Curriculum and Courses Offered

A Bachelor of Health Sciences degree (BHSc) provides students with an interdisciplinary perspective of health and well-being, with professors drawn from a variety of traditional academic areas, including Anatomy, Epidemiology, Philosophy, Psychology, Anthropology, Nursing, Rehabilitation Sciences and Kinesiology.

Our interdisciplinary curriculum provides a solid foundation for students wishing to pursue professional training in medicine, or rehabilitation sciences (such as, speech pathology, physical therapy, or occupational therapy). It also provides an excellent background for students interested in careers or master's-level education in areas of health promotion, health policy, gerontology, bioethics, or health measurement.

“I was able to draw on coursework from Research Methods in Health Sciences (HS2801) and Measurement and Analysis in Health Sciences (HS3801) [during my internship]. These courses provided the skills of designing, planning, and evaluating research study designs and how to interpret statistics, reliability, validity, bias, and error concerning different research study designs. These skills were critical in my role of creating sensory training plans and analyzing application and sensory statistical results to formulate technical reports and summaries.”
- Taylor Hodgson – completed a Health Studies Internship (HS3990) at Lactalis Canada

Philosophy

The School of Health Studies is based on a holistic view of health and wellness. Health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". WHO further states that "health is seen as a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities".

Health is an essential part of wellness. Wellness refers to a positive state of human flourishing that includes the physical, mental (e.g. psycho/social), and spiritual/moral dimensions of the human experience.

The School reflects a commitment to understanding health and wellness and the changing health needs of society.

Objectives

  1. To develop in students an appreciation for the holistic nature of health and wellness.
  2. To expose students to a variety of concepts and issues in health and wellness, and enable them to develop expertise and skill in selected areas of interest.
  3. To inspire students to think critically, reflectively and creatively on health-related issues, and to make decisions on the basis of evidence, ethics and values.

View programs and modules offered by The School of Health Studies.

Listed below are the most recent courses offered by the School of Health Studies. Course outlines are draft only and subject to change. Outlines will be posted as they become available. Course outlines from previous academic years are available by clicking on the links at the bottom of this page. Prospective students can view course descriptions on the Western Academic Calendar. 

2024-25

Fall/Winter Courses

First Year

  • HS1001A - Personal Determinants of Health
  • HS1002B - Social Determinants of Health
  • HS1111A - Achieving Balances and Meaning
  • HS1300B - Functional Human Gross Anatomy 

Second Year

  • HS2045B - Emerging Trends in Healthcare
  • HS2244 - Women and Health
  • HS2250A - Health Promotion
  • HS2300A - Functional Human Gross Anatomy
  • HS2300B - Functional Human Gross Anatomy
  • HS2610G - Introduction to Ethics and Health
  • HS2700A - Health Issues in Childhood and Adolescence
  • HS2711B - Health Issues in Aging
  • HS2801A - Research Methods in Health Sciences

Third Year

  • HS3010F - Introduction to Rural Communities
  • HS3025B - Integrative Health
  • HS3040B - Health Management
  • HS3052A - Brief History of Drug Use
  • HS3071A - Determinants of Health and Disease
  • HS3101A - Healthcare Law
  • HS3101B - Healthcare Law
  • HS3202F - Media and Mental Health
  • HS3240B - Environmental Health Promotion
  • HS3250F - Global Health Promotion
  • HS3262G - Mental Illness and Healing Across Cultures
  • HS3300B - Anatomy of the Human Body: A Description of Systemic Structures and Function
  • HS3400A - Health Policy
  • HS3630F - Sexuality, Gender and Health
  • HS3701B - The Aging Body
  • HS3702B - The Aging Mind
  • HS3704A - Population Aging and Health
  • HS3721B - Aging Globally: Lessons from Scandinavia
  • HS3801B - Measurements and Analysis in Health Sciences
  • HS3811G - Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods
  • HS3840B - Introduction to Health Economics
  • HS3910G - Academic Health Communication

Fourth Year

  • HS4051G - Mental Health: Well-Being and Recovery
  • HS4090B - Disability and the Moving Body: Social Understanding
  • HS4120B - Social Media and Health
  • HS4200G - Advanced Health Promotion
  • HS4205A - Health Promotion in Practice
  • HS4208B - Understanding Stress
  • HS4210F - Creative Healing
  • HS4220G - Health Issues Among Marginalized Populations
  • HS4250B - Population Health Interventions
  • HS4400B - Advanced Health Policy
  • HS4410A - Future of Health Care
  • HS4615F - History and Ethics of Food
  • HS4710B - Palliative and End of Life Care: Critical Issues
  • HS4721A - Aging and Marginalized Populations
  • HS4740A - Chronic Disease Prevention and Management

Summer 2025 Courses

First Year

  • HS1001A - Personal Determinants Health
  • HS1002B - Social Determinants of Health
  • HS1300B - Functional Human Gross Anatomy

Third Year

Fourth Year

Rehabilitation Sciences

  • RS3061A - Foundations in Rehabilitation Science

Special Topics

  • HS3092B - Special Topics: Impacts of Climate Change on Health & Activity
  • HS3093G - Special Topics: Clinical Ethics
  • HS4090B - Special Topics: Disability and the Moving Body: A Social-Cultural Understanding
  • HS4091A - Special Topics: Quantitative Analysis of Social Factors for Population Health
  • HS4092G - Special Topics: Public Health Law & Policy
  • HS4093F - Special Topics: Trauma Informed Care in the Health Professions

Rehabilitation Sciences

  • RS3060A - Health Conditions and Disease
  • RS3061B - Foundations in Rehabilitation Sciences
  • RS3062B - Functional Neuroscience in Special Populations
  • RS3125A - Enabling Health and Wellbeing through Occupation
  • RS3360B - Musculoskeletal Disorders in Rehabilitation
  • RS4212A - Innovations in Rehabilitation
  • RS4605A - Rehabilitation Psychology
  • RS4970E - Rehabilitation Science Practicum

Independent Study/Experiential Learning

  • HS3990 - Health Sciences Internship
  • HS4990F - Independent Study in the Health Sciences
  • HS4991G - Independent Study in the Health Sciences
  • HS4995A - Experiential Learning
  • HS4996B - Experiential Learning

Previous Academic Years

If the course outline you are looking for is not listed below, please contact Student Central. Course descriptions are not available through the School of Health Studies. To request course descriptions, please contact the Office of the Registrar.