Program Requirements and Course Offerings

HRS Courses


Students across all fields, and in both the master’s and PhD programs, complete a similar set of courses and must meet similar requirements in order to progress through their program. The specific requirements for each field are listed on the respective field pages. Listed below are the details of both the general and field-specific courses/requirements.

Program Courses/Requirements

HRS Program Requirements

MSc

1. Three 0.5 credit mandatory course credits

  • Quantitative (9601) or Qualitative (9602) or equivalent
    • necessary background in pre- or co- requisites (e.g. 9515- statistics)
  • Field-based course or equivalent
  • Elective (recommended by advisory committee)

2. Seminar Attendance

  • HRS Common Seminar — 1 year
  • Attendance at field-based seminar — 1 year

3. Thesis Examination

PhD

1. Three 0.5 credit mandatory course credits

  • Advanced Methods Course (700 level) or equivalent
    • necessary background in pre- or co-requisites (e.g. 9601, 9515, 9602)
  • Field-based course or equivalent
  • Elective (recommended by advisory committee)

2. Seminar Attendance

  • HRS Common Seminar — 1 year
    • Exception: Not required for returning Doctoral students who have completed the Common Seminar in Health and Rehabilitations Science Master’s Program
  • Participation in field-based seminar — 2 years
    • Exception: Returning Doctoral students who have completed 1 year of the field-specific seminar in Health and Rehabilitations Science Master’s Program are required to participate in 1 additional year of the field-specific seminar during their Doctoral studies.

3. Thesis Prospectus

4. Candidacy Exam

5. Thesis Examination

HRS Methods Courses

HS 9515a - Introduction to Statistics for Health & Rehabilitation Sciences - 0.5 credit
This is an introductory statistics course for students entering the Graduate Program in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. It includes data presentation and normalization, types of variables and levels of measurement, descriptive statistics, and hypothesis testing using both nonparametric and parametric procedures. This course is designed to introduce techniques used to analyze quantitative data used in health-related research and allied fields. Emphasis will be placed on the basic concepts of quantitative analysis including an introduction to multivariate analysis, and the use of statistical software.

HS 9601a - Quantitative Methods in Health Sciences - 0.5 credit
This course provides students with an introduction to the common quantitative and qualitative approaches to research through topics such as design, sampling, measurement and interpretation. Students will engage in learning activities that focus on the basic concepts and terminology surrounding quantitative and qualitative research to lay the groundwork for further advanced understanding. Throughout this course students will evaluate the methodological features of qualitative and quantitative research studies in the published literature. Recommended for students without previous undergraduate research methods. It is strongly recommended that students whose thesis will require application of quantitative or qualitative methods take HS 9788 or HS 9602 respectively.

HS 9602a - Qualitative Research Methods in Health Sciences - 0.5 credit
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the qualitative paradigm and its current and potential applications in health and rehabilitation sciences. The philosophical assumptions that form an integral part of the qualitative paradigm will be examined, as will the assumptions underlying various qualitative schools of inquiry (e.g., grounded theory, phenomenology, ethnography, action research, narrative). Key considerations in the critical evaluation and design of qualitative studies within several schools of inquiry relevant to health and rehabilitation sciences will be addressed. Students will have opportunities to engage in critical analysis of qualitative research; discuss ethical issues related to the conduct of qualitative research; and engage in the process of proposal development within a group.

HS 9623b - Perspectives in Knowledge Translation - 0.5 credit
Knowledge translation (KT) has evolved from its original focus on the effective dissemination of information from researcher to research user. KT is now understood to be a process of engagement among those who generate knowledge and those who use that knowledge to develop policies, programs or deliver health services. The field reflects a rich history within multiple disciplines. In this graduate course, students will gain a contemporary understanding of the field by: discussing primary studies and (systematic) review articles; considering commentaries by scholars in the field; emphasizing the science of KT (in contrast to the application or doing of KT); and, becoming familiar with perspectives across various disciplines.

