Overview
MHST 601 is a core course in the MHS program. In MHST 601, you will develop the foundational skills and perspectives essential for advanced study in health disciplines. You will build competencies in critical appraisal, evidence synthesis, and argumentation as you explore topics ranging from interprofessional collaboration and the Canadian health system to epistemological frameworks, positionality, worldviews, health equity, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in academic scholarship.
Outline
MHST 601 is a paced course delivered over 13 weeks using an asynchronous online learning approach.
Course content focuses on the development of foundational competencies required for graduate-level scholarship and practice in health sciences. Emphasis is placed on the following:
- Academic and research skills, including critical appraisal, evidence synthesis, and argumentation
- Theoretical frameworks encompassing epistemology, ontology, positionality, and worldviews
- Health systems, interprofessional collaboration, and critical approaches to health equity and social justice
- Responsible and informed use of artificial intelligence in academic scholarship
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, learners will be able to:
- Locate recent and relevant health literature
- Engage in critical appraisal of health literature;
- Synthesize/integrate health evidence to advance understanding;
- Construct logical assertions and well-founded arguments;
- Analyze policy through multiple theoretical and philosophical lenses in the context of epistemology (ways of knowing), ontology (ways of being), positionality, and diverse worldviews.
Evaluation
Assessment in MHST 601 consists of multiple course activities with assigned percentage weightings. Your final grade is based on overall performance across all required assessments. A variety of assessment approaches are used to evaluate achievement of the course learning outcomes.
| Activity | Weight |
| Discussion engagement | 20% |
| Written assignments | 80% |
| Total | 100% |
Materials
There is no textbook for this course. All required readings and materials are digital and are located within the course.