The Collaborative Specialization in One Health prepares future leaders for the complex challenges at the confluence of human, animal, and environmental health, working across disciplinary boundaries, conducting multidisciplinary research, mobilizing knowledge, and informing policy. Doctoral and Master’s (thesis or course work and MRP) students wishing to undertake graduate studies with emphasis on One Health will be admitted by a participating department and will register in both the participating department and in the collaborative specialization.

The participating academic programs are Animal Biosciences (MSc, PhD), Biomedical Sciences (MSc, PhD), Clinical Studies (MSc), Computational Sciences (PhD), Computer Science (MSc, PhD), Family Relations and Applied Nutrition (MSc in AHN & FRHD only, PhD), Engineering (MEng, MASc, PhD), Environmental Sciences (MES, MSc, PhD), Food Science (MSc, PhD), Geography (MA, MSc, PhD), History (MA, PhD), Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (MSc, PhD), Integrative Biology (MSc, PhD), Mathematics and Statistics (MSc, PhD), Molecular and Cellular Biology (MSc, PhD), Pathobiology (MSc, PhD), Political Science (MA, PhD), Population Medicine (MSc, PhD), Philosophy (MA, PhD), Public Issues Anthropology (MA), and Rural Development and Planning (MSc).

Administrative Staff

Graduate Program Coordinator
Katie Clow (2531 Stewart Building, Ext. 53944)
kclow@uoguelph.ca
 

Graduate Faculty

This list may include Regular Graduate Faculty, Associated Graduate Faculty and/or Graduate Faculty from other universities.

Admission Requirements

Master's and doctoral students in the Collaborative Specialization in One Health must meet the admission requirements of the participating department in which they are enrolled. The application process has two stages. First, prospective students will apply to their primary program of interest, identifying interest in the collaborative specialization as a focus. They must include a signed Declaration of Commitment Form for the collaborative specialization with their application. If the student is admitted to the primary program, the second stage is then admission to the collaborative specialization. Applications are forwarded to the specialization's Graduate Program Coordinator and preliminary acceptance is granted to all qualified candidates.

Upon acceptance, all enrolled students will be required to submit a letter of intent briefly outlining their interest in One Health and explaining how their area of research will apply a One Health approach. This is due November 1 of their first year of study and will be reviewed by the specialization's Graduate Program Coordinator and a committee of 3-5 faculty from different colleges. This letter must be deemed satisfactory for the student to be eligible to continue in the program.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of their program of study, graduates of the Collaborative Specialization in One Health should be able to:

1. Holistic Understanding of Health
   1. Formulate a holistic definition of health in the context of their work.
   2. Analyze the interconnections between animal, human, and environmental health.
   3. Apply and assess health in different settings, and work in different levels of health from local to global.
2. Systems Thinking
   1. Illustrate complex health issues as systems by identifying the components, their functions, and the interconnections between them.
3. Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
   1. Analyze problems in a holistic manner, incorporating various perspectives, disciplinary and non-traditional knowledges.
   2. Devise potential solutions that acknowledge the interconnections of human, animal and environmental health.
   3. Identify how behaviour changes and what makes for successful intervention.
4. Resilience and Health
   1. Evaluate system resilience and sustainability by selecting, combining, and applying tools and methods from different disciplines.
5. Leadership and Collaboration
   1. Apply strong networking and interpersonal skills in professional settings.
   2. Identify relevant perspectives involved in each system and assemble teams that bring together the necessary perspectives and expertise.
   3. Generate action plans that leverage the strengths of the team and promote efficiency.
6. Informatics
   1. Synthesize and analyze data and literature from a variety of sources to make informed, evidence-based decisions, including policy assessment and recommendations.
   2. Explain complex One Health problems using several modes of communication and knowledge dissemination tools.
7. Research
   1. Apply contemporary research methods, skills and techniques to conduct independent inquiry within One Health.
   2. Appraise current One Health research using theory and peer-reviewed standards.
   3. Expand current knowledge through their research that contributes to One Health efforts.
8. Professional and Ethical Behaviour
   1. Create opportunities for open communication and active listening.
   2. Demonstrate ethical decision-making when evaluating proposed One Health actions.
   3. Demonstrate strong time management and organizational skills.
9. Breadth and Depth of Understanding
   1. Demonstrate a depth of knowledge of their primary area of specialization and recognize how tools and methods from their discipline contributes to One Health
   2. Describe the applications of and methodologies for One Health in variety of contexts

Program Requirements

Master's Requirements

Master's students in the Collaborative Specialization in One Health must complete:

For thesis-based master’s students, at least one member of the student’s advisory committee must be a core graduate faculty member of the Collaborative Specialization in One Health. Requirements of this collaborative specialization may also serve as elective requirements in the student’s home program.

Doctoral Requirements

Doctoral students in the Collaborative Specialization in One Health must complete:

At least one member of the student’s advisory committee must be a core graduate faculty member of the Collaborative Specialization in One Health. Students that previously completed ONEH*6000 One Health Approaches to Research as part of the master’s collaborative specialization will be exempt from retaking it as part of the doctoral collaborative specialization; however, they will still be required to complete the final Research Proposal and Presentation assignment. Requirements of this collaborative specialization may also serve as elective requirements in the student’s home program.

Courses