The specialization brings together advanced training in biomedical science, health systems and policy

By Emily Leighton

As infectious diseases resurface, climate-related emergencies intensify and trust in science is increasingly tested, public health is now at the centre of some of society’s most consequential decisions.

Against that backdrop, Western University is launching a new undergraduate program in the field.

“Public health is about understanding how systems, policy and science shape health at a population level,” said Cheryl Currie, PhD, professor and director of the Interfaculty Program in Public Health at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. "This program gives students the tools to think across disciplines and engage with complex health challenges early in their training.”

One of only a few undergraduate programs in Canada, the Bachelor of Science Honours Specialization in Public Health brings together training in biomedical science, epidemiology, statistics, environmental health, policy and ethics.

A defining feature of the new program is its strong emphasis on infectious and chronic disease, building on Western’s established strengths in these fields and reflecting the continuing role of emerging pathogens and outbreaks in shaping public health priorities.

This program gives students the tools to think across disciplines and engage with complex health challenges early in their training.

Cheryl Currie, PhD

Director, Interfaculty Program in Public Health

Advanced training in epidemiology and biostatistics, typically introduced only at the graduate level in public health, will also form a core part of the curriculum. “The public health job market places great value in these skills,” noted Currie.

Developed collaboratively between the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and the Faculty of Health Sciences, the new program will admit up to 100 students entering their second year of study beginning in September 2026, drawing from existing undergraduate streams in medical and health sciences.

By introducing this training at the undergraduate level, the program gives students the time and breadth needed to develop fluency across disciplines. It complements Schulich Medicine & Dentistry’s existing Master of Public Health program, a highly sought-after, one-year program that equips graduates for advanced professional training and careers in public health.

“Students need an understanding that stretches from cells to society, and the undergraduate program is designed to give them that comprehensive foundation,” said Currie.

In their final year, students will complete a two-term capstone project with a community partner, working in interdisciplinary teams to address an identified public health issue and gain hands-on experience in applied public health practice.

The program also places a strong emphasis on equity and ethics, recognizing that health outcomes are not evenly distributed across populations.

“Public health forces us to confront why some groups experience better health than others, and how those differences are shaped by systems, not just individual choices,” said Maxwell Smith, PhD, associate professor of health studies and Canadian Institutes of Health Research Applied Public Health Chair in Ethics and Health Emergencies. “Giving students the tools to think critically about inequity is essential to preparing them for the realities of public health work.”

Graduates will be prepared for a wide range of professional pathways, including graduate and professional studies, government and policy, as well as sectors that impact health outcomes such as housing and education.

"We are training graduates for the public health workforce of tomorrow,” said Smith. “That means preparing them to work with evidence, navigate uncertainty and engage with the social and ethical dimensions of population health.”

For more information, please visit the program page.