Health and Society (PhD) at McMaster University

McMaster University

Canada, Hamilton

University Rank:#173

The Health and Society (PhD) at McMaster University is a PhD program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus at the university's main campus in Hamilton, Canada, the program is taught in English and takes 4 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on September 1, 2026.

About Health and Society (PhD)

The PhD program in Health & Society will apply an interdisciplinary, comparative, and critical lens to analyzing and understanding health as a social and cultural process, construct, and outcome. It is the combination of these three perspectives, the ways that they interact with and build on one another, and a focus on both the social structural and cultural dimensions of health that makes the program distinctive in its area. The PhD program in Health & Society differs from many doctoral programs in this area in that it allows students to develop and pursue broader research interests that may be outside the typical focus on public health, demography and service management.

Areas of Research

Social-cultural dimensions of health
Systems, services and policy
Environments and inequalities
Diversity and inclusion

View Program Site View Graduate Calendar

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Health and Society (PhD) at McMaster University

Entry Requirements

Master’s Degree
B+ minimum average, based on previous graduate work
Each program may set additional/higher requirements. Please review the program website for details.
Admission to a graduate program is based on a judgement by the University that the applicant can successfully complete the graduate degree program
Degrees and grades from foreign universities are evaluated for their equivalency to McMaster’s. Please contact the program for specific details.
Departments or programs may establish additional requirements, such as scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Admission is competitive: meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission
The admission decision is not subject to appeal
Applicants who do not meet the above mentioned requirements, should consult the Graduate Calendar to determine the requirements for exceptional cases

English Requirements

PTEMin 63
IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 92

English Program Requirements

Applicants are required to submit evidence of their proficiency in the English language as part of their application. The most common evidence is a score on one of the following exams:

TOEFL: minimum score of 92 (internet based), 237 (computer based) or 580 (paper based), minimum of 20 per band; for the Faculty of Engineering a minimum score of 88 (internet based) or 213 on the (computer based) or 550 (paper based)
IELTS (Academic): minimum overall score of 6.5, with at least 5.5 in each section
CAEL: minimum overall score of 70, with at least 60 per band
MELAB: minimum score of 85
PTE Academic: minimum score of 63; for the Faculty of Engineering a minimum score of 70
York University course: YUELI Level 6 with a minimum final grade of B
University of Toronto course: Academic Level 60 with a minimum final grade of B

Each program may set additional/higher requirements. Please review the program website for details.

Fee Information

Health and Society (PhD) at McMaster University

McMaster University

Canada, Hamilton