The Bachelor of Health Sciences program can be completed either as an on-campus or an online degree. It is purpose-built to provide graduates with a pathway to health professions.
It’s an ideal degree for students who have a passion for health science and a desire to learn about it in new and progressive ways. Our program takes a unique approach to delivering the program knowledge. Not only will you learn the core foundations of biomedical science, you’ll also have the opportunity to study health and disease through historical, societal, and global perspectives in a series of innovative courses and learning tracks.
The latest educational technologies have been integrated into the curriculum and include virtual labs, real-time simulations, discussion forums, small-group video meetings, online modules, and videos. You will be able to learn at your own pace either as an online learner or participating in a flipped classroom on-campus.
ANAT 100 Anatomy of the Human Body
ANAT 100, Anatomy of the Human Body, is a web-based course suitable for students at all levels of post-secondary education with an interest in Human Anatomy. This foundational anatomy course is designed to introduce basic structure and…
CANC 380 Evolutionary Biology of Cancer
CANC 380, Evolutionary Biology of Cancer is a third-year online course designed to introduce students from various biological sciences and allied health backgrounds to cancer as an evolutionary problem. The course focuses on the effect…
GLPH 271 Global and Population Health
In GLPH 271, Global and Population Health, emphasis will be placed on population health, instead of the health of individuals. Population and global health prioritize partnerships and resource sharing, instead of unilateral…
GLPH 385 Biohacking and Gerontechnology
GLPH 385, Biohacking and Gerontechnology, examines technologies that are in use/evolving in the aging support and anti-aging arsenal, including gerontechnology and anti-aging technologies. Gerontechnology is the intersection between gerontology…
PHAR 100 Introductory Pharmacology
PHAR 100, Introductory Pharmacology, is designed as a general interest course that introduces the subjects of pharmacology and toxicology, with emphasis on common drugs used and abused by society. Pharmacology is broadly defined as the…
PHGY 170 Human Cell Physiology
PHGY 170, Human Cell Physiology is an introductory level course on the structure and function of human cells for students interested in pursuing human health-related disciplines. Students will also learn the principles of energy…
Anatomical Basis of Health and Disease
If you have a curiosity for how the human body works, you will find particular interest in this learning track.
Global and Population Health
If you have a curiosity for health of an entire population, as well as the ways in which health in populations are appropriately measured, you will find particular interest in this learning track.
Applied Research Methods in Health Sciences
If you have a curiosity for the way in which health-related research is conducted, with the inclination for advancing critical-reasoning skills, you will find particular interest in this learning track.
Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation
If you are interested in the influence of microbes in health and disease and how our immune system responds to environmental stimuli, this learning track will be of interest to you.
Molecular Basis of Biology
If you have a curiosity for the fundamental processes of life and human disease at the molecular and cellular level, you will find particular interest in this learning track.
Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics
If you have a curiosity for the beneficial and/or detrimental effects of drugs and environmental chemicals, you will find particular interest in this learning track.
Physiological Basis of Health and Disease
If you have a curiosity for how the human body works, you will find particular interest in this learning track.
Get the courses you need
Take PHGY 170, ANAT 100, PHAR 100, HSCI 190, GLPH 171, and IDIS 173. Also take 6.0 units of optional courses and 6.0 units of electives (which can include optional courses).
If you are planning on completing one (or more) of the six optional learning tracks, declare it with your Academic Advisor at the end of first year (bhscadvisor@queensu.ca).
Get relevant experience
If in Kingston, see the AMS Clubs Directory or the Queens' Get Involved page for ideas to get involved.
Other ways to become involved include volunteering for after-school children's programs, volunteering in retirement residences, aiding the integration of recent immigrants to Canada, or volunteering at veterinary clinics or a local animal shelter.
Get connected with the community
Volunteer with various community organizations, such as local charities, local organizations that cater to a specific at-risk population, hospitals, public health units, or larger, national or global organizations such as Canadian Blood Services, the Canadian Red Cross, Medicins San Frontieres, Right to Play, or Me to We.
Get thinking globally
Think about international affairs and global health issues and how you would like to incorporate these areas into your degree.
Bilingualism opens up many job opportunities in Canada. Consider increasing your proficiency in French through Queen's courses or language clubs, city-run programs, or through apps such as Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, or Babble.
