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Definition of Health Promotion
Health promotion is defined as the process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health. This process is based on the understanding that social conditions and personal actions both determine health. Hence, health promotion activities move beyond disease prevention and health education to address social change, institutional change and community change in addition to changes in personal behaviours. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, 1986.
More recently, health promotion has been described as a process that is engaged in working within communities to create the conditions for health (Canadian Public Health Association, 2001).
Health Promotion professionals are currently in demand, and can be found working in a diverse range of settings including public health units, community health centres, provincial resource centres, community centres, charitable health organizations and hospitals. Health promotion professionals can now also be found working in larger public and private sector organizations where employee wellness is valued. In addition, some health promotion professionals work on a contract basis, and are sought out for their skills in group facilitation, communication planning and campaign development, proposal development, and community development.
The core skills required by HP practitioners are in the areas of: community development; social marketing; communication; advocacy; health education; project management; program planning; evaluation; media relations; and policy development.
Educational Requirements
Most entry level Health Promotion positions require a Baccalaureate or Graduate degree in health promotion, health sciences or social sciences from a recognized university.
Most experienced health promotion workers bring to their work a combination of formal education and practical experience in community work, social services, education or related disciplines. Specialized University programs in health promotion have emerged within the last 15 years, and a wide variety of educational opportunities are now available.
Undergraduate Programs
Laurentian University
Bachelor of Physical Health and Education with a specialization in Health Promotion
University of Waterloo
Bachelor of Health Science Degree offers a specialization in Health Promotion
University of Western Ontario
Bachelor of Health Sciences with a Specialization in Health Promotion
Brock University
Program: Workplace Health, BA Honours (co-op)
(905) 688-5550 ext.3944
Centennial College
Program: Workplace Wellness and Health Promotion (32 week post-graduate program)
sbrown@centennialcollege.ca
(416) 289-5000 ext. 3541
Canadore College
Program: Health Promotion Multidisciplinary Post Diploma
100 College Drive, P.O. Box 5001
North Bay, Ontario P1B 8K9 Canada
Tel: (705) 474-7600 Fax: (705) 474-2384
For further program information, click here.
Applicants must possess a diploma or degree in a health related field such as social work, nursing, psychology, etc. Relevant work experience will be considered.
Graduate Programs
Queen's University
School of Graduate Studies and Research
Community Health and Epidemiology
Registrar of the Graduate School
Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6 Canada
Tel: (613) 533-6100 Fax: (613) 533-6015
Degree Offered: MA
Research Areas: cancer epi; injury epi; psych epi; health policy
Universite Laval
Faculty of Medicine
Epidemiology
2435 Pavillon Jean-Charles-Bonenfant
Québec, Québec G1K 7P4 Canada
Tel: (418) 656-2764 / 1-877-785-2825 Fax: (418) 656-5216
Degrees Offered: MSc - Epidemiology; PhD - Epidemiology
Universite Laval
Faculty of Medicine
Community Health
2435 Pavillon Jean-Charles-Bonenfant
Québec, Québec G1K 7P4 Canada
Tel: (418) 656-2764 / 1-877-785-2825 Fax: (418) 656-5216
Degrees Offered: MSc - Maitrise en santé communautaire; PhD - Doctorat en santé communautaire
University of Alberta
Public Health Sciences
13-103 Clinical Sciences Building
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3 Canada
Tel: (780) 492-6407 Fax: (780) 492-0364
The Department of Public Health Sciences has for a number of years worked towards focusing its programs into a single degree. The first of these is the Master of Public Health with specialization in Health Policy Research and a Master of Public Health with specialization in Health Policy and Management. Eventually, this should be expanded to include a Master of Public Health with respective specializations in Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Informatics, Occupational Health, and Population Health.
Degrees Offered: MPH - Health Policy and Management; MPH. - Health Policy Research; MSc - Medical Sciences - Public Health Sciences (areas of research - Environmental Health Sciences; Epidemiology; Occupational Health; Population Health); PhD - Medical Sciences - Public Health Sciences
Centre for Health Promotion Studies Graduate Programs (thesis or course-based MSc or Postgraduate Diploma offered, distance learning available)
University of Manitoba
Faculty of Medicine
Community Health Sciences
66 Chancellors Circle
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2 Canada
Tel: (204) 275-6534 Fax: (204) 474-8808
Degrees Offered: MSc; PhD
University of Northern British Columbia
Community Health
Office of the Registrar, 3333 University Way
Prince George, British Columbia V2N 4Z9 Canada
Tel: (250) 960-6330 Fax: (250) 960-6305
Degree Offered: MSc
University of Saskatchewan
College of Graduate Studies and Research
Community Health and Epidemiology
50 Murray Building, 3 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A4 Canada
Tel: (306) 966-7920 Fax: (306) 966-5756
Degree Offered: MSc
University of Toronto
Department of Public Health Sciences
Faculty of Medicine
McMurrich Building, Room 101
12 Queen's Park Crescent West
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8 Canada
Tel (416) 978-2058 Fax: (416) 978-1883
Master of Health Science program students may specialize in one of six areas: Community Health and Epidemiology; Community Nutrition; Family Medicine; Health Administration; Health Promotion; Occupational and Environmental Health
Degrees Offered: MSc; MHSc; PhD
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Graduate Diploma in Community Health
MSc in Community Health
Dalhousie University
MSc in Community Health and Epidemiology, offered through their Faculty of Medicine
and an MA in Health Education offered through their School of Health and Human Performance
Athabasca University (distance education)
Master of Health Studies - distance
This information was provided by Health Promotion Ontario. To the best of our knowledge, the information is current as of January 2004. For further information about Health Promotion Careers in Ontario, please contact us at: www.hpoph.org
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