Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2026 - HSCI 821 G100

Introduction to Global Health (3)

Class Number: 2126

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Wed, 12:30–3:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

This is a survey course in global health. The course introduces students to fundamental concepts, frameworks and vocabulary that underwrite the logics of global health, as well as important histories and milestones in the field. A survey will be conducted of the most significant topic areas in the field, considering epidemiological patterns, etiology, approaches to improving health outcomes and the policy ramifications of our knowledge.

COURSE DETAILS:

In an era marked by interconnected economies, global migration flows, trans-national corporate power and environmental change, it has become ever more important to ask: Why do some countries and populations remain burdened by ill health and poverty, while others flourish with better health and prosperity? This course explores how globalization functions as a fundamental “meta-determinant” of health equity — shaping the social, economic, political and environmental contexts in which health (and illness) arises. We examine the historical and conceptual foundations of globalization: how the term has evolved, how global economic integration and mobility have changed the nature of health challenges, the relationship between global forces and health outcomes. This is accomplished by unpacking the key pathways through which globalization influences health equity:

  • Shifts in labour markets, migration and precarious employment risk (and opportunity) for different populations.
  • Trade and investment liberalization, and the consequences of neoliberal economic policy for health systems, access to care, and social protection.
  • The transformation of health systems under global pressures—including the move from comprehensive primary health care toward selective, market-oriented models.
  • Changes in disease burden in the globalizing world: the spread of infectious diseases, the global diffusion of non-communicable diseases, and threats posed by environmental degradation of the global commons (water, air, food security).
  • The gendered dimensions of global health inequities.
  • The role of global governance, human rights, civil society and activism in shaping the possibilities for more equitable health outcomes across countries and populations.

With reflections on policy, governance and activism, the course invites students to ask: How can global health inequities be addressed? What global, national and local strategies can reduce unfair and avoidable health disparities?

Through readings and discussions, case-studies, guest lectures, students will engage with both the structural forces driving health inequities and the agency individuals, communities and institutions have to respond to these 

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the major causes of morbidity and mortality and explain how health risks vary by gender, income, culture, and other key determinants of health across regions.

  • Explain the relationship between health and social determinants of health, and how these determinants differ across world regions.

  • Analyze the impact of demographic and epidemiological changes, and of unsustainable and inequitable resource allocation and consumption, on essential resources for health, including water, sanitation, and food supply.

  • Describe how global trends in healthcare practice, commerce, and culture influence health and the quality and availability of healthcare locally and internationally.

  • Identify barriers to health and healthcare in low-resource settings both locally and globally.

  • Describe general trends and factors influencing the global availability and movement of healthcare workers.

  • Critically assess major multinational efforts to improve health worldwide.

  • Demonstrate a basic understanding of the relationship between health and human rights, and explain the role of global health ethics.

Grading

  • Class Project (individual and group components) 60%
  • Student-lead sessions 15%
  • Short essay/Letter to the Editor 15%
  • Participation, peer review, reflections 10%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Required readings will be assigned on the course page in Canvas

RECOMMENDED READING:

Global Health
Fourth Edition (2020)
Michael H. Merson, MD; Robert E. Black, MD, MPH; Anne J. Mills, PhD
https://www.jblearning.com/catalog/productdetails/9781284122626


ISBN: 9781284122626

Health Equity in a Globalizing Era: Past Challenges, Future Prospects
Ronald Labonté and Arne Ruckert

Print publication date: 2019
Print ISBN-13: 9780198835356


REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.