Get ready for life after graduation
Explore the BHSc program website to see how it can act as a stepping stone to a new healthcare career.
Need career advice? You can book a phone or Skype appointment with a career counsellor through MyCareer or call the Career Services reception at 613.533.2992.
Get the courses you need
Take PHGY 215/216, HSCI 270, GLPH 271, BCHM 270, and one of MICR 270 or 271. Also take an additional 6.0 units of optional courses and 6.0 units of electives (which can include optional courses).
If you have declared one or more learning tracks, make sure that you are enrolled in the courses required to complete it. Review the courses available for each one on the BHSc website and register for them accordingly.
Get relevant experience
Look into attending, in person or by webcast, high profile Queen’s conferences such as the Canadian Undergraduate Conference on Healthcare, TEDxQueensU, or Queen’s Healthcare and Business Conference. Begin to engage with a community organization to ready yourself for GLPH 471 and/or GLPH 493. If thinking of applying to a professional program, consult with a BHSc Academic Advisors.
Get connected with the community
Develop greater connections with the organizations that you volunteer for, taking on responsibilities or special projects that help the organization in a tangible manner. Get involved with the BHSc community by running for a position with the Health Science Society, becoming a COAT, or volunteering as a Q-Success mentor to first-year students.
Get thinking globally
If you’re looking to internationalize your degree or to leverage your existing cross-cultural experience, start brainstorming about what kind of experience you would like to have.
Consider going on exchange to one of the BHSc partner institutions, or volunteer/work abroad.
Get ready for life after graduation
Grappling with program decisions? Talk to one of the BHSc Academic Advisors by emailing bhscadvisor@queensu.ca
Look for opportunities to get hands-on experience in your field by becoming an intern at dental or veterinary clinics, in hospitals, or by looking for summer work opportunities in government/ private laboratories.
Get the courses you need
Take BCHM 370, REPD 372, IDIS 373, PATH 310, and PHAR 370. Also take an additional 9.0 units of optional courses and 6.0 units of electives (which can include optional courses).
If you’re planning to graduate after third year, switch into the General degree. Be aware that 4th year courses can be elective courses. If you have declared a learning track and are graduating with a general degree, make sure that you have completed the required courses for that track.
Apply to graduate on SOLUS.
Get relevant experience
Begin to engage with a community organization to ready yourself for GLPH 471. If you are looking for hands-on lab experience, talk to an academic advisor about how to secure a supervisor for the HSCI 591/592/593/594/595 or HSCI 598/599 research courses. For a shorter lab experience consider the intensive, 2 week BMED 390.
Consider applying to do a 12-16 month QUIP internship between your third and fourth year.
Get connected with the community
Conduct targeted networking with those working in your careers of interest. Connect with Queen's professors in person, through video chat, or via email to learn about the career possibilities in a specific field.
Get thinking globally
If you are interested, apply as an upper year student to study at the Bader International Study Centre in the UK.
Build your intercultural competencies by getting involved with other cultures or by practicing or improving your language skills.
Get ready for life after graduation
Start focusing on areas of interest and research which educational requirements are needed; the program website can help you start. If needed, prepare to take any required tests (like the MCAT or Dental Aptitude Test) and research possible scholarships/bursary opportunities in your desired field.
Connect with Queen's alumni on LinkedIn.
Consider applying to do a 12-16 month QUIP internship between your third and fourth year.
Get the courses you need
Take GLPH 471 and REPD 473. Also take an additional 18.0 units of optional courses and 6.0 units of electives (which can include option courses).
If you have declared a learning track, make sure that required courses to complete your track(s) are taken.
Apply to graduate on SOLUS.
Get relevant experience
Investigate full-time jobs or further education related to careers of interest.
Ensure your LinkedIn profile is ready to be viewed by recruiters and potential employers; use Queen’s Career Services resources to improve your page. Join groups on LinkedIn reflecting specific careers or your topics of interest in Health Sciences.
Get connected with the community
Consider joining professional associations or scientific societies in your field of interest such as the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, or Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Some of these associations have their own internal field-specific job boards or resources that could be useful to you. Strengthen your ability to respond to community health needs and gain practical experience by taking GLPH 493.
Get thinking globally
Check Queen's University International Centre (QUIC) resources for idead to work/intern, or volunteer abroad.
Prepare for work or studies in a multicultural environment by taking QUIC's online Intercultural Modules.
