PhD program

The Social Dimensions of Health (SDH) PhD program represents a truly unique approach to graduate health research studies, combining hands-on research experience with flexible and relevant coursework.

The program cross-cuts disciplinary affiliations and links research opportunities at research centres with the academic mandates of the Faculties of Social Sciences, Humanities, Education and Human and Social Development. This means SDH students are able to work and study with researchers who are both excellent teachers and involved in cutting-edge research. With relatively few required courses and an array of choices in methodological and elective courses, the SDH program also enables students to tailor a program of study which suits their research interests.

The few required courses in the SDH program focus on practicality. The Fundamentals of Health Research course covers topics central to health research scholarship and provides students with necessary skills for conducting independent research. The SDH Colloquium Series features presentations by invited speakers on a variety of health research projects and ensures students are exposed to a breadth and depth of health research knowledge. In the upper years of their program, doctoral students will be asked to speak at the colloquium on a regular basis, gaining hands-on experience in making presentations, critiquing and learning from the work of others and having their own work critiqued.

In addition to providing students with the basic background needed to undertake health research, these core components also engender cohesiveness among students and faculty within the program, providing a true feeling of "home" for all students with health research interests.

The SDH PhD Program is designed for completion within four years.