MPH: Environmental Health Concentration
The Master of Public Health program with a concentration in environmental health (EH) prepares students to move into the front lines of public health. The curriculum first gives a firm grounding in environmental health science and policy, and then allows students to tailor further coursework to their interests in environmental epidemiology; environmental exposures and risk assessment; community-based environmental health and justice; or global ecology, environmental sustainability, and health. A final academic project and hands-on experience in a work setting complete the MPH concentration in environmental health. Our graduates find rewarding careers in public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and research and consulting settings.
All EH concentrators must take EH 765 in the fall to meet the MPH core course requirement.
Concentration Requirements (minimum 16 credits)
As part of the minimum 16 credits of concentration credits, all Environmental Health concentrators must earn a B- or better in EH 768, Toxicology (4 credits), and successfully complete a 4-credit course that is a capstone course for the concentration (see list below in the Culminating Experience section).
The remaining 8 concentration credits come from EH courses numbered 700 or above, except EH 717 Introduction to Environmental Health, or from these courses that carry Environmental Health concentration credit:
- EP 752 Cancer Epidemiology
- EP 755 Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- PH 825 The Role of Human and Environmental Factors in Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases
Environmental Health Culminating Experience
To meet the Culminating Experience requirement, MPH students concentrating in Environmental Health give a seminar presentation that demonstrates their proficiency in the Environmental Health competencies learned throughout the Environmental Health curriculum and in a capstone course. The capstone courses promote skills in the areas of assessment, measurement, and prevention of exposure to environmental health hazards or their health effects. Students must present their work to their colleagues, faculty, and other members of the community at a professional seminar held during a workday near the end of each Fall and Spring Semester. Faculty will objectively assess the student’s level of mastery in applying the theories and principles used in class.
The following courses are considered capstone courses in Environmental Health; students must choose one of these capstone courses to complete their Culminating Experience. This capstone course counts for 4 of the required 16 concentration credits.
- EH 757 Environmental Epidemiology
- EH 804 Exposure Assessment
- EH 840 Intermediate Toxicology
- EH 866 Risk Assessment Methods
- EH 961 Directed Studies in Environmental Health (when completed for 4 credits and approved specifically as a culminating course)
Students who have not achieved a grade of B or better in their capstone course by the last day to withdraw from a course with a W grade for that semester (typically one month before the end of the semester, see registrar schedule for semester-specific date) will not be eligible to present their work in the professional seminar that semester. A student who does not meet this minimum grade requirement may petition the EH Curriculum Committee to be allowed to improve the analysis/project in the subsequent semester in order to present the seminar.
Areas of Emphasis
Although students do not formally declare an area of emphasis within the environmental health concentration, most students choose to focus in one of the following optional areas. For more information, see the concentrator guide.
- Environmental Epidemiology
- Environmental Exposure and Risk Assessment
- Community-Based Environmental Health and Justice
- Global Ecology, Environmental Sustainability, and Health