HS 9730b - Philosophical Foundations of Qualitative Research - 0.5 credit
This course provides an introduction to philosophical foundations of qualitative research with a particular focus on interpretive and critical paradigms of inquiry. Assumptions about what constitutes knowledge (epistemology), the nature of existence (ontology), and means for gaining knowledge (methodology) within different knowledge paradigms are considered. Students examine philosophical and theoretical perspectives that underpin various schools to qualitative inquiry and identify perspectives relevant to the coherent and rigorous design of research. Within this course, students explore perspectives that relate to their own research interests; expand their familiarity with the specialized terminology adopted in qualitative research; consider approaches to representing, writing and publishing qualitative research; and investigate implications for the design and evaluation of qualitative research in health and social care. This course is highly recommended for doctoral level students completing a qualitative research dissertation, and is open to highly motivated master's level students wishing to deepen their research knowledge.
*HS 9602 is recommended as a precursor to this course

HS 9788 - Advanced Quantitative - 0.5 credit
This course is designed to provide participants with solid foundation of clinical research methods including study design and critical appraisal of studies evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention (randomized trials and observational studies), diagnostic test accuracy, identification of risk factors for disease development or prognostic factors for disease outcomes, and systematic reviews with meta-analysis.

HS 9790b - Economic Evaluation Methods - 0.5 credit
This course will provide an introduction to economic evaluation methods of health interventions, and discuss how they are used to assess “value for money” in health care. Students will develop skills to design, conduct, interpret and critically appraise economic evaluations.

Elective Courses

Students in the Health & Rehabilitation Sciences (HRS) program should meet with their supervisor to select the appropriate elective courses for their program of study. Elective courses can be chosen from those offered by HRS, or by other graduate programs at Western.

HS 9603 – Human Rhythms  - 0.5 credit (Not offered in 2020-21)
The human body produces many rhythms from the brain (the electroencephalogram or EEG), heart (electrocardiogram or ECG), muscles (electromyogram or EMG), ears (otoacoustic emissions), and even the voice. These 'signals' can tell us about the body's function including clinically useful information used in the diagnosis of disease. Learning to work with physiological signals is a modern skill that is useful in diverse areas such as neuroscience, psychology, medical sciences, nursing, health and rehabilitation sciences, kinesiology, audiology, speech language pathology, and other sciences. In brief, this course introduces the basics of working with physiological signals measured from the human body.

HS 9632 - Current Topics in Child and Youth Health  - 0.5 credit
Current Topics in Child and Youth Health is a seminar course designed to stimulate critical thinking in the area. In HS 9632b, students will examine and discuss child and youth health-related topics, trends, and issues as identified both by the instructor and the students. The course is also designed to help students acquire and strengthen the skills necessary at the graduate level (e.g., scientific writing) and gain experiences with presentation and group facilitation skills. Equally important at the graduate level is the acquired and practiced skill of listening critically and providing constructive criticism from the perspectives of curiosity and respect.

HS 9641 - Bio-Psycho-Social Dimensions of Aging - 0.5 credit
This research-based seminar style course investigates bio-psycho-social dimensions of aging on the individual level. Students will be introduced to and encouraged to discuss theories of aging while using an interdisciplinary approach to examine the physical, psychological and social changes a person experiences with aging. Students will be challenged to simulate aging, engage in self-reflection, explore assessment tools in gerontology, partner with a senior for a case study, conduct measurements of an elder’s bio-psycho-social status, and learn how to prepare and deliver a short lecture, abstract, poster and essay.

HS 9710a - Reflective Practice & Professional Knowledge in Health and Social Care  - 0.5 credit
Reflective practice is perhaps the most popular theory influencing professional education in the last 20 years. This course critically examines the historical and contemporary discourses surrounding the theory of reflective practice and the implications for professional education. The course also investigates the broader notion of epistemologies of practice and considers the ways in which reflection, critical reflection, reflective practice, and dialogue shape the cultivation of professional knowledge in health and human service professions. Reflection in this course is examined along a continuum that includes narrative and aesthetic modes of reflection, intentional cognitive reflection, embodied or tacit reflection and critical reflexivity as they relate to professional knowledge. Attention is drawn to epistemologies of practice in light of traditional divides between theory and practice, and to the role of dialogue in knowledge exchange within communities of practice.

