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Degree Division
Clinical Public Health Division
Program Contact
Christine Wickens

Program Description

Addictions and Mental Health (AMH) problems account for five of the leading 10 contributors to the burden of illness in Canada. Professionals from a variety of backgrounds work in the AMH field. The Addictions and Mental Health field will provide graduate-level education to health professionals who are seeking professional education and development in this field.

The MScCH program in Addictions and Mental Health is intended for academically and professionally qualified health professionals who are seeking graduate level training in this field. The program is also aimed at individuals with an academic background not in an established health profession, but who have significant work experience in the Addiction and Mental Health field (typically at least five years).

Admission Requirements

MScCH students are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) and should hold an appropriate bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a recognized university with at least a mid-B average in final year of the degree, or in the last 5.0 full course equivalents completed at a senior level. Proof of English Language Proficiency is required (See below).

Minimum Admission Requirements for MScCH Addiction and Mental Health

  • Relevant academic preparation and professional experience as a public health, community, or clinical practitioner.

International applicants

No applicant will be admitted without evidence of English Language Proficiency (ELP).  As per the policy of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS), the following applicants do not have to provide direct supporting evidence of ELP in the application.

  • A Canadian citizen who studied at a Canadian university where instruction is in English or French;
  • Any applicant who has obtained a qualifying undergraduate degree from an institution that is recognized by the University of Toronto, and where the language of instruction and examination is uniformly English.

If either criterion above is satisfied, the application can be submitted without test scores or other proof of ELP.  The ELP requirement will be waived, in the online system, when the application is reviewed.

Otherwise, an approved test of English Language Proficiency must be submitted at the time of application.  Scores must meet the minimum requirements set by SGS and must be valid (taken within 2 years of submission of the application). See SGS website for details.

The MScCH Addictions and Mental Health program does not make other exemptions. If an applicant is required to submit proof of ELP and does not include this with the application, by the application deadline, the application will be rejected as incomplete and inadmissible.

Applicants who studied outside Canada must consult the School of Graduate Studies website to determine whether evidence of ELP can be waived. The SGS website lists those countries where university instruction in English will be recognized without further documentation. Click here for more information.

The SGS website also has an international degree equivalency tool that may be consulted to determine minimum admission requirements for graduates from recognized institutions outside Canada.  Admission eligibility cannot be determined until a complete application is submitted. We are not able to review or assess your academic record without an official application to a graduate degree program, including payment of the appropriate application fee.

Program Requirements

The MScCH degree requires the completion of 5.0 full course credit equivalents (FCE) including required courses,  a supervised field placement or practicum in which learners can apply their new skills and record and reflect upon their experiences, and elective course(s).

Required Courses (3.5 FCE)

Course/Practicum FCE
CHL5004H: Introduction to Public Health Sciences 0.5
CHL5103H: Health Promotion 1 0.5
CHL5300H: Public Health Policy 0.5
CHL5690H: MScCH Required Practicum 0.5
PAS3700H: Multidisciplinary Aspects of Addictions OR
CHL5120H: Population Health Perspectives on Mental Health and Addictions
0.5
Plus at least two of the following:
PAS3701H: Research Issues in the Addictions 0.5
CHL5417H: Tobacco and Health: From Cells to Society 0.5
CHL5610H: Theory and Practice of Behaviour Change in Primary Care 0.5
SWK4616H: Drug Dependence: Interventive Approaches 0.5

Elective Courses (1.5 FCE)

CHL5691H: MScCH Optional Practicum 0.5
Elective Courses 1.0-1.5

Electives
Students are encouraged to take elective courses that will enhance their learning experience and/or provide focused study on a particular topic. Please check the DLSPH timetable for a list of courses available each academic year.

If you have any questions about the appropriateness of a course, please speak with the Program Director for Addictions and Mental Health.

If you have any questions or would like further information about this program, please contact Christine Wickens or Branka Agic.