U of A launches first interdisciplinary undergraduate health degree
Noah Martin BHSc
When Noah Martin was in the third year of his undergrad at the University of Alberta, a brand new course caught his eye. Launched in winter 2025 by the College of Health Sciences, HLTH 100: Your Future in Health: Pathways and Possibilities incorporates material from all six faculties in the College of Health Sciences, introducing undergraduate students to the many health professions and how they intersect.
“I knew I wanted to work in health, but I wasn't sure if there was a clinical path that I wanted to take or if I wanted to go the public-health route or if I wanted to go the health-research route,” recalls Martin, who is now pursuing a master’s in community health science at the University of Calgary. “So I took the class to see the different opportunities that you can take in health science and understand where everyone fits into the puzzle.”
That online offering is now a foundational course in the new four-year bachelor of health sciences degree.
Taking off from the launching pad of INT D 100, organizers envision the BHSc as a strategic starting point for anyone interested in pursuing a career in health. It is specifically aimed at high school graduates who are drawn to the health professions but, like Martin, curious and perhaps even a bit uncertain about which path to choose. The program’s unique flexibility, says Dr. Brenda Hemmelgarn, dean and vice-provost of the college, “gives those students the opportunity to dive into their interests and validate where their passions and skillsets lie before investing in one career path.”
Curriculum will draw from Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation; Medicine/Dentistry; Nursing; Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Public Health; and Rehabilitation Medicine; preparing graduates for immediate employment in a variety of fields. It will also act as a solid foundation for those wishing to pursue research-intensive postgraduate studies or further academic training for careers in medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and more. The unprecedented level of collaboration “reflects the college's commitment to interdisciplinary education, creating a distinctive learning experience that no single faculty could offer alone,” says Hemmelgarn.
Portrait of Angela Bayduza
When I think about this degree, I think about the best that each of the faculties in the college has to offer,” adds Dr. Angela Bayduza, academic director. “It brings together the magnificent strengths and work that we do in almost every aspect of human health and well-being. It is truly an interdisciplinary degree unlike any other in the college.”
The first cohort of about 150 students will arrive on campus next September, with the option to choose from several concentrations within the degree: Population and Public Health; Health Systems Innovation; and Mental Health and Well-being. Regardless of the stream they choose, though, says Bayduza, all students will be exposed from very early on to opportunities for applied practice.
When he thinks back to the interdisciplinary course he took, the benefit of this kind of study is clear to Noah Martin. “I wanted to be able to learn more about interdisciplinary health — being able to collaborate with other health professionals and understand how we can all contribute in a unique way without stepping on each other's toes. That was something that I found really really interesting to learn from that class.”
“And now, with this degree, you can take it in whatever direction you want. Prompting curiosity, introspection and exploration, it’s an opportunity to learn about yourself.”
Importantly, those opportunities for student exploration will also pay dividends for the communities they will one day serve, says Hemmelgarn. “Our health system here in Alberta and around the world is evolving at a rapid pace,” she says, “which offers opportunities for innovation that require people who can work across disciplines, professions and sectors. This is an investment in healthier communities.”