Circumpolar Health Course

Despite documented health disparities between the circumpolar north and other regions, the Arctic remains an underrepresented area in global health scholarship, which the global health program has been eager to explore.

The graduate course, Circumpolar Health: A Global Health Perspective, explores interdisciplinary perspectives on global health issues in the circumpolar north.

Throughout the course, students have the opportunity to examine key health issues relating to the Arctic through the lens of health equity and the social determinants of health. Through a series of guest lectures from a range of experts, the course provides students with diverse perspectives and knowledge relevant to the Arctic. Topics such as include climate change in the north, social determinants of health in circumpolar communities, and Arctic governance and development are explored.

The course builds on the speaker series hosted by the Global Health Office in 2021, which brought together professionals from Norwegian and Canadian universities, the Arctic Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group, and the Canadian Northern Development Agency.