COURSE CURRICULUM

The Community and Population Health program offers a comprehensive curriculum, designed to equip students with knowledge and skills related to health sciences, community development, and Indigenous health issues. Over the span of four years, students complete a total of 97 credit hours, with a clear progression of foundational, intermediate, and advanced courses in health and social sciences. In Year 1 (26 credit hours), students begin with essential courses in Introductory Biology I & II and their corresponding laboratory work, as well as General Chemistry I. The program also introduces students to The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada through FNST 100 and covers foundational health topics, including Introduction to Health Sciences I: Issues and Controversies, Health Care Systems, and Functional Anatomy. Additionally, students can choose one of three English courses (Introduction to Literary Structures, Introduction to Film, or Writing and Communication Skills) to enhance their communication skills. In Year 2 (24 credit hours), the curriculum builds upon this foundation with courses like Microbiology, Introduction to Health Economics and Policy (or Resources, Economies, and Sustainability), and a focus on health issues in rural and Indigenous communities through Introduction to Health Sciences II: Rural and Aboriginal Issues. Students also delve into Ethics and Law in Health Care, Nutrition, and basic psychology courses, with an option to take Statistics for Business and the Social Sciences or Basic Statistics. Year 3 (23 credit hours) offers a deeper exploration into topics like Rural Community Economic Development and First Nations Health and Healing, as well as more specialized courses such as First Nations Religion and Philosophy or Indigenous Environmental Philosophy. In addition, students take important physiology courses (Human Physiology I & II with labs) and research-oriented courses like Research Design and Methods for Health Sciences and Health Psychology. In Year 4 (18 credit hours), students take advanced courses that address complex health issues such as Principles of Epidemiology, Medical Geography, Human Health and Development, Health and Chronic Disease Management, and Health Promotion. A key focus is on social work and aging with Critical Issues in Aging. Furthermore, students are required to choose 6 elective credit hours from a variety of courses such as Medical Anthropology, Health Economics, and Social Work-related courses like Social Work in Mental Health or Social Work and Substance Use, ensuring that at least 3 credit hours come from upper-division courses. The curriculum is designed to provide a well-rounded education that prepares students to work effectively in community health, with particular attention to Indigenous health issues and rural health challenges.