Combined Honours Bachelor of Arts in Health and Society and Another Subject
Hons.B.A.Combined Honours Bachelor of Arts in Health and Society and Another Subject
This degree program focuses on the significance of health and illness in cultural context. The perspectives of the social sciences and humanities are brought to bear on exploring the diverse meanings and practices associated with health and health care. Attention is given to different theoretical approaches to understanding the health of individuals, groups and communities in contemporary and historical perspectives.
Graduates have been successful at finding careers in a range of health and/or aging fields, such as:
- Health Policy/Social Policy Research
- Project Coordinators
- Care Coordinators
- Volunteer Coordinators
- Education Coordinators (i.e. Alzheimer’s Society)
- Marketing
- Human Resource
- Administration Education
- Recreation/Activation staff in Long-term care
- Law
- Public Health
- Occupational Therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Medicine Chiropractic School
- Social Work
Notes
- See Admission to Level II Programs in the Faculty of Social Sciences Academic Regulations in this section of the Calendar.
- HLTHAGE 1BB3 - Introduction to Aging and Society must be completed by the end of 60 units, however students are strongly encouraged to complete this requirement prior to the end of Level I. One of HLTHAGE 1AA3 or 1ZZ3 and 1BB3 are prerequisites for HLTHAGE 2BB3 which is a required course in Level II of the program.
- Students are strongly encouraged to complete HLTHAGE 2A03 and 3B03 or 3G03 to satisfy the Research Methods requirement of the degree, but may complete the Research Methods course(s) as required by the other subject and replace these with equal units of Health, Aging and Society or Course List courses.
- Students who register in HLTHAGE 4Z06 A/B may take a maximum of 12 units from HLTHAGE 4B03, 4C03, 4D03, 4F03, 4G03, 4I03, 4J03, 4N03, 4O03, 4Q03, 4R03, 4S03, 4T03, 4U03, 4Z06 A/B. Otherwise, they may take a maximum of 9 units from HLTHAGE 4B03, 4C03, 4D03, 4F03, 4G03, 4I03, 4J03, 4N03, 4O03, 4Q03, 4R03, 4S03, 4T03, 4U03.
- Courses other than those listed below in the Course List may be substituted with the prior permission of the Chair. Students wishing to apply for substitutions must contact the Administrator of the Department of Health, Aging and Society.
120 units total (Levels I to IV), of which 48 units may be Level I
30 units
from
- the Level I program completed prior to admission to the program
9 units
- HLTHAGE 2B03 - Social Identity, Health and Illness
- HLTHAGE 2BB3 - Perspectives in Health, Aging and Society
- HLTHAGE 2F03 - Aging and Health Care Systems
3 units
3 units
from
3-6 units
from
- SOCSCI 2J03 - Introduction to Statistics
- In combined programs within the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Research Methods/Statistics requirement specified for the other subject
3 units
3 units
from
- HLTHAGE 3BB3 - Field Experience
- HLTHAGE 3EE3 - The Practice of Everyday Life: Observations and Inquiry
9 or 12 units
As outlined below:
9 units
from
- HLTHAGE 4B03 - Death and Dying in Later Life
- HLTHAGE 4C03 - Representations of Health and Illness Across the Lifecourse
- HLTHAGE 4D03 - Health, Culture and Diversity
- HLTHAGE 4F03 - Selected Issues in Health and Society
- HLTHAGE 4G03 - Global Health
- HLTHAGE 4I03 - Aging and Health
- HLTHAGE 4J03 - Narratives of Illness
- HLTHAGE 4N03 - Aging and Well-Being
- HLTHAGE 4O03 - Soundscapes of Wellbeing in Popular Music
- HLTHAGE 4Q03 - Representations of Mental Illness
- HLTHAGE 4R03 - Beyond the Social: Determinants of Indigenous Peoples Health
- HLTHAGE 4S03 - Health and the Unfairly Structured City
- HLTHAGE 4T03 - Gender, Sex and Health
- HLTHAGE 4U03 - Professions and Occupations in Health and Aging
- HLTHAGE 4Z06 A/B - Health, Aging and Society Thesis
or
12 units
6 units
from
- HLTHAGE 4B03 - Death and Dying in Later Life
- HLTHAGE 4C03 - Representations of Health and Illness Across the Lifecourse
- HLTHAGE 4D03 - Health, Culture and Diversity
- HLTHAGE 4F03 - Selected Issues in Health and Society
- HLTHAGE 4G03 - Global Health
- HLTHAGE 4I03 - Aging and Health
- HLTHAGE 4J03 - Narratives of Illness
- HLTHAGE 4N03 - Aging and Well-Being
- HLTHAGE 4O03 - Soundscapes of Wellbeing in Popular Music
- HLTHAGE 4Q03 - Representations of Mental Illness
- HLTHAGE 4R03 - Beyond the Social: Determinants of Indigenous Peoples Health
- HLTHAGE 4S03 - Health and the Unfairly Structured City
- HLTHAGE 4T03 - Gender, Sex and Health
- HLTHAGE 4U03 - Professions and Occupations in Health and Aging
6 units
- HLTHAGE 4Z06 A/B - Health, Aging and Society Thesis
(See Note 4 above.)
