The Global Health program prepares students for diverse professional pathways including advanced studies (Master’s, PhD), professional schools, or working in fields like policy analysis, health education, global health promotion, international development, medicine, and research. Potential employers include health agencies, hospitals, clinics, universities, government agencies, research institutions, private and non-profit sectors, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) locally and globally.
The Global Health degree’s multi-sectoral (e.g., healthcare, public health, social determinants of health, and planetary health), multi-disciplinary (e.g., sciences, social sciences, and humanities), and multi-jurisdictional (e.g., Canada and around the world) focus provides a strong and comprehensive foundation for many different career pathways. Some graduates can enter the workforce directly after graduation, while others require further graduate study, training, or certification.
Career options include:
*With further postgraduate study
Job Descriptions, Employment Prospects & Salaries
The following is a select number of positions outlining job descriptions, employment prospects and salaries. Job prospects and salaries will vary by area (e.g. government, health care, private sector/industry, non-profit sector, Non-Governmental Organization).
- Health Educator
- Health Policy Officer
- Health Promotion Program Officer
- Health Care Researcher
- Municipal Officer, Public Health
For more information on job descriptions, employment prospects and salaries, visit the Government of Canada Job Bank
Career Exploration
Learn more about what you can do with your Global Health degree.
Explore potential careers and prepare for the job search (resumes, interviews, and more) through one-on-one support and workshops offered by Career Education & Development. Programs and services are available to all current students and new graduates (for up to two years after graduation).
Resources focused on global health careers are also available to current Global Health students via the Global Health Careers and Employability eClass module. To gain access, please email: sgh@yorku.ca.
Download our Career Carousel PDF for a visual overview of career pathways in Global Health:
Global Health Alumni
Graduates of York’s Global Health program have gone into a wide variety of rewarding careers, including in government, health services, medicine, nursing, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), public health, the private sector, and more, as well as pursuing graduate school and other professional schools.
Urmi Sheth
BA Global Health
Medical School Student - McMaster University
“One of my favourite things about the Global Health program was its breadth and interdisciplinary nature - we had the opportunity to learn everything from anatomy and physiology to the social determinants of health to epidemiology to global health ethics. The variety in the material taught made for a very interesting degree!"
Ryan Jeevanayagam
BA Global Health
Program & Policy Officer, Employment and Social Development Canada
"The large variety of courses taught by experts, my work as a research assistant at York's Dahdaleh Institute for Global Research, and the skills and experience I gained from the Global Health practicum as an Administrative Resident at Unity Health Toronto, were critical to my current role"
Abigael Pamintuan
BSc Global Health
Senior UX Designer, TripArc
"Global Health's multidisciplinary and hands-on courses have given me a strong foundation in critical thinking and analysis, communication, and research. Throughout my degree, I learned how to understand and approach solving complex social issues not just for, but with, the people affected by them. This has translated well into my current work as a UX designer where empathy and user research and feedback is essential to defining the problem and designing the right solution."
Laura J. Rosa Pereira
BSc Global Health
Nursing Student, University of Toronto
“My undergraduate journey at York, particularly within the Faculty of Health, prepared me well for my future career in nursing. In the classroom, I explored diverse perspectives on health, gained exposure to different health professions, and learned the importance of systems-level change in improving healthcare quality.”
Marwa Abdulselam
BA Global Health
Program and Education Coordinator, Ministry of the Solicitor General in the Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Forensic Pathology Service
“My practicum placement definitely allowed me to develop transferable skills that would be useful in real-world practice. Some of my undergraduate assignments were also helpful in exposing me to skills and tasks that would be used in a post-grad job (I.e. report writing, research, data analysis. etc."