Doctor of Philosophy in Rural and Northern Health

The Rural and Northern Health PhD program prepares you to utilize your research to contribute to the well-being and health of communities in rural and northern Canada and tackle the unique health challenges they face. You’ll enhance and promote the quality and quantity of research focused on rural and northern health and learn from experienced research faculty from across the health sciences, social sciences, basic sciences, and humanities.

Choose from two fields of study, health services and health policy, each offering a breadth of supported research in Indigenous health, epidemiology, children’s health, population health in vulnerable populations, health administration, as well as health policy, promotion, and services, and environmental, mental, and occupational health.

You’ll gain training and expertise through core courses, a comprehensive exam process, and the development and defense of a thesis. While core courses are offered in English, you can complete some graduate electives in French, conduct your research and write your thesis in either English or French.

Applications for the PhD program must fulfill both the General Requirements for Graduate Applications and the Specific Requirement for Rural and Northern Health PhD Applications.

Prospective students will have completed a Masters degree from a recognized university with a minimum of a B+ (75%) average and are strongly encouraged to have successfully completed at least one course in each of: statistics and research methodology, and one or more courses in the social and/or health sciences.

English language requirements:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL -iBT): 88 Overall

Computer-based TOEFL (CBT) - Test of English as a Foreign Language: 230 overall

IELTS Academic - International English Language Testing System: 6.5 overall (No band lower than 6.0)

Cambridge Assessment English: C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a Cambridge Score of 176 or more

CAEL - Canadian Academic English Language Assessment: 70 overall (No part below 60)

Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees – CanTEST: 4.5 overall (No part below 4)

PTE Academic - Pearson Test of English: 60 Overall

Duolingo English Test: Minimum Score: 110