HS 9740a - Current Topics in Health & Aging  - 0.5 credit
Current Topics in Aging and Health is a foundational course for all students interested in researching intersection of health and aging at the graduate level. Designed as blended, seminar-style, highly engaging course, it stimulates critical thinking and supports students in preparation of a literature review that will guide their thesis proposal writing. Students actively participate in informed discussions on current topics in health and aging, learn about literature review types and processes, present their on-going research activities, improve academic writing skills, learn how to prepare a manuscript for publication, review work of others and provide peer feedback.

Common external elective choices for Health and Rehabilitation Sciences students include:

HRS Common Seminar

1 year

Several seminars are open to all faculty and students in the HRS program, and are regularly scheduled thorough the academic year. Announcements about the speaker and specific topics addressed in each seminar will be provided via e-mails and posted on the HRS seminar board. Topics and format of these seminars may vary. A student may be required to attend one or more of these seminar series depending on their field and/or based on the recommendations of their advisory committee.

The Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (HRS) Common Seminar is a required program milestone. MSc and PhD students must attend the seminar regularly in their first year of enrolment in the HRS Program. The seminar is intended to provide a forum for scholarly interactions among students registered in the various fields comprising the HRS program. In addition, the seminar is designed and will be run to foster the development of research skills necessary for graduate school success.

Students are also required to complete a field-based seminar. Further information can be found within each of the Field-Specific Courses/Requirements tabs below. 

Candidacy Examination (PhD)

The exam consists of a written paper of publishable quality in peer-reviewed manuscript or book chapter format.

The purpose of the candidacy examination is to:

  • Demonstrate scholarly writing
  • Demonstrate a critical synthesis of theory and literature
  • Situate the student’s planned research within the field, including theory, research literature, and research methods

This paper will be evaluated by the Candidacy Examination Committee: the student’s supervisor, and two other individuals. Normally, all 3 examiners will have PhD-Level Training, and will have graduate membership in SGPS. Other individuals who may be external to the field, program, or university, can act as examiners as long as s/he is approved by the Health & Rehabilitation Sciences program.

The exam must be completed successfully in order for students to begin the thesis phase. The procedure, planning form, and evaluation form can be found on the HRS Program OWL web-site.

Thesis 

For information on thesis documentation, regulations, submission and more, please visit the Thesis Guide on the Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies website.

Field-Specific Courses/Requirements

Courses listed as field-specific are open to all students in the HRS Program (not exclusive to students within the field).

Health and Aging

Field-Based Course or Equivalent

HS 9641 - Bio-Psycho-Social Dimensions of Aging - 0.5 credit
This research-based seminar style course investigates bio-psycho-social dimensions of aging on the individual level. Students will be introduced to and encouraged to discuss theories of aging while using an interdisciplinary approach to examine the physical, psychological and social changes a person experiences with aging. Students will be challenged to simulate aging, engage in self-reflection, explore assessment tools in gerontology, partner with a senior for a case study, conduct measurements of an elder’s bio-psycho-social status, and learn how to prepare and deliver a short lecture, abstract, poster and essay.

HS 9740a - Current Topics in Health & Aging  - 0.5 credit
Current Topics in Aging and Health is a foundational course for all students interested in researching intersection of health and aging at the graduate level. Designed as blended, seminar-style, highly engaging course, it stimulates critical thinking and supports students in preparation of a literature review that will guide their thesis proposal writing. Students actively participate in informed discussions on current topics in health and aging, learn about literature review types and processes, present their on-going research activities, improve academic writing skills, learn how to prepare a manuscript for publication, review work of others and provide peer feedback.

Field-Based Seminar

1 year for MSc; 2 years for PhD

Health and Aging Seminar Series
The Health and Aging seminar is required for MSc students during the first year and PhD students during the first two years of study. It is open to all interested field members and designed to expose students to a breadth of topics and research methods in the field of Aging.  During each seminar, a faculty member or senior student in the field will present something from their research (completed, in progress or a comps paper), followed by an open discussion of the implications of the information for the field of aging in terms of: future research directions; societal trends; government policy and or health and social service delivery.

