UVic news – University of Victoria

The complexities of health care in Canada are growing, and with them come greater demands for health care professionals and specialized research. The University of Victoria’s new Faculty of Health will help address these challenges by bringing together expertise across campus—through expanded research, academic programs and new and expanded partnership opportunities—that will have far-reaching impacts. Future students can now apply to the new faculty, with the first cohort of students starting in May 2025.

Health care is one of the top concerns of our time. We have a critical need for more nurses and a wide range of health and wellness practitioners, now and for the future. Understanding these needs, and the focus required to meet them, means that Health education is different here—our unique programs support the needs of our communities locally, while improving health outcomes globally. As a top-ranked Canadian comprehensive university for producing career-ready graduates, and with over 4,000 practicums and co-ops each year, UVic is leading the way to create a healthier and more resilient future for everyone.”

—Kevin Hall, UVic’s president and vice-chancellor

Six schools and their existing undergraduate and graduate programs will become part of the Faculty of Health on May 1, 2025. They are: Medical Sciences; Nursing; Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education; Public Health and Social Policy; Social Work; and Health Information Science. UVic’s counselling psychology and clinical psychology graduate programs are also included in the new faculty. 

With more than 200 faculty members working in health and wellness on campus, the new faculty builds on UVic’s existing strengths in health and wellness education, training and research. It will bring together a diverse and talented community of students, faculty and partners—including the University of British Columbia and Island Health—to deliver the Island Medical Program, address systemic barriers to health care and create healthier communities.

This transformative change for UVic embodies our vision for a healthier, more equitable future. Through the Faculty of Health, UVic will be better positioned to recruit, train and support students and scholars and empower the next generation of health practitioners, researchers and leaders. The Faculty of Health will advance new approaches to health and wellness, addressing some of the biggest challenges facing our diverse communities across the province and country.”

—Elizabeth Croft, vice-president academic and provost

Creation of the new faculty was led by the Senate Committee on Academic Health Programming, chaired by Helga Hallgrímsdóttir, deputy provost. The amalgamation of current programs into the new faculty will pave the way for new experiential and training opportunities for students in a research-enriched learning environment, including paid co-op placements and practicums. UVic is home to the first post-secondary program in health informatics in Canada, the first and only double master’s degree combining nursing and health informatics in Canada and the first accredited Health Terminology Standards certificate. With more than 100,000 co-op placements, UVic continues to lead the way in health and wellness-applied experiential learning, taking students from practice to practitioner, by combining hands-on practicums, community-engaged learning, and cutting-edge primary care and human health programs. 

As part of the university’s ongoing commitment to  Xʷkʷənəŋistəl | W̱ȻENEṈISTEL | Helping to move each other forward, UVic’s renewed Indigenous Plan 2023, the faculty aims to embed Indigenous perspectives through a distinctions-based approach, including integrated Indigenous health and Indigenous-led scholarship.

This approach will prioritize Indigenous ways of knowing and will incorporate these perspectives into future health and wellness programming, courses, and curriculum. By doing so, we aim to address physical and societal barriers to medical care for vulnerable communities, including Indigenous Peoples and those living in rural and remote communities in BC.”

—Qwul’sih’yah’maht, Robina Thomas, vice-president Indigenous

Better health starts here

Explore some recent UVic stories that showcase the groundbreaking research and initiatives that are reshaping health care across our communities. From advancing Indigenous nursing education, to pioneering projects that enhance access to reproductive health services, our collective efforts highlight UVic’s dedication to community-led research, collaboration, reconciliation and creating students who are career-ready for the future of healthcare. Read the backgrounder.

The establishment of the Faculty of Health aligns with UVic’s strategic plans and commitment to ʔetalnəwəl | ÁTOL,NEUEL | Respecting the rights of one another and being in right relationship with all things, which focuses on UVic’s relationships with one another, with the lands and waters and with all living beings. By respecting the local Nations and honouring the teachings we each carry with us, we will centre Indigenous ways of knowing and being in teaching, learning, researching, and providing services and wellness that lend themselves to better health outcomes for everyone.

Read more about the creation of the Faculty of Health

Explore the new Faculty of Health website

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A media kit containing images is available on Dropbox