Population Health Data Science
Qualifications
Overview
Population Health Data Science explores the relationships between the physical environment and people’s health. This major will prepare you to analyse data using geospatial information science (GIS) and help find patterns and potential solutions to health problems affecting our society.
The applications for geomapping health data are hugely varied; from measuring air quality in dense urban areas, to finding the source of water pollution in our rivers, to calculating traffic accident high-risk zones, or mapping disease outbreak in highly populated cities.
You will be able to examine data for use in large-scale clinical data research, or in public health systems and policy.
- Practical learning in this major will see you using state-of-the-art computer and software labs, and using UC’s connections with Manawa Health Hub and research centres such as Te Taiwhenua o te Hauora | GeoHealth Laboratory and Toi Hangarau | Geospatial Research Institute.
- UC is ranked first in Aotearoa New Zealand for research in Public Health (Te Amorangi Mātauranga Matua | Tertiary Education Commission 2018 PBRF assessment).
UC offers a major in Population Health Data Science as part of the Bachelor of Data Science.
Population Health Data Science major
The following courses are required throughout the degree:
100-level
200-level
- HLTH 213 Health Systems and Policy
- HLTH 214 Environmental and Occupational Health
- One 200-level HLTH or GEOG course
300-level
- GEOG 325 Health, Wellbeing and Environment
- HLTH 312 Health Planning, Implementation and Evaluation
- HLTH 309 Data Science Applications for Population Health
You will also need to choose any 30 points of courses from the following:
- GEOG 110 People, Places and Environments
- GEOG 205 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Science
- GEOG 217 Places for Wellbeing and Flourishing
- GEOG 323 Geospatial Analysis in the Social and Environmental Sciences
- GEOG 324 Web GIS and Geoinformatics
- HLTH 101 Introduction to Health Studies
- HLTH 106 Te Wero – Māori Health Issues and Opportunities
- HLTH 111 Global Health
- HLTH 202 Health and Society: Applied Research for Aotearoa
With environmental and economic changes affecting the globe, more organisations and research efforts are looking to combat issues ranging from environmental contamination, socio-demographic change and inequality, and disease control, for example the World Health Organisation.
Geospatial health science has been identified on Immigration New Zealand’s current Long-Term Skill Shortage List.
You will find work in spatial analysis, software development, health research and statistics, policy, consultancies, and the public health sector.
Find out more about what you can do with a degree in Data Science.
Contact us
For study planning help, please contact Professor Peyman Zawar-Reza:
Email peyman.zawar-reza@canterbury.ac.nz
Postal address
Te Rāngai Pūtaiao | College of Science
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand
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