Health Professional Education

Field-Based Course or Equivalent

HS 9610 - HPE: Current Topics, Perspectives and Research Issues - 0.5 credit
This seminar course investigates current topics in health professional education and is reading intensive, interactive, and dialogic. Faculty members and students from across the field join the course to facilitate discussions on special topics and current research in the field. Topics may include but are not limited to: principles of adult and lifelong learning, clinical reasoning, critical thinking, reflective practice, client/family centred practice, communities of practice, applied ethics, evidence-based practice, relational learning and mentorship, collaboration and teamwork, interprofessional education, critical perspectives in professional education, humanities in health professional education, leadership, and learning organizations.

HS 9710a - Reflective Practice & Professional Knowledge in Health and Social Care  - 0.5 credit
Reflective practice is perhaps the most popular theory influencing professional education in the last 20 years. This course critically examines the historical and contemporary discourses surrounding the theory of reflective practice and the implications for professional education. The course also investigates the broader notion of epistemologies of practice and considers the ways in which reflection, critical reflection, reflective practice, and dialogue shape the cultivation of professional knowledge in health and human service professions. Reflection in this course is examined along a continuum that includes narrative and aesthetic modes of reflection, intentional cognitive reflection, embodied or tacit reflection and critical reflexivity as they relate to professional knowledge. Attention is drawn to epistemologies of practice in light of traditional divides between theory and practice, and to the role of dialogue in knowledge exchange within communities of practice.

Field-Based Seminar

1 year for MSc; 2 years for PhD

Health Professional Education Seminar Series
This is a seminar series for students in the HPE field. It is typically held every two or three weeks over the fall and winter terms. Students and faculty members have the opportunity to present work-in-progress for formative feedback from the Health Professional Education community of practice. This seminar series offers the opportunity for members of the group to present and discuss their scholarly work, prior to presenting at conferences, or to other groups, or as a means to test out and brainstorm about research ideas. MSc students take part in at least one presentation (e.g. thesis proposal, work-in-progress, practice talk as part of preparation for a conference presentation or defense preparation). PhD students present their thesis proposals, once approved by their committees, and are encouraged to present other work-in-progress. Faculty members are invited to share their work in this venue. Attendance is mandatory for MSc students in the first year and PhD students in the first two years of the program. It is highly recommended and encouraged that students continue to participate throughout their tenure in the program.

Health Promotion

Field-Based Course or Equivalent

HS 9721a – Current Topics in Health Promotion  - 0.5 credit
Graduates from the Health Promotion area of concentration will have the knowledge and skills to conduct high quality research, be able to develop, implement and evaluate health promotion programs, and/or advocate for vulnerable populations. Current Topics in Health Promotion is a seminar course designed to stimulate critical thinking in the area. Students are expected to actively participate in the seminars through informed discussions and presentation of their on-going research activities.

Field-Based Seminar

1 year for MSc; 2 years for PhD

Health Promotion Seminar
This seminar will provide an opportunity for students to explore selected topics and issues related to health promotion.

Hearing Science

Field-Based Course or Equivalent

One of these two foundational CSD courses should be chosen as the Field-Based course for MSc or PhD students in Hearing Science*. For suitably qualified students, a more advanced CSD course may be substituted if approved by the student’s advisory committee and the course instructor. 

CSD 9512a Acoustics, Perception, and the Auditory System - 0.5 credit
This course provides an introductory background for understanding sound, its propagation, and the acoustics of rooms and the external ear. Signal filtering and representations in time and frequency domains will be introduced. Anatomy of the ear and auditory nervous system will be covered, as well as the function of these systems in the processing of sound. Perception and psychophysics, as well as sound localization will also be studied.

CSD 9516b Auditory Evoked Potentials and Emissions - 0.5 credit
This course will cover foundational knowledge for objective physiological measurement of the auditory system using auditory evoked potentials and otoacoustic emissions. Basics common to these measurements will be treated including introductory signal processing (filtering, averaging, time domain and spectral analysis), and the types of acoustic stimuli and their calibration.

