Program
Application portal for September 2025 and January 2026 will open October 2024.
Deadline to apply for Masters of Public Health:
International deadline: Feb. 1, 2025
Domestic deadline: Feb. 1, 2025
Applications for the Ph.D. program are accepted year-round.
Program | Expected Length | Project and/or thesis | Course based |
---|---|---|---|
M.P.H. | 2 years | ||
Ph.D. | 4 years |
The School of Public Health provides a thriving academic environment that embraces diversity. We encourage individuals from all minority groups to apply and self-identify.
Master of Public Health
The Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) Program at the University of Saskatchewan is a highly competitive program with up to 500 applicants for approximately 40 spots (30 on-campus and 10 distance). While a minimum cumulative weighted average of 70% for the last two years of study is the minimum admission average required by the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the M.P.H. program is highly competitive, and meeting minimum admission criteria does not guarantee admission to the program. In recent admission cycles, successful applicants have had a minimum converted GPA of at least 80% over the last two years of study.
Only application packages that are complete will be considered for review. We encourage students to complete their application packages as soon as possible. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that his/her application is complete, keeping in mind that a complete application package includes all reference letters. It is the applicant's responsibility to follow up with referees to ensure that the letters are completed and uploaded prior to any deadline.
The M.P.H. program requires a high degree of numeracy, and it is recommended that applicants have successfully completed math or stats courses at the 300 or 400 undergraduate level. During the Foundations course (PUBH 804) in the first two
Due to the high volume of applicants, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries. We ask that you read the information on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
The Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) program trains public health professionals to measure, assess and manage
- Biostatistics – Collection, storage, retrieval, analysis and interpretation of health data; design and analysis of health-related surveys and experiments; and concepts and practice of statistical data analysis.
- Epidemiology – Distributions and determinants of disease, disabilities and death in human and animal populations; the characteristics and dynamics of populations; the natural history of disease; and the biological basis of health.
- Environmental Health Sciences – Environmental factors, including biological, physical and chemical factors that affect the health of a community.
- Health Services Administration – Development, organization, administration, management, evaluation and policy analysis of health programs.
- Social and Behavioural Sciences – Concepts and methods of social and behavioural sciences relevant to the identification and the solution of public health problems.
The M.P.H. is a professional course-based degree with a practicum. It is an interdisciplinary program intended to prepare individuals for professional practice and leadership in public health. The program is designed for completion in two academic years of full-time study. Students may also choose to study part-time over a maximum of five years.
The Master of Public Health program can also be completed as an online program. The online option is designed for part-time study (three to five years). Applicants interested in this option should state so clearly at the beginning of their Statement/Letter of Intent.
Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health
The Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health (Ph.D.) is the first Public Health Ph.D. program offered in the Province of Saskatchewan. This Ph.D. program involves a combination of course work, a candidacy assessment, and research culminating in a dissertation that is defended. Through this degree, students will experience learning and research opportunities relevant to current public health topics at the local, provincial, national, and international levels. Students in this program will be trained in accordance with the public health competencies outlined by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and will apply these competencies during research on current public health topics, providing new insight into, and possibly creating real-world solutions relevant to, these topics. Students graduating from this program will have skill sets that can be readily applied to a variety of public health areas and will have the capacity to be future leaders in Public Health.
Research supervisors
M.P.H. applicants are not required to find a potential supervisor before applying, but Ph.D. applicants must find a supervisor and include a letter of support from them in their application. The list below will help you explore the research interests of our faculty.
The School's scholarly work includes a focus on: Health Policy, Health Systems and Impacts, Quantitative Public Health (Biostatistics and Epidemiology), Social Justice and Health Inequities, Substance Use and Mental Health, Harm Reduction, Approaches to Evaluation, Chronic Disease Prevention & Treatment, Physical Activity & Literacy, Aging in Place, Rural Health, Comparative Health Systems, Fiscal Health Policy, Provincial-Federal Health Policy Relations, Youth and Wellbeing, Health Technologies, Rehabilitation Sciences, and Global Health. Please review the SPH faculty profiles to find the right fit for your interests!
