The PhD in Labour Studies will prepare students for the critical appraisal of work, working people and their organizations, and how labour market policies and institutions shape the experience of work and employment. It will provide students with opportunities to learn about advanced research methods, theory, public policy and a variety of issues relevant to labour studies.

Students will be required to complete coursework in advanced labour studies theory, critical community engaged research methods, a graduate doctoral seminar, and an additional graduate level course drawn either from our MA in Work and Society or from a social sciences graduate faculty at McMaster University. Students will take a comprehensive examination in their area of interest and present a thesis which shows competence in original research and will be required to defend it during a final oral examination.

Graduates of the PhD in Labour Studies will take up careers in academia while others will see their PhD studies as a pathway to employment in both the public, non-profit and private sectors primarily as researchers, policy makers, administrators, organizers and educators.

The UNENE diploma in Nuclear Engineering allows students to broaden their knowledge and enhance their core skills in nuclear engineering at a University graduate level. Courses are given outside of working hours to accommodate people with a full-time job. The diploma provides an option for students who wish to quickly specialize in certain areas, or who do not have the time nor resources to take the UNENE Master of Engineering (MEng) program. Students completing the diploma will gain theoretical and practical  knowledge of at least two fundamental disciplines in nuclear engineering, plus two areas of specialization. The diploma is jointly delivered between McMaster University and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

Students take four courses which are currently listed under the UNENE MEng program The diploma addresses the following learning outcomes:

• Enhanced Problem Solving
• Multidisciplinary Knowledge
• Safety and Risk Analysis
• Fundamental Knowledge

Graduates of the UNENE diploma having had the opportunity and the flexibility to augment their nuclear knowledge and skills, within the rigour of academic standards, will find application in areas relevant to their work, in the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power plants.

The PhD in Health Studies allows students to take a critical, interdisciplinary, and social science perspective in the study of health, illness, and health care. Students completing the PhD in Health Studies will have theoretical and methodological expertise in integrating knowledge and critical approaches to research from a broad range of disciplines in the social sciences.

Students will be required to complete coursework in Social Science Perspectives on Health and Aging, Quantitative Research Methods in Studies of Health and Aging, Qualitative and Historical Methods in Studies of Health and Aging, Critical Perspectives in Health Studies, as well as elective courses. Participation in a non-credit research and professional development seminar is also required. Students will take a comprehensive exam in their area of concentration in Health Studies. PhD students will also present a thesis which shows competence in original research and will be required to defend it during a final oral examination.

Graduates of the PhD in Health Studies will be equipped to pursue careers not only in academia but also the public, private, and non-profit/voluntary sectors, in a variety of opportunities for researchers, program strategists, knowledge brokers, and policy analysts.

The PhD in Social Gerontology allows students to take a critical social science perspective and an interdisciplinary approach to the study of aging. Students who complete the PhD in Social Gerontology will acquire theoretical and methodological expertise in social gerontology with a specific emphasis on an interdisciplinary social science perspective on aging and the condition of later age.

Students will be required to complete coursework in Social Science Perspectives on Health and Aging, Quantitative Research Methods in Studies of Health and Aging, Qualitative and Historical Methods in Studies of Health and Aging, Critical Perspectives on Aging, as well as elective courses. Participation in a non-credit research and professional development seminar is also required. Students will take a comprehensive exam in their area of concentration in Social Gerontology. PhD students will also present a thesis which shows competence in original research and will be required to defend it during a final oral examination.

Graduates of the PhD in Social Gerontology will be equipped to pursue careers not only in academia but also the public, private, and non-profit/voluntary sectors, in a variety of opportunities for researchers, program strategists, knowledge brokers, and policy analysts.

The Master of Public Health will train public health and health care professionals, resident physicians, and undergraduates from health related programs who want to enhance their skills and knowledge about population and public health research and practice.  The MPH will include seven core courses, electives and either a practicum or thesis.   The MPH will be offered full time and part time and will offer courses by distance in the future. The MPH builds on the strengths of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University.

MPH students will learn to analyze and interpret health and other relevant data and information from a number of sources relevant to policy, planning, evaluation and research in population and public health; investigate issues of population and public health concern; evaluate and utilize evidence to identify options, make decisions and defend their position and consult regarding public health research methods, planning and evaluation, policy development and implementation, and public health program management.

MPH students complete coursework in Foundations of Public Health Research, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health Research and Public Health Policy.  Two interactive Seminar courses are also required. Graduates of the MPH will be prepared to compete for positions in public health and health care organizations and apply for doctoral work in public health related fields.

The Graduate Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology trains physicians, health policy makers, research staff, and graduate students in allied disciplines who to need to understand, appraise, and use health research evidence.  The four courses of the diploma provide graduate level training in the fundamental concepts and methods of clinical epidemiology but without the research intensive focus of a complete MSc degree.  The diploma is completely online, offering maximum flexibility for working professionals, students or post-graduate trainees already enrolled in another program, from anywhere in the world.

