Environmental Health.
As part of Boston University’s on-campus Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, you will choose at least one Functional Certificate as your area of concentration, building upon your interests, strengths and career goals.
Environmental Health Functional Certificate
This 16-credit MPH certificate program is STEM approved; visit the ISSO website for details.
With your training in environmental health, you are prepared to pursue a career addressing environmental determinants of public health and health disparities in various professional settings, including local, state, and federal government, nonprofit organizations, the private sector, and academia.
As part of the Environmental Health certificate program, MPH students expand their knowledge of the environmental health sciences as they:
- Collect and analyze environmental data and articulate the characteristics of major chemical, physical, and biological hazards.
- Interpret measured or modeled concentrations or doses of hazards compared with risk-based and non-risk-based criteria and guidelines.
- Evaluate the influence of susceptibility based on a hazards’ biological mode of action, and vulnerability on health risks for major environmental determinants of human disease.
- Identify defensible intervention and prevention strategies to improve health through reduction in exposures to environmental hazards.
- Critically assess articles related to environmental impacts on health, analyzing the strength and validity of the hypothesis, study design and methods, results, conclusions, and public health significance of primary research studies.
Sample Course Titles
- Methods in Environmental Health Sciences
- Toxicology for Public Health
- Environmental Epidemiology
- Risk Assessment Methods
- Field Methods in Exposure Science
- Intro GIS for Public Health
- Environmental Justice: Social Movement, Science and Policy
- Climate Change and Public Health
View the BU Bulletin for Course Requirements
* Students should reference the Bulletin for their matriculation year to see their specific course requirements.
Sample Practicum
- Outreach Coordinator—Project Bread
- Intern—Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
- Research Intern—Boston Medical Center (BMC)
- Practicum Student—Massachusetts Reform Law Institute
- Intern—Health Effects Institute
View Career Data
Integrative Learning Experience (ILE)
Integrated into the MPH program, students apply insights from their coursework and experiences by writing a policy memo for a defined stakeholder group. Students will work on a case study either from a project-based class (e.g., Field Methods in Exposure Science, Risk Assessment Methods, GIS for Public Health Decision Making) or an idea developed independently, and work closely with the Certificate Director to develop and then present a professional product to faculty and peers.
Certificate Director
“The environment is the most enduring, recognized predictor of health. Air pollution, chemicals in consumer products, climate change, lead poisoning, poor housing, sanitation, infectious agents, and contaminated water supplies are just a few of the predictors of the health of communities around the globe. Students in the Environmental Health Certificate learn the tools and methods needed to investigate and solve problems associated with the environmental health challenges of today and tomorrow. In addition, they work to develop effective communication skills and strategies to clearly articulate the problems and solutions to our environmental health challenges. Our students are closely mentored, engaging with faculty, practitioners, and community/advocacy organizations inside and outside of the classroom.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should I contact for advising or with questions about the EH Certificate?
All students that have officially declared the Environmental Health Certificate have been assigned an academic advisor for the certificate. Academic advisors are faculty members with expertise in the certificate content. Faculty advisors serve primarily in a mentoring role, providing guidance regarding career path, professional development, and options to complete degree requirements.
You should have received an email soon after declaring this certificate (within two weeks) notifying you of your academic advisor, and your advisor’s name should appear in the Academics section of the MyBU Student Portal. With questions, please email Christine Copacino (copacino@bu.edu).
Academic Program Administrator
The Academic Program Administrator for the EH Certificate is Christine Copacino, MEd. She is available to help you plan your courses in accordance with degree requirements, understand the School’s educational policies and procedures, and connect to resources within BUSPH. Please reach out to her with any questions about courses, credit requirements, faculty, and programming within this certificate (copacino@bu.edu).
Christine also hosts weekly virtual office hours, on Thursdays from 1-2pm. Please reach out to Christine for the Zoom link, or to schedule an appointment if you are unable to make this time.
Certificate Director
You can also reach out to the Certificate Director, Junenette L. Peters,ScD, with questions about the certificate or the program (petersj@bu.edu).
Registrar
Graduate Student Life
Which course bulletin should I use if I matriculated several years prior?
Find any previous academic year’s bulletin in the BU
archive.
What are the required and elective courses within the EH Certificate (EH Certificate Roadmap)?
When are courses in the certificate typically offered?
How and when do I register for the ILE?
Visit Graduation Requirements FAQs and scroll to the question “I’m An MPH Student, How And When Do I Register For The ILE?” to view details about ILE registration.
Can I complete the EH Certificate with other certificates?
Yes! Each on-campus MPH student pursues at least one functional certificate. You also may add a second functional certificate or choose a context-related certificate or additional electives. Even if there is little course overlap, many functional and context certificates pair well with EH and you should discuss this with your academic advisor.
Overall, there is the potential for 4 credits to overlap between certificates, and the EH Certificate has been designed to allow for overlap with other complementary certificates. For example, there is a course that counts toward the EH Certificate that also counts toward the Epidemiology and Biostatistics Certificate.
What types of jobs do students get after completing the EH Certificate?
Graduates of the EH Certificate find roles in many different sectors, including government (local, state, federal), environmental consulting, NGOs, hospitals, and continuing graduate training, among others. Such roles tend to fall into functions such as program management, advocacy, administration, research, and project management. The EH certificate provides the foundational knowledge and skills to support these and other careers, with the ability to choose courses that fit numerous career paths.
For current students, the Exploring Public Health Careers resource, managed by the Career & Practicum Office, presents material on a range of public health fields, with a special focus on BUSPH certificates and career pathways. There is often an overlap between fields and skills utilized, so we encourage you to explore multiple sections to gain a deeper understanding.
The page of the resource specific to Environmental Health Careers can be accessed here.
What enrichment activities are available in the certificate?
How do I stay in the know about EH Certificate activities and announcements?
The Department of Environmental Health issues a weekly newsletter, the EH Blast, including information pertaining to announcements, upcoming events, certificate information, job and practicum opportunities, and much more. Declared students will receive this email.
For more information about MPH degree requirements and admissions, request information to learn more.
