careers in various disciplines such as: health promotion, health technology, epidemiology, statistical data analysis, policy analysis, medicine, and more.

One year after graduation, we survey our newest alumni on their career and education pursuits. Check out Graduation statistics webpage for examples of job titles, organizations, and post-graduate education to see what alumni are doing:

Read about the career paths of recent and established alumni who graduated from SPHS undergraduate programs:

Further education

Students may choose to continue their education after their undergraduate degree. Some may do this directly after completing their undergraduate degree, while some may enter the workforce first and return to school later. Everyone’s path looks different.

For more information on graduate programs, medical school, and further education advising, see Further education.

Volunteering and community involvement

Student-run organizations, in general, are a great way to get involved, learn, and network. The University of Waterloo is always looking for students who want to get involved in the Faculty of Health and volunteer their time. There are also other opportunities to get involved with other faculties and community organizations. See Volunteering and community involvement for more information.

Other career-planning resources

Centre for Career Action

The Centre for Career Development (CCD) supports all students, alumni, and University employees. Career advisors can help with career planning, career management strategies, graduate and professional school preparation, work search methods, and setting meaningful career goals.

The Career Action Library collection contains print, video, and computer-based resources available in the areas of: 

  • Career planning - occupational descriptions and trends, job search materials, volunteer, and entrepreneurial information 
  • Education - Canadian university and college calendars, subject and geographic-specific directories, professional test applications 
  • Employer - videos, CDs, and directories 
  • Work/Study Abroad - programs and guides 

Note: Resources may be borrowed for seven days and renewed once. Renewal can be done through your library account.

Visit the CareerHub for information on further education, your degree and skills, decision making, interviewing, finding work, and success in the workplace. You can also book an appointment with your academic advisor to talk about what courses would be helpful to take for specific careers.  

Visit the Centre for Career Action to help with career planning

Ten Thousand Coffees Faculty of Health Hub

Join the Faculty of Health Hub on Ten Thousand Coffees to meet other people with similar career interests. Take the opportunity to network and make connections. 

  • Connect with the Faculty of Health community 
  • Discover opportunities to accelerate your career 
  • Build valuable connections with students and alumni

The Faculty of Health Hub is powered by Ten Thousand Coffees, which allows career-driven students to network and grow their career opportunities. The online community connects students directly with alumni to build long-lasting relationships, and exchange industry knowledge.

Federal Student Work Experience Program

The Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) offers full-time students access to jobs from the federal government. The program allows students to find opportunities to learn about the federal government and gain experience to improve their skills for working in the public sector.