Toronto is a major Canadian center for education, health care, and life sciences. The city’s life sciences sector combines research, clinical, and business expertise, while its education sector is one of the city’s largest employers. Read on below to learn about Toronto universities and related institutions that offer public-health, population-health, occupational-health, health-policy, and health-design programs.
Top Schools Offering Public Health Programs in Toronto
1. University of Toronto
The Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto is one of the strongest public health schools in Canada. The University of Toronto is ranked 6th globally for Public Health in ShanghaiRanking’s 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
The school’s Master of Public Health fields currently include Black Health, Epidemiology, Family and Community Medicine, Health Promotion, Indigenous Health, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Occupational and Environmental Health. These options prepare students for public health practice, research, policy, health promotion, community health, and related roles. The Occupational and Environmental Health field is offered with occupational hygiene and environmental public health emphases, and the Health Promotion field is a professional, non-thesis program.
The University of Toronto also offers a Master of Science in Community Health, designed for established health professionals who want to strengthen their knowledge and skills while remaining in practice. Its fields include Addictions and Mental Health, Family and Community Medicine, Health Practitioner Teacher Education, Occupational Health Care, and Wound Prevention and Care.
A Master of Science in Biostatistics is also available for students who want advanced training in statistical methods for health and medical research. The program can support careers in universities, government departments, hospitals, pharmaceutical and health corporations, and other health agencies.
The school also offers doctoral programs. The PhD is available in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Health, and Social and Behavioural Health Sciences. The Doctor of Public Health is also available for experienced professionals who want practice-based training and applied research skills for public health leadership.
Program length varies by degree and field. The MPH generally takes 16 to 24 months full-time, depending on the field, with part-time options available for some fields. The MSc in Biostatistics and MSc in Community Health are listed as 12-month full-time programs, while the PhD and DrPH are listed as four-year full-time programs. Students should check the current program page for the exact structure, practicum, thesis, and course requirements for their chosen field.
2. Toronto Metropolitan University
Toronto Metropolitan University offers several public-health-related programs, including a Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Health, a Master of Science in Occupational and Public Health, a Master of Health Administration in Community Care, and a PhD in Urban Health.
The Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Health is offered through the School of Occupational and Public Health. It is available as a full-time four-year program, a full-time five-year co-op program, and a full-time two-year program for university graduates. The curriculum is designed to prepare graduates for environmentally related health fields and public health inspection pathways.
The Master of Science in Occupational and Public Health is a full-time, two-year program focused on evidence-based prevention, workplace injury and illness prevention, and public health promotion. Toronto Metropolitan University describes it as the first and only degree of its kind in Canada because it combines occupational health and safety with public health in an applied, research-focused graduate program.
The Master of Health Administration in Community Care is designed for professionals working in health care or those interested in moving into the community care sector. Its modular format allows students to work full-time while completing the program in 16 months. Toronto Metropolitan University describes it as the first program of its kind in Canada.
The PhD in Urban Health examines the health and well-being of people living in urban centers. It prepares students to work across research, policy, and practice, with areas of specialization in Health and Well-being, Safety and Security, and Migration, Immigration and Settlement.
Graduates may pursue roles in government, academia, health-care institutions, research organizations, private companies, consulting, policy, administration, and other health-related sectors.
3. Ontario College of Art & Design University
OCAD University offers a Master of Design in Design for Health. This is not a traditional public health degree, but it may interest students who want to work at the intersection of design, health care, health systems, community health, service design, and health innovation.
The program responds to the complexity of health care through an interdisciplinary design approach. It prepares students to create ethical and sustainable solutions to social, structural, and technological challenges across the health sector. Students may explore design in areas such as health-care systems, services, programs, products, hospital design labs, government programs and policy, community health-care delivery services, consulting, and entrepreneurship.
The Design for Health MDes is currently listed as a full-time, in-person program with a duration of two years. OCAD University also connects the program with the Health Design Studio, which focuses on inclusive and interdisciplinary approaches to health-care design challenges.
FAQS About Studying Public Health in Toronto
Is Canada a Good Location for International Students Who Want to Study Public Health?
Canada is a strong option for international students who want to study public health, population health, health policy, occupational health, or related health fields. The Government of Canada’s EduCanada website provides official information for international students about Canada’s education system, schools, scholarships, programs, and study costs.
Toronto can be especially attractive because it combines universities, hospitals, research institutes, health-care organizations, and a large life sciences sector. Students should compare each program carefully because some options in this article are public health degrees, while others are related programs in health policy, occupational health, urban health, health administration, or health design.
We hope this article on Universities for Public Health in Toronto was helpful. Also, check out the Study in Canada and Available Courses for International Students pages to learn more!
