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Health Sciences | Faculty of Health Sciences Simon Fraser University Calendar | Spring 2025

Health Sciences Honours

Bachelor of Arts

Admission Requirements

Internal Transfer

Internal transfer allows students to transfer, within Simon Fraser University, from one faculty to another. Students can apply for internal transfer into the bachelor of arts honours program in the Faculty of Health Sciences with a minimum CGPA of 2.5 and the following with a minimum grade of C-:

  • HSCI 130
  • HSCI 100 or BISC 101, and
  • one of HSCI 204, HSCI 207, HSCI 210, HSCI 211, HSCI 212, HSCI 214, HSCI 216, HSCI 220, HSCI 230

Minimum Grades

A 3.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and a 3.0 upper division grade point average (GPA) is required for entry and must be maintained to graduate. Students must complete at least 120 units as specified below.

Students enrolling in HSCI courses must have a grade of C- or better in prerequisite courses and in the program's required courses.

Program Requirements

For the bachelor of arts (BA) health science honours program, students complete 120 units, which includes:

  • at least 60 upper division units
  • at least 60 units that must be completed at Simon Fraser University
  • satisfaction of the writing, quantitative, and breadth requirements
  • an overall cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and upper division CGPA of at least 3.0

Lower Division Requirements

Students complete all of

HSCI 100 - Human Biology (3)
HSCI 130 - Foundations of Health Science (4)
HSCI 204 - Perspectives on Human Health and the Environment (3)
HSCI 207 - Research Methods in Health Sciences (3)
HSCI 220 - Indigenous Experiences of Health (3)
HSCI 230 - Evaluating Epidemiological Research (3)

and one of

SA 101 - Introduction to Anthropology (A) (4)
SA 150 - Introduction to Sociology (S) (4)

and at least one additional HSCI lower division course

Students complete one of the following sets of courses in communications, ecosystems or politics.

All of

CMNS 110 - Introduction to Communication Studies (3)
CMNS 130 - Communication and Social Change (3)
CMNS 202 - Design and Method in Qualitative Communication Research (4)

Or all of

GEOG 111 - Earth Systems (3)
GEOG 215 - The Biosphere (3)
REM 221 - Systems Thinking and the Environment (3)

Or all of

POL 100 - Introduction to Politics and Government (3)
POL 200W - Investigating Politics: Research Design and Qualitative Methods (4)
POL 210 - Introduction to Political Philosophy (3)

and two of

CMNS 120W - Creativity and Communication Across Media (3)
CMNS 130 - Communication and Social Change (3)
ENV 100 - Great Ideas in Environment (3)
GEOG 100 - Our World: Introducing Human Geography (3)
GSWS 100 - Sex Talk: Introduction to Contemporary Issues in Sexuality Studies (3)
HUM 101W - Introduction to Global Humanities (3)
HUM 106 - Art and the Humanities (3)
HUM 130 - Introduction to Religious Studies (3)
INDG 101 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies (3)
INDG 110W - International Indigenous Lifewriting (4)
LBST 101 - Work and Worker's Rights: Introducing Labour Studies (3)
PHIL 120W - Moral and Legal Problems (3)
PHIL 121 - Global Justice (3)
PHIL 144 - Introduction to Philosophy of Science (3)
PHIL 150 - Great Works in the History of Philosophy (3)
PSYC 100 - Introduction to Psychology I (3)
PSYC 102 - Introduction to Psychology II (3)
WL 100 - What is World Literature? (3)

and one of

ENGL 111W - Literary Classics in English (3)
ENGL 112W - Literature Now (3)
ENGL 113W - Literature and Performance (3)
ENGL 114W - Language and Purpose (3)
ENGL 115W - Literature and Culture (3)
ENGL 199W - Writing to Persuade (3)
WL 101W - Writing in World Literature (3)
WL 103W - Early World Literatures (3)
WL 104W - Modern World Literatures (3)
WL 105W - World Literature Lab (3)

and one of

STAT 201 - Statistics for the Life Sciences (3)
STAT 203 - Introduction to Statistics for the Social Sciences (3)
STAT 205 - Introduction to Statistics (3)

and at least four of

HSCI 210 - Special Topics in Health Sciences (3)
HSCI 211 - Perspectives on Cancer, Cardiovascular, and Metabolic Diseases (3)
HSCI 212 - Perspectives on Infectious and Immunological Diseases (3)
HSCI 214 - Perspectives on Mental Health and Illness (3)
HSCI 216 - Ecological Determinants of Human Growth, Development and Health (3)

Upper Division Requirements

Students complete all of

HSCI 305 - The Canadian Health System (3)
HSCI 312 - Health Promotion: Individuals and Communities (3)
HSCI 319W - Applied Health Ethics (3)
HSCI 340 - Social Determinants of Health (3)

and one of

HSCI 449 - Community and Health Service (3)
HSCI 461 - An Ecological Approach to Women's Reproductive Health (3)
HSCI 462 - Seminar in Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (3)
HSCI 481 - Senior Seminar in Social Health Science (3)
HSCI 483 - Senior Seminar in Environmental Health (3)
HSCI 484 - Senior Seminar in Population Health Research (3)
HSCI 485 - Senior Seminar in Mental Health and Addictions (3)
HSCI 486 - Senior Seminar in Global Health (3)
HSCI 495 - Applied Health Science Project (4)

and at least 36 additional upper division units, of which 27 must be HSCI units

and nine to 12 units for a research-based honours thesis, carried out under the direction of a faculty supervisor including both of

HSCI 490 - Research Proposal (3)
HSCI 492 - Honours Research Thesis (3)

and one of

HSCI 491 - Independent Research (3)
HSCI 493 - Extended Independent Research (6)

NOTE: SFU students accepted in the accelerated master’s within the Faculty of Health Sciences may apply a maximum of 10 graduate course units, taken while completing the bachelor's degree, towards the upper division electives of the bachelor’s program and the requirements of the master's degree. These graduate courses must be passed with a grade of B (3.0) or better in order to be used towards the requirements of the master's degree. For more information go to: https://www.sfu.ca/gradstudies/apply/programs/accelerated-masters.html.

Elective Courses

In addition to the courses listed above, students should consult an academic advisor to plan the remaining required elective courses.

Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements

Students admitted to Simon Fraser University beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements for university-wide information.

WQB Graduation Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit

Requirement

Units

Notes
W - Writing

6

Must include at least one upper division course, taken at Simon Fraser University within the student's major subject; two courses (minimum three units each)

Q - Quantitative

6

Q courses may be lower or upper division; two courses (total six units or more)
B - Breadth

18

Designated Breadth

Must be outside the student's major subject, and may be lower or upper division:

Two courses (total six units or more) Social Sciences: B-Soc
Two courses (total six units or more) Humanities: B-Hum
Two courses (total six units or more) Sciences: B-Sci

6

Additional Breadth

Two courses (total six units or more) outside the student's major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements).

Students choosing to complete a joint major, joint honours, double major, two extended minors, an extended minor and a minor, or two minors may satisfy the breadth requirements (designated or not designated) with courses completed in either one or both program areas.

Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit

  • At least half of the program's total units must be earned through Simon Fraser University study.
  • At least two thirds of the program's total upper division units must be earned through Simon Fraser University study.