1. What is Health, Aging & Society?

Health, Aging & Society examines the relationship between health and aging on a socio-cultural, economic, and political level. Students and researchers investigate people’s complex health needs, expectations, and experiences across the life course.

2. What are the program options for Health, Aging & Society and what GPA/courses do I need?

Please note that there is limited enrolment in our programs and possession of the published minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Minimum requirements are:

• Honours Aging and Society (BA), students must have completed 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 1BB3
• Honours Aging and Society Specialization in Mental Health and Addiction (BA), students must have completed 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 both HLTH AGE 1BB3 and HLTH AGE 1CC3.
• Honours Health and Society (BA), students must have completed 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.
• Honours Health and Society Specialization in Mental Health and Addiction (BA), students must have completed 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 both HLTH AGE 1AA3 or 1ZZ3 and HLTH AGE 1CC3.
• Combined Honours in Aging and Society & Health and Society (BA), students must have completed 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 and HLTH AGE 1BB3.
• Combined Honours in Aging and Society and Another Subject (BA), students must have completed 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 1BB3.
• Combined Honours in Health and Society and Another Subject (BA), students must have completed 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.
• Health, Aging and Society (BA)
• Minor in Health, Aging and Society
• Minor in Mental Health, Addiction and Society

3. I am a direct entry Health, Aging & Society student. Do I still have to declare a major?

Yes, direct entry Health, Aging & Society students should still select and declare a major.

4. What can I do with this degree (career pathways)?

Many of our students go to graduate school and pursue programs in Occupational Health, Public Health, Business, Social Work, and Global Health, among others.

Graduates have been successful at finding careers in a range of fields, including:

• Health Policy/Social Policy Research
• Project Coordinators
• Care Coordinators
• Volunteer Coordinators
• Education Coordinators (i.e. Alzheimer’s Society)
• Marketing
• Human Resources Management
• Administration Education
• Recreation/Activation staff in Long-term care
• Law
• Public Health
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Medicine Chiropractic School
• Social Work

5. What are some experiential opportunities in the program?

We offer field experience opportunities where students work closely with professionals in an area of interest during their third year. Examples of these include placements at the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, nursing homes, the Hamilton Health Department and many others.

6. Why complete a degree with the Department of Health, Aging and Society?

• Our team has designed our programs to appeal to a wide range of undergraduate students.
• Our degrees have limited enrolment and as a result, our classes are smaller.
• We employ faculty members from a wide variety of disciplines including Sociology, Human Geography, Social Work, Political Science, Labour Studies, Social Psychology, Economics, History, Gerontology, and Public Health.
• We emphasize experiential learning in our teaching.
• This program provides students with diverse content and skills which open up various opportunities for graduate studies and/or careers.

7. What are the benefits of completing a degree in Health and Aging?

Students completing a degree with our Department can expect to gain general skills in critical analysis, writing, oral presentation, critical analysis and understanding of health and aging from a social science perspective. This includes but is not limited to theories explaining health inequalities, the organization of health systems, as well as how they may impact public health, the social systems and how they affect our aging populations, and the social aspects of aging.