Admission Requirements

Admission into the PhD program requires:

• Previous graduate training in a relevant field – a Master’s degree is preferred (e.g., social sciences, health professions, policy, business, legal or administrative professions);
• An A- or higher grade average in past graduate coursework;
• Completion of at least one graduate-level statistics half-course. Students without this preparation are required to take a graduate statistics course in advance of admission to ensure they can effectively focus on the required courses for this PhD program;
• A mature intellectual interest in health policy topics and high scholarly promise;
• Strong letters of recommendation; and,
• Meeting or exceeding University requirements for graduate admission, as detailed in the current Graduate Calendar.

“THE HEALTH POLICY PROGRAM IS THE ONLY PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN CANADA, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF ITS FACULTY MEMBERS THAT HAVE VAST EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT ALSO THE STUDENTS THAT THEY ATTRACT”

– HP PHD STUDENT

Application Procedure

You should identify a potential faculty supervisor and contact your supervisor(s) of choice well in advance of applying to the program, to:

• Establish that there is mutual interest in a supervisory relationship
• Ensure that the faculty member is currently inviting new doctoral students
• Get a preliminary assessment of your preparation and relevance of previously completed graduate coursework toward some curriculum requirements for the PhD.

Potential supervisors may request a telephone or in-person interview with prospective applicants.

The online application for the Health Policy PhD Program must be completed through the School of Graduate Studies at McMaster University. You will be asked to submit the following support documents (do not upload additional documents not on this list):

1. Two references. It is recommended to select individuals who are most familiar with your academic work.
   • Your reference will be promoted to complete a Confidential Application for Admission after your application has been fully submitted. They are welcome to provide a separate letter of support, though this does not replace the confidential report.
2. A Statement of Interest (A single PDF document with three sections)

Section 1: Preparation – In at most 250 words, please describe your motivation, background preparation and suitability for study in a Health Policy PhD program. You may choose to touch upon your educational, professional, and/or other experiences.

Section 2: Research interests and supervisory match – Recognizing that your preferences may change as you are exposed to new ideas in the PhD, in at most 500 words please describe the type of research you would like to undertake in your dissertation. You may choose to describe one or more of the following: topic area, problem, jurisdiction, methodological approach, data source(s), population and other. You do not need to address all these components. Please indicate clearly which parts of your research plans or interests are flexible and to which parts you are firmly committed.  This indication of flexibility is often important in finding a supervisor match, so please include this information clearly.

If you have identified particular faculty members you would like to work with, please list those individuals. Please indicate if one of these individuals has already agreed to supervise you.

Section 3: Writing sample – Your writing sample should be between 2-15 pages. You may choose to share a piece of writing you have created for another purpose (e.g., a graduate course) or you may write something new. Please do not submit co-authored or professionally edited writing.

3. Electronic copies of your transcripts.

• • Original and official transcripts from every college/university you have attended (undergraduate and graduate, including the legend) will only need to be sent directly to the program, from each academic institution, if you receive an offer into the Health Policy PhD Program
  • English transcripts are required
  • WES reports are not accepted

4. A copy of your current Curriculum Vitae in a conventional format – Note: there is no template for this.

5. If applicable, a copy of your TOEFL scores, completed within the last two years. Graduate degrees received from an English medium university wave the requirement for a TOEFL (or IELTS). A certified copy of your TOEFL scores are to be sent directly to the program from the testing agency

6. An Application for Coursework Waiver, if appropriate, along with a complete copy of the course syllabus.

Please ensure to upload your application materials electronically. Hard copy items that are being sent by surface mail, courier, or hand-delivered, can be sent to the following address:

Admissions, Health Policy PhD Program
McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, HSC 2C5
Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada

We regret that forms and supporting materials cannot be returned.

Prospective students should ensure that their application materials have been received by periodically reviewing the checklist, as applications will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee only when your file is complete. Applications received after the deadline may be reviewed, space permitting, but will have a lower chance of acceptance and be less competitive for scholarship or fellowship funding. Post-Degree applicants must follow the same online application procedure as listed above and will be informed if space is available only after all PhD applicants have been processed.

Important: The information on this website is frequently updated and may change at any time. Please consult the McMaster Graduate Calendar for policies during the current academic year. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the Health Policy PhD Program directly for up-to-date information.