6 units
from
- Course List or Health, Aging and Society
36 units
from
- Courses specified for the other subject
0-3 units
- HLTHAGE 1BB3 - Introduction to Aging and Society
(if not completed in Level I; see Note 2)
6-15 units
- Electives
Enrolment in this Academic Plan is limited and possession of the published minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
Selection is based on academic achievement but requires, as a minimum, completion of any Level 1 program with a Grade Point Average of at least 5.0 (C) a grade of at least 5.0 (C) in HLTH AGE 1AA3 or 1ZZ3 and satisfaction of admission requirements for the Honours program in the other B.A. subject. For continuation in the program, see Minimum Requirements for Entering and Continuing in a Program Beyond Level I in the Faculty of Social Sciences Academic Regulations. (HLTHAGE 1BB3 must be completed by the end of Level II, however students are strongly encouraged to complete this requirement in Level I).
Any student seeking admission to a Level II program in the Faculty of Social Sciences for the following Fall/Winter session must submit an Application for Admission to Level II through the Mosaic Student Centre (“My Academics”; Program/Plan Selection application) no later than April 30.
Undergraduate Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards
All undergraduate students accepted for admission to McMaster University are automatically considered for a McMaster University entrance award. Additional entrance awards, in-course scholarships, bursaries and other forms of financial assistance is available to you at various stages of their undergraduate careers.
Each scholarship, bursary, Government Aid or Work Study Program a has its own unique application process and requirements. More information on financial aid visit the Student Financial Aid & Scholarship (SFAS) Office.
Some awards of interest:
- The Barbara and Ronald Bayne Gerontology Internship Award
- The Karl Kinanen Alumni Prize In Gerontology
- The McMaster University Retirees Association Prize
- The Audrey Evelyn Mepham Award in Gerontology
- The Pioneer Energy LP Gerontology Prizes
- The Pioneer Energy LP Prizes
- The Retired Teachers of Ontario Hamilton/Haldimand District Prize In Gerontology
Some scholarships of interest:
- The McMaster University Retirees Association Scholarship
- The Pioneer Energy LP Scholarship
- The Ellen Bouchard Ryan Scholarship
- The Alvina Marie Werner Scholarship
- The Susan Farley Scholarship
- The Wouters Family Scholarship
Students are given the opportunity to be involved in affiliated research centres (i.e. Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging: www.aging.mcmaster.ca; Institute for Healthier Environments: www.mcmaster.ca/mieh/, etc.) and the Health, Aging & Society Student Association (HASSA): https://www.instagram.com/mcmaster.hassa.
Academic Advising
The Academic Advising office is run through the Office of the Associate Dean. The primary goal of the Advising Office is to provide all Social Sciences undergraduate students with the information and guidance they need to succeed in their academic careers.
Advisors can help you make the right academic decisions by explaining policies and regulations as well as presenting different options and supports available in your studies.
An academic advisor can assist you with:
- Course requirements, dropping and adding courses
- Program selection, application and changes
- Studying abroad
- Transfer credits
- Petitions for missed term work, deferred examinations and special consideration
- Appeals procedures
- Referral to other campus services
Learn more about Academic Advising in the Social Sciences.
Course List
- ANTHROP 2AN3 - The Anthropology of Food and Nutrition
- ANTHROP 2FF3 - Human Skeletal Biology and Bioarchaeology
- ANTHROP 2HI3 - Medical Anthropology
- ANTHROP 2U03 - Plagues and People
- ANTHROP 3C03
- ANTHROP 3BD3 - The Black Death
- ANTHROP 3Y03 - Indigenous Community Health and Wellbeing
- ANTHROP 4S03 - The Anthropology of Infectious Disease
- ECON 3Z03 - Health Economics
- ENGLISH 3NH3 - Narratives of Health
- ENVSOCTY 2HI3 - Health and Place
- ENVSOCTY 3HP3 - Population, Health and Aging
- ENVSOCTY 4HC3 - Public and Community Health
- ENVSOCTY 4HH3 - Environment and Health
- HISTORY 2EH3
- HISTORY 3CP3
- HTHSCI 2G03 - Statistics & Epidemiology 1
- INDIGST 3H03 - Indigenous Medicine I: Philosophy
- INDIGST 3HH3 - Indigenous Medicine II: Practical
- KINESIOL 3AA3
- KINESIOL 3S03
- KINESIOL 3SS3
- MUSIC 2MT3 - Introduction to the Practice of Music Therapy
- PEACEST 3B03
- PEACJUST 3B03 - Peace-Building and Health Initiatives
- PHILOS 2D03 - Bioethics
- PHILOS 3C03 - Advanced Bioethics
- PSYCH 2AP3 - Abnormal Psychology: Fundamentals and Major Disorders
- PSYCH 3B03 - Special Populations
- SCAR 2ER3 - Religion, the Body, and the Machine
- SCAR 2M03 - Death and Dying: Comparative Views
- SCAR 2MT3 - Asian Meditation Traditions
- SCAR 2N03 - Death and Dying: The Western Experience
- SCAR 2WW3 - Health, Healing and Religion: Western Perspectives
- SCAR 2WX3 - Health, Healing and Religion: Comparative Views
- SOCWORK 3C03 - Social Aspects of Health and Illness
- SOCWORK 3O03 - Social Work and Sexualities
- SOCIOL 3G03 - Sociology of Health Care
- SOCIOL 3HH3 - Sociology of Health
- SOCIOL 4G03 - Advanced Topics in the Sociology of Health and Illness
- For more information:
-
Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Health, Aging and Society, Undergraduate Program
Kenneth Taylor Hall (KTH), Room 226
905-525-9140 ext. 27227
hasdept@mcmaster.ca
- Length:
- 4 years
- Required Credential:
- Completion of any Level 1 program with a Grade Point Average of at least 5.0 (C) including a grade of at least 5.0 (C) in HLTH AGE 1AA3 or 1ZZ3.
- Program Type:
- Course-based
- Program Options:
- Full-time, Part-time
- Typical Entry:
- September