Collaborative Specializations

Collaborative Specializations bring students and faculty across programs and departments together around a specific topic, often through specialized courses and seminar series, to further develop knowledge and skills through interdisciplinary collaborations.

Collaborative Specializations require an application within the first year of your program (application requirements and deadlines vary by specialization) and students are required to complete additional academic requirements (e.g., additional course(s), seminar series, thesis related to specialization topic) above and beyond those of their programs.

Applicants who wish to enrol in a collaborative specialization must apply to and be admitted to both the collaborative specialization and a graduate degree program in one of the collaborating graduate units.

See SGS for the most up-to-date list of available specializations. Please apply to the graduate unit hosting the desired specialization. Application instructions can usually be found on the hosts website. Reach out to the lead faculty for the collaboration prior to applying to assess fit.

Collaborative specialization requirements:

  • All usual requirements for the degree program in the home department
  • A thesis topic (MSc/PhD students) or practicum placement (MHSc students) relevant to the collaborative specialization
  • Complete all Collaborative Specialization course requirements
Available Collaborative Specializations to IHPME StudentsLead DepartmentApplicable Degrees from IHPME
Hosted at IHPME
Health Services and Policy Research
See admission criteria and application form
IHPMEMSc, PhD
Hosted at DLSPH
BioethicsPublic Health (DLSPH)MSc, MHSc, PhD
Global HealthPublic Health (DLSPH)MSc (thesis only), PhD
Public Health PolicyPublic Health (DLSPH)MSc, MHSc, PhD
Women’s HealthPublic Health (DLSPH)MSc, PhD
Hosted Elsewhere 
Aging, Palliative and Supportive Care Across the Life CourseSocial WorkMSc, MHSc, PhD
Women and Gender StudiesArts and ScienceMSc, MHSc, PhD