*To enroll in a CSD course, HRS MSc and PhD students must contact the Graduate Affairs Assistant for the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Field-Based Seminar

1 year for MSc; 2 years for PhD

Seminar in Hearing Science
This seminar will meet twice monthly during the fall and winter terms to provide an opportunity for students to explore, in greater depth, selected topics and issues related to the study of hearing science and audiological research. This seminar will involve students, researchers, and invited speakers presenting various aspects of research in hearing and audiology.

Measurement and Methods

Field-Based Course or Equivalent

HS 9601a - Quantitative Methods in Health Sciences - 0.5 credit
This course provides students with an introduction to the common quantitative and qualitative approaches to research through topics such as design, sampling, measurement and interpretation. Students will engage in learning activities that focus on the basic concepts and terminology surrounding quantitative and qualitative research to lay the groundwork for further advanced understanding. Throughout this course students will evaluate the methodological features of qualitative and quantitative research studies in the published literature. Recommended for students without previous undergraduate research methods. It is strongly recommended that students whose thesis will require application of quantitative or qualitative methods take HS 9788 or HS 9602 respectively.

HS 9602a - Qualitative Research Methods in Health Sciences - 0.5 credit
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the qualitative paradigm and its current and potential applications in health and rehabilitation sciences. The philosophical assumptions that form an integral part of the qualitative paradigm will be examined, as will the assumptions underlying various qualitative schools of inquiry (e.g., grounded theory, phenomenology, ethnography, action research, narrative). Key considerations in the critical evaluation and design of qualitative studies within several schools of inquiry relevant to health and rehabilitation sciences will be addressed. Students will have opportunities to engage in critical analysis of qualitative research; discuss ethical issues related to the conduct of qualitative research; and engage in the process of proposal development within a group.

HS 9515a - Introduction to Statistics for Health & Rehabilitation Sciences - 0.5 credit
This is an introductory statistics course for students entering the Graduate Program in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. It includes data presentation and normalization, types of variables and levels of measurement, descriptive statistics, and hypothesis testing using both nonparametric and parametric procedures. This course is designed to introduce techniques used to analyze quantitative data used in health-related research and allied fields. Emphasis will be placed on the basic concepts of quantitative analysis including an introduction to multivariate analysis, and the use of statistical software.

HS 9730b - Philosophical Foundations of Qualitative Research - 0.5 credit
This course provides an introduction to philosophical foundations of qualitative research with a particular focus on interpretive and critical paradigms of inquiry. Assumptions about what constitutes knowledge (epistemology), the nature of existence (ontology), and means for gaining knowledge (methodology) within different knowledge paradigms are considered. Students examine philosophical and theoretical perspectives that underpin various schools to qualitative inquiry and identify perspectives relevant to the coherent and rigorous design of research. Within this course, students explore perspectives that relate to their own research interests; expand their familiarity with the specialized terminology adopted in qualitative research; consider approaches to representing, writing and publishing qualitative research; and investigate implications for the design and evaluation of qualitative research in health and social care. This course is highly recommended for doctoral level students completing a qualitative research dissertation, and is open to highly motivated master's level students wishing to deepen their research knowledge.
*HS 9602 is recommended as a precursor to this course

HS 9788 - Advanced Quantitative - 0.5 credit
This course is designed to provide participants with solid foundation of clinical research methods including study design and critical appraisal of studies evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention (randomized trials and observational studies), diagnostic test accuracy, identification of risk factors for disease development or prognostic factors for disease outcomes, and systematic reviews with meta-analysis.

HS 9623b - Perspectives in Knowledge Translation - 0.5 credit
Knowledge translation (KT) has evolved from its original focus on the effective dissemination of information from researcher to research user. KT is now understood to be a process of engagement among those who generate knowledge and those who use that knowledge to develop policies, programs or deliver health services. The field reflects a rich history within multiple disciplines. In this graduate course, students will gain a contemporary understanding of the field by: discussing primary studies and (systematic) review articles; considering commentaries by scholars in the field; emphasizing the science of KT (in contrast to the application or doing of KT); and, becoming familiar with perspectives across various disciplines.

Field-Based Seminar

1 year for MSc; 2 years for PhD

Measurement & Methods Seminar
This seminar will provide an opportunity for students to explore selected topics and issues related to measurement and methods.

