MS in Environmental Health
The Master of Science (MS) in Environmental Health prepares graduates to work as program or project managers, as staff scientists or research associates. As awareness of environmental influences on human health increases among policy makers and the public, opportunities for graduates to make a difference are expanding. These opportunities are found in state and federal agencies, town governments, nonprofit organizations, environmental consulting firms, university settings, and industry. Students focus in one of four substantive areas: (1) environmental epidemiology, (2) the environmental health aspects of urban and community environmental health, (3) toxicology and risk assessment, or (4) exposure assessment.
MS Requirements
MS candidates must complete a total of 48 credits (12 courses), with a minimum grade of B in each required course. The degree must be completed in 5 years.
All students take a common set of six required courses and must earn a B or better in all six courses.
- BS 723 Introduction to Statistical Computing
- EH 710 Basic Human Physiology
- EH 765 Survey of Environmental Health
- EH 768 Introduction to Toxicology
- EH 804 Exposure Assessment
- EP 713 Introduction to Epidemiology
Students also take a set of three courses required for their chosen area of focused study. There is some overlap in the course requirements of the four areas of study, all of which draw on this list of courses:
- BS 805 Intermediate Statistical Computing & Applied Regression Analysis
- BS 852 Statistical Methods for Epidemiology
- EH 757 Environmental Epidemiology
- EH 807 Urban Environmental Health
- EH 811 GIS in Public Health
- EH 840 Intermediate Toxicology
- EH 866 Risk Assessment Methods
- EH 962 Research in Environmental Health
- EP 854 Advanced Epidemiology
- GMS CM 753 Cell Biology, in the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences of the Boston University School of Medicine
- SB 818 Qualitative Research Methods
Students must participate in an integrative experience that has three components: research or internship experience, a paper in which the student conducts a rigorous analysis of the work conducted, and an oral presentation of the paper in a departmental seminar. Students are expected to complete the integrative experience for zero credits during the summer.
All master of science students must adhere to the following calendar in preparing and submitting the thesis in 2011–2012.
MS Graduation Calendar
| Degree awarded | Sept. 25, 2011 | Jan. 25, 2012 | May 15, 2012 |
| Graduation application | At least 30 days prior to final oral exam | At least 30 days prior to final oral exam | At least 30 days prior to final oral exam |
| Last date for final oral exam | Aug. 19, 2011 | Nov. 22, 2011 | Apr. 13, 2012 |
| Signed thesis (2 copies to Mugar Library) | Sept. 9, 2011 | Dec. 16, 2011 | Apr. 30, 2012 |
