Masters of Public Health, Concentration in Environmental Health Print
The Master of Public Health with a concentration in Environmental Health offers a program of study that gives students both a firm foundation and the flexibility to pursue their own interests, supported by a faculty with deep experience in teaching, research and practice.

Environmental Health graduates work today as directors of public health or environmental health for cities and towns, as program managers in state and federal health agencies, and in many roles in non-profit agencies. Other alumni hold research positions in public and private health research organizations, work as consultants in private risk assessment companies, or are physicians in occupational and environmental clinics. Each year, BUSPH alumni enter a wide range of jobs aimed at preventing environmental exposures and protecting public health.

MPH education in the department emphasizes sound science, the social values that are the foundation of public health, and training in the concepts and skills that will be the tools of the environmental health professional. These emphases are reflected in the requirements for the concentration in environmental health.

Competencies

In addition to the cross-cutting competencies that all MPH graduates master, upon completing the requirements for the MPH in Environmental Health graduates are able to:
  • Explain the scientific characteristics, including exposure and mode of action, of major biological, chemical, physical hazards that result in human health risk;
  • Manipulate environmental data, calculate dose and exposure, and present analyses; and
  • Critically read and describe the hypothesis, experimental design, methods and results and conclusions presented in papers from technical journal articles in environmental health.
Summary of Environmental Health (EH) Concentration Requirements:


 Course Credits Total Credits
Core Courses Biostatistics (BS704)  3 18-21
Epidemiology (EP713) 3
Enviromental Health (EH717 3
Health Law (LW719 or LW751)* 3 or 4
Health Policy and Management (PM702 or IH704)* 3 or 4
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB721 or IH720)* 3 or 4
EH Required Courses Introduction to Toxicology (EH768) 4 12
EH Approved Concentration Electives 6
Analytical Methods in Environmental Health (EH725)
 2
SPH Electives Elective Courses from any department [Suggested Course: The Biology of Public Health (PH709) (recommended if no previous college level biology course)] 4 12-18
Required Practicum Practicum varies varies
Required Culminating Experience A seminar presentation based on a substantial research paper or project conducted as part of the coursework of one of the following designated courses: Environmental Epidemiology
(EH757), Exposure Assessment (EH804), Intermediate Toxicology (EH840), Risk Assessment Methods (EH866), or Directed Study in EH (EH961) [must be 4 credit and preapproved as Culminating Experience]
 4 4
Total Credits: 48

*EH Concentrators who are neither US citizens nor permanent residents are exempted from the Health Law requirement and may substitute IH720 for SB721 and IH704 for PM702

Emphasis Areas

Students who wish to delve deeper into a specific area of Environmental Health can use concentration and school-wide electives to focus their studies in one of 4 emphasis areas:
Your advisor can help you decide if an emphasis is right for you and suggest which courses to take within that emphasis. For detailed course listings visit the Environmental Health Concentrator’s Guide.

Prospective students should contact the Environmental Health staff at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for additional information.

Environmental Epidemiology Emphasis
The Environmental Epidemiology Emphasis focuses on the design and conduct of studies of specific environmental exposures and of diseases with environmental causes, tracking diseases and hazards (surveillance), and the methodology used to assess patterns of environmentally related diseases. Classes are taught in close collaboration with the Department of Epidemiology and include specialized instruction in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) methods and exposure assessment. This emphasis prepares students for research and positions in public health departments. 

Environmental Exposure and Risk Assessment Emphasis
The courses in the Environmental Exposures and Risk Assessment Emphasis provide hands‐on teaching of the tools for assessing exposure to, and associated health risks of, environmental hazards found in air, water, soil and other parts of the environment. Public health department practice, work with agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, research, consulting, and exposure assessment positions are all compatible with the training offered in this emphasis.

Global Ecology, Environmental Sustainability and Health Emphasis
Students pursuing the Global Ecology, Environmental Sustainability and Health Emphasis study the environmental health impacts of industrial development in the world's poorer nations, sustainable methods of sanitation, and infectious diseases. Classroom instruction prepares students for work in international settings and for non-governmental organization (NGO), governmental, and advocacy work.

Community-Based Environmental Health and Justice
The Community-Based Environmental Health and Justice Emphasis equips graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop strategies for current and emerging issues in environmental health at the local level. Topic areas include air quality, disaster preparedness, drinking water, food protection, hazardous materials, land uses, solid and hazardous wastes and wastewater. The intersections of race, class, and health inequalities are explored, and models of community-based participatory research and interventions are studied. Information on related legal and policy issues are also addressed. Students from this area typically go on to work for public health agencies and non-governmental organizations.