Improve the health of thousands of people
In the Advanced Social Determinants of Health seminar, students go on regular field trips to see community social services in action.
Doctors might help a dozen or so patients a day. Public health professionals help thousands.
Explore how social, cultural, political, and geographical conditions play a pivotal role in health — and how understanding these factors can help us tackle smoking, food insecurity, infectious diseases, and other modern-day health challenges.
By drawing on skills from different disciplines, you’ll learn how to develop health policies that work and health messages that hit home. In your final year, you’ll complete a thesis, an independent study, or a community engagement placement.
A Bachelor of Public Health degree will equip you to make important contributions to society, whether it’s researching ways to control infectious diseases such as COVID-19, developing healthy eating campaigns for teenagers, or improving social services for seniors in your community.
Program highlights
Social science focus. With lots of electives, you can easily include minors and specializations such as health informatics, health research, and aging studies as part of your degree.
Get hands-on experience in class. You'll complete a thesis, independent study, or a community placement – plus some upper year courses include field learning.
Discover if Public Health is right for you.
What will you learn?
First-year courses
You'll take courses from the Faculty of Health to give you the foundations for your upper-year classes. After first year, about half of the classes you’ll take will be Health courses.
Learn about courses you'll take for your Public Health degree.
Customize your degree
You can also add additional areas of interest and expertise by including one or more of the areas of focus within the program.
- Gerontology
- Aging Studies
- Health Informatics
- Health Research
- Addictions, Mental Health, and Policy
You can also include one of the minors available to all Waterloo students. Popular areas of focus for Public Health students include Psychology, Gerontology, Sociology, and Health Informatics.
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Monthly topics include how to choose a university program, what it's like to be a Waterloo student, and more.
Questions? Ask a student!
Connect with a current student ambassador to learn about their experience in the program.
Ask them questions such as why they chose Public Health, what the classes are like, and how you can get involved on campus.
Co-op = relevant paid work experience
Waterloo's co-op program, the largest in North America, is an amazing way to explore potential careers, learn to interview for jobs, graduate with up to two years of valuable experience – and make money!
Sample co-op job titles
- Health & wellness coordinator
- Rehabilitation & mental health assistant
- Community advocate
- Public health analyst
- Health & safety student officer
- Health promotions & events assistant
- Corporate events coordinator
- Residential/vocational assistant
Co-op work-study sequence
Starting in second year, you'll normally alternate between school and work every four months, integrating your classroom learning with real-world experience. You can return to the same employer for a couple of work terms to gain greater knowledge and responsibility or work for different employers to get a broad range of experience.
Year |
September to December (Fall) |
January to April (Winter) |
May to August (Spring) |
---|
First |
Study |
Study |
Off |
---|
Second |
Study |
Co-op |
Study |
---|
Third |
Co-op |
Study |
Co-op |
---|
Fourth |
Study |
Co-op |
Co-op |
---|
Fifth |
Study |
Study |
- |
---|
Your first work term will be halfway through second year (January - April 2026).
What can you do with a degree in Public Health?
Graduates typically pursue careers in community health centres, public health departments, social services agencies, non-profit organizations concerned with social justice and social services, and health consulting.
Recent graduates
- Public Health Promoter – Huron County Health Unit
- Policy Analyst – Public Health Agency of Canada
- Consultant, Strategy Management – Lakeridge Health
- Information and Communications Technology System & Instructional Technologist – Centre for the Evaluation of Health Professionals
- Solutions Consultant – NexJ Health Inc.
- Life Enrichment Therapist – Halton Region Services for Seniors
Learn about the future of careers in health and helping professions.
Read profiles and view videos about the path Public Health graduates took to pursue their career.
Further education
While the full range of further education depends on your individual interests, graduates commonly pursue a master's, PhD, or other professional program in areas such as public health, epidemiology, health promotion, or social work.
Common questions about the program
What’s the difference between Public Health and similar programs at other universities?
Waterloo’s program takes a systems approach to disease prevention and treatment, so you can understand how to influence the many factors that affect health. As a Public Health student, you’ll be well-prepared for health care careers in the future because you’ll be exposed to subjects that will grow increasingly important over time, such as leveraging information technology, understanding the aging population, mental health, and more. With many small class opportunities like labs and tutorials, over 40 health-related courses to choose from, and experiential learning opportunities like co-op and our EDGE certificate program, you’ll have a distinct advantage when entering the workforce or applying to further studies.
Should I take this program if I’m interested in pursuing medical school or another clinical health profession?
While you may use Public Health as a stepping stone to clinical health professions such as medicine, there are very few required science courses so it isn’t designed to be a preparatory program for clinical health professions. Instead, you’ll focus on understanding systemic barriers affecting health such as socioeconomic status and apply this knowledge to prevent disease within communities. If you’re interested in public health and clinical health professions, you should consider Health Sciences.
Does this program lead to a career as an Environmental Public Health Professional (EPHP) or Public Health Inspector?
While this program is excellent preparation for a range of careers in health care, government and social services, and health technology, it is not an accredited EPHP program.
Is this program available online?
No. While you may be able to take some courses online, most courses required for the degree are available through in-person classes only.
How long does it take to complete this program?
It takes four years to complete this program as a full-time student through the regular system of study in which you’ll take courses between September and April each year and have your summers off. You can also choose the co-op system of study where you’ll alternate between full-time studies and full-time jobs relating to your program. A co-op program takes five years to complete – and you’ll graduate with nearly two years of paid work experience.
"As a Public Health student, I focus on population health and the social determinants of health. However, I also get to explore epidemiology, health research, and more! The wide variety of courses has helped me figure out which topics interest me most."Jason, Public Health student "The best thing about being a Waterloo student is meeting other students. There are many clubs and intramurals you can join with friends or individually – you can meet so many people and make friends with those who have similar interests."Minah, third-year Public Health student "I'm proud to be a Waterloo student! The world-renowned co-op program exposes you to various jobs, letting you explore your interests. Co-op has also helped me learn about public health by giving me relevant skills I wouldn't learn in a classroom."Serrina, third-year Public Health student
Admission requirements
Ontario students: six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including
- Any 4U English (minimum final grade of 75% is required)
- Any 4U Mathematics (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
Admission averages: Regular: Low 80s | Co-op: Mid-80s
Not studying in Ontario? Search our admission requirements.
How to apply?
Apply directly to this program on your application.
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