Society and Health

Health is not merely the absence of disease, but a state of physical, mental and social well-being. How do we promote the health and well-being of all members of society?

Society faces significant health challenges. Healthcare is the biggest ticket item in most provincial government budgets in Canada. Still, many people don't get the care they need. They spend hours in emergency waiting rooms or months to get into an addiction treatment program. At the same time, the Canadian population is getting older. An increasing number are overweight and suffer from chronic diseases. This puts even more pressure on healthcare services.

The average life expectancy for an aboriginal male in Canada is ten years less than that of a non-aboriginal male. How can we explain this and what can be done to reduce health inequalities? Research shows that regular exercise can prevent many health problems, yet many people still don't do it. Why not, and how can we get them to change their behaviour? In general, how do we build communities that enhance the health and well-being of all residents? 

If these questions interest you, the Health and Society major might be the program for you.

The Bachelor of Health is a 4-year interdisciplinary program focused on all aspects of health. Students develop the knowledge and the skills necessary for success in a variety of careers in the health sector. The program is also comprehensive preparation for further professional or graduate studies.  All students complete core courses covering the biological and social determinants of health, current health issues, health policy, the management of healthcare services, research methods, and data analysis.

In addition to the core Health courses taken each year, Health and Society Majors take a series of courses which further develop their knowledge and skills in health policy and policy analysis; their understanding of how income, education, place of residence and other social factors affect individual and population health; and their social science research and communications skills.

Why Society and Health at UNB?

This is a unique interdisciplinary program providing students with a solid grounding in health and wellness in all its dimensions, healthcare systems, as well as in-depth training in their chosen major in healthcare management, biomedical sciences, or health policy and the social determinants of health. As they will in their careers, students work together in multidisciplinary teams addressing current health issues.

• Knowledge of the biological and social determinants of health
• An understanding of how the Canadian healthcare system works
• An overview of global health issues
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Communicating effectively in the workplace and with a variety of audiences
• How to work effectively in an interdisciplinary team
• How to design, conduct and evaluate research in the field of health

• Health policy analyst
• Health program development and evaluation
• Employee wellness coordinator
• Community health educator
• Patient advocate
• Health journalist
• Human rights advocate

• Teacher
• Lawyer
• MBA (Master of Business Administration)
• Medical doctor
• Social Worker
• Graduate school in Public Health, Population Health, Health Policy, Public Administration or other fields in the social sciences and humanities.

1. Choose your campus and program

Explore our degree programs on the Fredericton and Saint John campuses.

2. Check the admission requirements

Once you’ve decided on your program, check our admission requirements to ensure you meet the requirements.

3. Create a UNB application account and complete an application

Be sure to check our application deadlines.

To avoid delays in the processing of your application, please verify the following:

• The name on your application matches the name on your transcripts and the name that will appear on your passport

• Provide your permanent home address in your home country

4. Pay the application fee

The international application fee is $125 CDN and is non-refundable.

Applicants can pay by:

• Credit card (this option is not available in some countries)
• Bank draft or certified cheque made payable to the University of New Brunswick
• Money order through a Canadian banking institution

When paying by bank draft, certified cheque or money order, be sure to include your name and your application number (16 digit alpha-numeric code) so that the payment may be credited to your account.

Send to:

International Recruitment Centre
University of New Brunswick
100 Tucker Park Road
P.O. Box 5050 
Saint John, NB
Canada E2L 4L5

Contact Sue for help in arranging payment of the application fee.

5. Submit your documents

You'll need to mail us the following:

Official or notarized transcripts/grades for all secondary or high school, colleges and universities you have attended.

• All applicants must disclose any prior attendance at a university or other post-secondary institution in Canada or abroad, regardless of whether they are seeking transfer credit. Failure to disclose this information may result in a rejection of the student’s application or subsequent suspension from UNB.

If your transcripts are not in English, you are required to send the official transcript and provide a certified translation.

If applicable, submit the results from any academic tests you have taken, such as SAT, ACT, Cambridge ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels, CXC or others.

If you are applying for direct admission to an undergraduate program at UNB and are not exempt from our English language requirements, submit your English language proficiency test score. UNB accepts IELTS; MELAB; TOEFL iBT; TOEFL (paper-based); TOEFL (computer-based); MELAB; CAEL; Pearson Vue, and CanTest.

If you are applying to transfer from a post-secondary institution to UNB, you must submit course outlines to be assessed for credit transfer. A course outline (also known as a syllabus) is a document that typically provides a detailed summary of topics to be covered in a course, titles of reading materials, and the grading policy. All course outlines must be provided in English.

Note: If you are over the age of 21, you are considered a mature student and must submit a resume of your education and work experience since high school. These particular documents can be uploaded to your UNB application account.

Mail all official documentation, in hard copy, to:

International Recruitment Centre
University of New Brunswick
100 Tucker Park Road, PO BOX 5050
Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada E2L 4L5
Telephone: +01-506-648-5845

We highly recommend sending all applications and supporting documents by courier to ensure reliable and prompt delivery.

Contact your country-specific recruiter for help completing the application or arranging payment of the application fee.

6. After you have applied to UNB

You may log in to your UNB application account at any time to check the status of your application. If you have any outstanding documents, your UNB application account will provide you with further details.