Get ready for life after graduation
Confirm requirements for full-time jobs or professional program applications or other opportunities related to careers of interest.
Apply to jobs or future education, or make plans for other adventures. Get help from Career Services with resumes, interviews, grad school applications, or other decisions.
Queen’s BHSc is a direct-entry program, requiring an 80% in ENG4U (or French equivalent), 4U biology, 4U chemistry, any 4U math, plus 2 additional 4U or 4M courses. A minimum cumulative average of 75% (including prerequisite courses) is required for admission consideration. However, acceptance into the on-campus program will be competitive. It is anticipated that the admission average will be over 90% for the on-campus BHSc. Note: the Supplementary Essay (SE) is now required for admission to the on-campus Bachelor of Health Sciences program.
If you’d like to take a little more time to decide if the program is right for you and perhaps don’t meet the minimum admission requirements, then consider applying for admission to take individual courses from the program as an online student. Successful candidates are admitted as “Non-Degree Interest Students,” and you can take a limited number of individual courses without working towards completing the full BHSc degree. You would also have the option of subsequently progressing into the online degree program, if you wish, based on your performance in specific completed interest courses.
To learn more, select the category that applies best to your current situation:
Dentistry
When we think of “dentistry”, we automatically think of teeth, but there is so much more to this branch of medicine. This may be an excellent career path if you are interested in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of conditions associated with the mouth and surrounding…
Graduate Research
If being at the forefront of discovering scientific information that may translate into improvements in health and healthcare interests you, graduate research and the research opportunities available to you after graduation may be appealing. Graduate degrees can vary in length…
Medicine
The field of medicine is a vast one and encompasses many practices in the prevention, management, and treatment of illnesses. The BHSc program will provide you with differing perspectives across the spectrum of health sciences concentrations, preparing you for admission to medical…
Occupational Therapy
If you are interested in solving problems that interfere with a person’s ability to carry out everyday activities, then occupational therapy might be the career for you. Occupational therapists work in a variety of health care settings often as a member of a multidisciplinary team.…
Pharmacy
Graduating from a pharmacy program provides a clear path to becoming a pharmacist in large or independent pharmacies, but could also put you in the position to explore job opportunities in academia, regulation, or the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmacy schools tend to be heavy on…
Physical Therapy
Physical therapists (physiotherapists) improve a patient’s quality of life and address movement and function that affects patients’ daily lives. While physiotherapists commonly have a clinical practice, the field also includes…
Veterinary Medicine
Graduates of veterinary medicine are interested in diagnosing and treating injury with animals. The scope is wide covering all animals from domestic (small and large) to wild. It is essential to gain experience in a veterinary clinic setting and experience with animals, so look into…
We challenge. We support. You succeed. As one of the top universities in Canada, you can expect to be exposed to innovative concepts, different ideas and new ways of thinking. Queen’s takes an inclusive approach to the student experience and aims to ensure students feel supported, welcomed, and included. Starting the summer before you arrive with the SOAR program, and continuing through your time here, Queen’s offers many programs and services dedicated to supporting your transition to university, your health and wellness, and your academic and career planning.
Discover our Anatomy Facilities
With hundreds of specimens, bones, and anatomical models, the Queen’s University Anatomy Learning Centre is considered one of the finest in Canada.
For undergraduate students, it’s an exciting learning experience. It’s often the first opportunity that these students have to work with real, fresh human cadavers and anatomical material.
First-year Bachelor of Health Sciences…
Why Queen's?
One of the questions that we hear most often from prospective students is “Why should I choose Queen’s?” Here are some of the first-year experiences that you can expect at Queen’s University.
Queen’s boasts 17 unique residence buildings on campus, hosting more than 4,500 students. In fact, 90 per cent of the…
Live in one of the top five university towns in the world, according to the BBC.
Described by students as both “quaint” and “eclectic,” Kingston is big enough to provide all the conveniences of modern life, and small enough for students, staff, and faculty to feel instantly comfortable and at home. Queen’s is located on a beautiful waterfront, just a 10-15-minute walk from downtown Kingston.
Kingston will quickly become your home-away-from-home. It is home to more restaurants per capita than any other city in Canada, has been labeled the “smartest city in Canada” with the highest number of PhDs per capita in the country, and if you enjoy exploring, you will also be able to easily travel from Kingston to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, New York State and more!