Name | Research areas |
---|---|
Epidemiology, neurological disorders, mental health and addiction, chronic conditions, population research, quantitative and qualitative methods | |
Engaged Scholarship, Indigenous Communities, Water and Health, Health Risk Assessment, Management, Communication, Arts-based Knowledge Mobilization | |
Mycobacterial virulence factors, TB host-pathogen interactions and aerobiology, Anti-TB vaccines and therapies, Animal models of TB | |
Program evaluation; Gerontology; Community mobility; Driving assessment; Fall prevention; Neurodegenerative/Neurological disorders | |
AD and dementia, physical activity reducing mental disorders, successful aging, Psychological well-being, depression, psychiatry, health sciences | |
Addictions; Animal Assisted Interventions; Criminalization; Healing; Health; Indigenous Wellbeing; Knowledge Mobilization; Mental Health; Women and Girls | |
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, infection biology, antibiotics, persistence, 3D microtissue models, single-cell imaging | |
Zoonotic diseases, public health, epidemiology | |
Health policy,Health economics, Health care financing in developing countries, Health program evaluation, Macroeconomics and health | |
Child health, aging in place, rural health, Indigenous health, holistic wellness, physical activity & physical literacy, community-based research | |
Respiratory Immunology and Inflammation (pathogenesis) | |
Chronic diseases with emphasis on chronic pain and arthritis, Social psychology, Women's health | |
Parasitology | |
Epidemiology of rural and agricultural related exposures and respiratory health outcomes | |
Health care policy and strategy, Medical care organization, Entrepreneurship | |
Viral Pathogenesis; Vaccine Development; Vaccine Delivery by Nanotechnology | |
Fiscal policy, health policy, federal-provincial relations | |
Vaccines, adjuvants and immunotherapeutic agents, Vaccine formulation and delivery systems, Immunobiology of Toll-like receptors, Mucosal immunology | |
Social psychological research in physical activity for health promotion and disease prevention | |
Monte Carlo simulations , Computational biomodelling of the structure/function of biopolymers, Statistical methods for the health sciences | |
Molecular virology, Viral pathogenesis, Virus-host interactions, Vaccinology, Mucosal immunization, Viral vectors, Dendritic cell vaccines | |
Molecular pathogenesis of herpesviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) | |
Nutritional Epidemiology, Nutrition and chronic diseases | |
Infectious disease and environmental epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, statistical and simulation modelling, Bayesian and spatial analysis |
Tuition and funding
Funding
Qualified students who are engaged in the PhD program may receive funding to support their research. A call for scholarship funding in the School of Public Health will be sent out in March of each year.
Graduate students at USask can receive funding from a variety of sources to support their graduate education.
Tuition
Doctoral program
Doctoral students pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program. Both international and domestic Ph.D. students pay the same rate.
Term | |
---|---|
January 1 - April 30, 2025 | $1,726.00 CAD |
May 1 - August 31, 2025 | $1,726.00 CAD |
September 1 - December 31, 2024 | $1,726.00 CAD |
Total per academic year | $5,178.00 CAD |
Master’s programs
Program | Canadian students | International students |
---|---|---|
Master of Public Health (thesis-based) per term | ||
Master of Public Health (course-based) |
Course-based students: the amount listed reflects the total amount for the entire program. Rates are based on the number of credits per course. Students are not required to pay the total amount of tuition upon enrolment, rather, students pay tuition based on the number of courses they take each term.
There are three terms per academic year: September to December, January to April, and May to August. Tuition is assessed each term for as long as the student is enrolled in their program.
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
Fall 2024 | Winter 2025 | Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Student fees | $504.45 CAD | $666.08 CAD | $35.00 CAD | $35.00 CAD |
Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.
Admission requirements
- A cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. 60 credit units)
- A four-year honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university in an academic discipline relevant to the proposed field of study
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- Master’s degree, or equivalent from a recognized university in a relevant academic discipline.
- A cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the coursework required in master’s program.
- Proof of English proficiency may be required for applicants to graduate programs. Proof of English proficiency may be demonstrated through:
- A minimum of three consecutive years of full-time study or completion of a graduate degree at a recognized post-secondary institution, where the exclusive language of instruction and examination of the program and/or institution is English; or
- Provision of evidence of English language proficiency, using one of the approved tests listed in the English Language Proficiency Policy.
- A letter of support from the applicant’s proposed doctoral supervisor.
- A statement/letter of intent: a two-to-three-page document stating research and academic interests, along with related experience.
- An honours degree or equivalent, from a recognized university in a relevant academic discipline.
- A cumulative weighted average of at least 80% in the last two years of undergraduate study (i.e. 60 credit units of course work).
- Proof of English proficiency may be required for applicants to graduate programs. Proof of English proficiency may be demonstrated through:
- A minimum of three consecutive years of full-time study or completion of a graduate degree at a recognized post-secondary institution, where the exclusive language of instruction and examination of the program and/or institution is English; or
- Provision of evidence of English language proficiency, using one of the approved tests listed in the English Language Proficiency Policy.
- Student must have demonstrated substantial promise as measured by academic accomplishments, the acquisition of discipline-specific knowledge, and the potential for research, as assessed by the advisory commitee.
- Provide evidence of research achievement (e.g., evidence of significant contribution to a peer reviewed publication or adjudicated research report)
- Provide a statement/letter of intent: This is a two-to-three-page document stating research and academic interests, along with rationale for transfer to Ph.D. level of study.
