Environmental Health is a branch of public health that studies how biological, chemical, and physical factors in natural and built environments impact human health and disease. Students will learn how to help prevent injuries and disease by managing environmental hazards and promoting healthier air, water, soil, homes, workplaces, and communities. A minor in Environmental Health (EH) will benefit students majoring in a variety of biosciences who want to leverage and integrate EH skill sets into their professional endeavors (e.g., medicine, dentistry, law, research, industry) as well as those students interested in career options in environmental public health, private sector occupational health and safety, environmental toxicology, and environmental epidemiology.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
- Effectively communicate the health consequences of actions, behaviors, or environmental degradation to the public, political community, legal experts, or the media.
- Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving abilities for environmental issues as an individual and as a member of a problem solving team.
- Integrate knowledge in social, physical, and biological sciences to evaluate environmental issues.
- Apply knowledge of scientific methods to evaluate compliance with environmental health standards and assess risks to workers and the public.
Effective Fall 2023
Students must satisfactorily complete the total credits required for the minor. Minors and interdisciplinary minors require 12 or more upper-division (300- to 400-level) credits.
Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| ERHS 220 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| ERHS 320 | Environmental Health--Water Quality | 3 |
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Principles of Epidemiology | ||
| Environmental Toxicology | ||
| ERHS Courses (Select 6 credits not previously taken from the following): | 6 | |
| Environmental Health Field Methods | ||
| Principles of Epidemiology | ||
| Principles of Occupational Safety and Health | ||
| Fundamentals of Ergonomics | ||
| Environmental Health-Air and Waste Management | ||
| Human Disease and the Environment | ||
| Environmental Toxicology | ||
| Environmental Contaminants | ||
| Introduction to Radiation Biology | ||
| Department Electives List (Select 6 credits not previously taken – see list below) | 6 | |
| Program Total Credits: | 21 | |
Department Electives List
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AB 410 | Understanding Pesticides | 3 |
| BMS 360 | Fundamentals of Physiology | 4 |
| BMS 430 | Endocrinology | 3 |
| BMS 460 | Essentials of Pathophysiology | 3 |
| BSPM 302 | Applied and General Entomology | 2 |
| BSPM 462/BZ 462/MIP 462 | Parasitology and Vector Biology | 5 |
| BZ 310 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| BZ 350 | Molecular and General Genetics | 4 |
| CIVE 423 | Groundwater Engineering | 3 |
| CIVE 425 | Soil and Water Engineering | 3 |
| CIVE 437 | Wastewater Treatment Facility Design | 3 |
| CIVE 438 | Fundamentals of Environmental Engr | 3 |
| CIVE 439 | Applications of Environmental Engr Concepts | 3 |
| CIVE 440 | Nonpoint Source Pollution | 3 |
| ERHS 230 | Environmental Health Field Methods | 3 |
| ERHS 332 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| ERHS 350 | Principles of Occupational Safety and Health | 3 |
| ERHS 405 | Fundamentals of Ergonomics | 2 |
| ERHS 410 | Environmental Health-Air and Waste Management | 3 |
| ERHS 430 | Human Disease and the Environment | 3 |
| ERHS 446 | Environmental Toxicology | 3 |
| ERHS 448 | Environmental Contaminants | 3 |
| ERHS 450 | Introduction to Radiation Biology | 3 |
| ESS 353 | Global Change Impacts, Adaptation, Mitigation | 3 |
| HES 345 | Population Health and Disease Prevention | 3 |
| MIP 315 | Pathology of Human and Animal Disease | 3 |
| MIP 334 | Food Microbiology | 3 |
| MIP 351 | Medical Bacteriology | 3 |
| MIP 420 | Medical and Molecular Virology | 4 |
| NR 319 | Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources | 4 |
| RS 351 | Wildland Ecosystems in a Changing World | 3 |
| SOCR 455 | Microbiomes of Soil Systems | 3 |
| SOCR 467 | Soil and Environmental Chemistry | 3 |
| WR 418 | Land Use and Water Quality | 3 |