The Graduate Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology (GDCE) builds on the strengths of the internationally respected Health Research Methods Graduate Programs in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University.  Like the HRM program, the courses are taught by faculty in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, a premier destination for graduate study and research in clinical epidemiology.  The four online courses comprising the program are recognized as equivalent to the core HRM courses, and are ideal for applicants with an interest in HRM training without the commitment of a entire MSc degree completed on site.

GDCE students complete coursework in Fundamentals of Health Research and Evaluation Methods, Introduction to Biostatistics, Introduction to Research Methods for Randomized Controlled Trials, and Systematic Review Methods.  Students learn to critically appraise the healthcare literature, apply the fundamentals of health-research designs, including randomized controlled trials, conduct and use research syntheses, and understand the application of biostatistics.  Graduates will gain foundational knowledge in the tenets of evidence-based medicine and a skill set applicable in clinical, policy, management, and research settings.   The graduate diploma is also an opportunity for qualified students to demonstrate their aptitude for training in the HRM MSc program.  The  GDCE courses are normally accepted for credit toward the requirements of the HRM MSc for students who successfully apply to HRM after completing the GDCE.

The Graduate Diploma in Professional Accountancy program is a specialized program which prepares graduates of McMaster’s Commerce program (and MBA program) for the certification of the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation, the only professional accounting designation in Canada commencing 2015.  The program provides candidates an in-depth learning of the principles and practices of a professional accountant. The curriculum is developed to provide students with the necessary tools and techniques required for the profession. Therefore, the course offerings are designed to match their content with The CPA Competency Map, more specifically the core and elective modules of the CPA Professional Educational Program (PEP).

Graduates of the Honours Commerce program (and MBA program) would have completed the equivalence of the CPA Prerequisite Educational Program (PREP) and met the entry requirements of the CPA PEP.  The Graduate Diploma program further develops candidates’ knowledge in six technical competency areas: financial reporting, strategy and governance, management accounting, audit and assurance, finance, and taxation.  By completing the Graduate Diploma program in the summer term on a full-time basis, candidates will be eligible for direct entry to Capstone 1 (Integrative Module) of the CPA PEP.  They will also be able to complete the certification requirements (Capstone 1 – Integrative Module; Capstone 2 – Evaluation Preparation; and Common Final Evaluation) in five months as compared to the two-year CPA PEP.   With extensive coverage in the six technical competency areas, candidates also have greater opportunities and choices in their career as a professional accountant.

The Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization (BDC) program is multidisciplinary in nature, concentrated in the biomedical sciences and aims to produce graduates with the combined strengths of discovery research skills and business acumen.  The program is a ‘4+1’ Bachelor plus Master program.  It will comprise a four-year undergraduate Bachelor’s degree that begins in level III.  Candidates who successfully graduate from the four-year undergraduate BDC program may then choose to apply for admission to the one-year non-thesis, course-based Master’s program.  Upon successful completion of the degree requirements, candidates will graduate with a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree in BDC and subsequently a Master of Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization. 

An important goal of the BDC program is the exposure to business curriculum in the DeGroote School of Business to complement a strong foundation in the biomedical sciences obtained in the Faculty of Health Sciences.  Further, the program will foster strong connections with the health research business community, through internships and community mentors in the Master’s program.  With this unique combination of skills and knowledge, BDC graduates will be well positioned for employment in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and other biomedical science sectors of the economy.

Astrobiology, including the related research area “the origins of life,” is an intrinsically interdisciplinary or perhaps more appropriately “transdisciplinary”‘ science. Researchers must possess expertise in specific fields such as astrophysics, planetary science and microbiology, but also must possess the training that allows them to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams.

The Collaborative Program in Astrobiology will involve five participating graduate programs. These are:

• Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences
• Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
• Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Faculty of Science
• Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science
• School of Geography and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science

Students entering the Collaborative Program (at either the master or doctoral level) must complete requirements for the appropriate graduate degree in their home department or school.

The goal of the program is to offer students a high-quality course of study that will develop and enhance their understanding of the principles and practice of modem finance. In doing so, it will prepare students to deal with complex concepts and the body of knowledge required of modem finance professionals.

Learning outcomes expected from the program include:

1. The ability to apply appropriate principles of valuation to financial assets, including derivatives.
2. The ability to engage in applied research and determine whether firm investment and corporate policies create value.
3. The knowledge required to evaluate financial risk and devise appropriate risk-management strategies.
4. The knowledge required to assess risk-return tradeoffs in investment management.
5. The ability to model financial problems to facilitate decision making.
6. The ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in a professional setting.
7. Ethical behaviour consistent with academic integrity and appropriate professional judgments.

Central to the program is its intention to offer courses that are taught by active researchers, and in areas that are closely related to their research. In doing so, it aspires to foster critical thinking and a passion for learning among its students. The program is linked to the scholarly interests and activity of members of the Finance and Business Economics Area in the Faculty of Business.