Occupational Science

Field-Based Course or Equivalent

The format of the field course to be offered to Occupational Science students will be based on year-by-year decision making by the Health & Rehabilitation Sciences program and the School of Occupational Therapy, contingent on resources and course enrolment.

HS 9660a - Occupational Science: Foundations, Perspectives & Research Issues
and
HS 9760b - Occupational Science: Philosophy and Advanced Theory - 0.5 credits
This course focuses on the evolution of, and contemporary issues within, occupational science, a basic interdisciplinary science dedicated to the understanding of human occupation. Occupational science incorporates a broad conceptualization of occupation inclusive of the range of activities that individuals, families and communities engage in as means to survive, thrive, and flourish. Varying perspectives on the role of occupational science will be addressed and current research issues and needs within the field will be examined. This course provides students with a forum to critically examine philosophical assumptions and underpinnings of various perspectives drawn upon by occupational scientists, with emphases on critical perspectives and examination of the social, political and cultural factors influencing the shaping of both knowledge regarding occupation and occupational inequities. Students will explore various ways of conceptualizing and enacting interdisciplinarity in occupational science, and consider the contributions of their evolving work to occupational science.

Field-Based Seminar

1 year for MSc; 2 years for PhD

Research Seminar in Occupational Science
This interactive seminar will provide an opportunity for students and faculty to explore, in greater depth, selected topics and issues related to the study of occupational science. This seminar will involve knowledge exchange among students and researchers through the presentation and discussion of various aspects of their research (ie. foundations, methodological approaches, findings, knowledge transfer). Discussion will relate presentations to current issues in occupational science and will facilitate integration of knowledge.

Physical Therapy

Field-Based Course or Equivalent

To fulfill the field-based course requirement, students in the Physical Therapy field may take any Methods course (with the exception of HS 9601 and HS 9515).

Field-Based Seminar

1 year for MSc; 2 years for PhD

This seminar series will expose students to contemporary theory and methodology in Rehabilitation Sciences and the Physical Therapy field. The course will cover the conceptual bases of impairments of body structure and function, activity limitations, and restrictions in social participation as per the ICF within the context of health, illness, and disability. The seminar will also include presentations of ongoing research by graduate faculty affiliated with the field, as well as visiting scholars, and graduate students. This course will permit the presentation of research proposals and current research findings within the framework of the field. Master’s students are required to attend in their first year of the program and Doctoral students are required to participate in the first three years of their program.

Speech and Language Science

Field-Based Course or Equivalent

One of these three foundational CSD courses should be chosen as the Field-Based course for MSc or PhD students in Speech-Language Science*. For suitably qualified students, a more advanced CSD course may be substituted if approved by the student’s advisory committee and the course instructor. 

CSD 9610a Anatomy & Physiology for CSD - 0.5 credits
The objective of the course is to develop a basic knowledge of head and neck anatomy and physiology as applied to human communication. The course of study involves: anatomy and physiology of the ear and hearing; anatomy and physiology of respiration and phonation; and anatomy and physiology of articulation and resonance.

CSD9613a Language Acquisition: Foundations and Critical Applications - 0.5 credits
This course covers typical language acquisition (i.e., syntax, morphology, semantics, pragmatics and phonology) in young children from infancy through the preschool period of development. Key aspects in the development of both language production and comprehension are reviewed. Applied activities allow students to develop their observation skills for identifying key communicative behaviours associated with 4 developmental periods.  In addition, they have hands-on experience analyzing children’s language samples for semantic relations, communicative intent, morphology, and emerging syntax.

CSD 9615a Speech Science - 0.5 credits
Students are introduced to the physiologic, acoustic and perceptual characteristics of speech. Principles and methods for the laboratory study of speech are explored.

*To enroll in a CSD course, HRS MSc and PhD students must contact the Graduate Affairs Assistant for the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Field-Based Seminar

This seminar will meet twice monthly during the fall and winter terms to provide an opportunity for students to explore, in greater depth, selected topics and issues related to the study of speech and language science. This seminar will involve students, researchers, and invited speakers presenting various aspects of research in speech and language.