- A letter of support from the applicant’s proposed doctoral supervisor.
Application process
Submit an online application
Before beginning your online application, be sure that you have carefully reviewed all program information and admission requirements on this page.
During the application, you'll be asked for:
- Personal information such as your name, address, etc.
- Contact information of your three referees
- For your letters of recommendation, two of your referees must be academic contacts, and the third may be academic or professional
- Your complete academic history from all previous post-secondary institutions
The application takes about 30 minutes to complete. You may save your application and return to it later.
At the end of the application, you will need to pay a non-refundable $120 application fee. Your application will not be processed until payment is received.
Submit required documents
Once you've submitted your online application, you will have access to upload your required documents, and provide the contact information for your references. To do this, go to the "Supplemental Items & Documents" tab in your application, and upload the documents outlined below.
Preliminary Statement of Marks
- Once you have submitted your application for admission and paid the application fee, you will be required to upload unofficial PDF copies of your academic transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended. This requirement will appear as Preliminary Statement of Marks or Additional Prelim. Statement under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- The uploaded transcript can be an unofficial copy of the transcript issued by the university or college, and must include a grading key/legend.
- All pages of a transcript must be uploaded as a single PDF document.
- Uploaded transcripts will be considered unofficial or preliminary. Official copies of your transcripts will be required only for applicants offered admission. This requirement will appear as Post-secondary Transcript under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
Post-secondary Transcripts
If you receive an offer of admission, you will then be required to have your official post-secondary transcripts sent (by mail in a sealed envelope directly from the institution) to the address below. Please do not send official documents until we request them.
College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Room 116 Thorvaldson Building, 110 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK CANADA S7N 5C9
- Transcripts usually indicate the institution’s name, grading scheme (typically on back of transcript), your name, course names, numbers, credits, and the grades you have received. Depending on the country or institution, some features may not be available.
- Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
- If you are a current University of Saskatchewan student completing your undergraduate program then a letter of completion of degree requirements will be required from your college.
Proof of English language proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
For students who are required to provide proof of English proficiency:
- It is your responsibility to have completed an official and approved test with the appropriate score before the application deadline.
- Tests are valid for 24 months after the testing date and must be valid at the beginning of the student's first term of registration in the graduate program.
- Applicants will be required to upload a PDF copy of any required language test score. Uploaded test scores will be considered unofficial or preliminary.
If you receive an Offer of Admission you may be required to have your official language test scores sent to the address below. Please do not send official documents until we request them.
College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Room 116 Thorvaldson Building - 110 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK CANADA S7N 5C9
- A referee is a faculty member with whom you have studied and is able to assess your potential for graduate level study and research. References from non-academic supervisors may be accepted in certain cases i.e. professional references for professional programs.
- Contact your referees before you apply online to confirm their availability and their institutional or professional email address. When you create an online application, you will enter the names and email address of your referees. Your referee will receive an automatic email notification with instructions for accessing our online recommendation system. Once the online recommendation is submitted the department will have access to view your online recommendation.
- It is your responsibility to follow up with your referees to ensure they have received the email and that they submit the reference before the application deadline. The email is sent from grad.studies@usask.ca with subject line "Recommendation Letter for Student's Name". Referees may need to check their spam or junk mail folders.
- Apply early to allow referees to submit their recommendation by the deadline.
Letters of Recommendation
When you enter the contact information of your references in the "Recommendation requests" section of the "Supplemental Items & Documents" tab, those individuals will receive an automatic e-mail requesting that they respond by submitting a response for your letters of recommendation. Your application will remain incomplete until all references have responded. In the "Recommendation requests" section, you can check the status of letters of recommendation, send reminders to your references, or cancel requests and create new ones if you need to replace a referee with someone new.
In addition to the above official documents, please upload the following documents:
- A brief statement/letter of intent (approximately two pages in length) addressed to the MPH Program Director. This statement/letter should include:
- A description of all employment and/or study experiences that relate to their interests in Public Health; and
- A description of why the applicant wants to pursue a degree in the interdisciplinary context of the School of Public Health; and
- A description of their education and career aspirations and how they feel the program will help meet these goals.
- A current curriculum vitae or resume that minimally includes the following information:
- name and contact information
- education and awards
- employment
- other relevant experience
Contact
School of Public Health
Health Science Building
107 Wiggins Road
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5
MPH Program Director
Dr. Amanda Froehlich-Chow
Email: sph.admissions@usask.ca
MPH Admissions
Email: sph.admissions@usask.ca
PhD Program Director
Alexander Crizzle
Email: alex.crizzle@usask.ca
PhD Admissions
Email: thesis.admissions@usask.ca
- School of Public Health
Learn more about the academic unit offering this program - Program and Course Catalogue
To view official admission and program requirements