Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences

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. 

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.

Required Core Courses
ERHS 220Environmental Health3
ERHS 320Environmental Health--Water Quality3
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 

AB 410Understanding Pesticides3
BMS 360Fundamentals of Physiology4
BMS 430Endocrinology3
BMS 460Essentials of Pathophysiology3
BSPM 302Applied and General Entomology2
BSPM 462/BZ 462/MIP 462Parasitology and Vector Biology5
BZ 310Cell Biology4
BZ 350Molecular and General Genetics4
CIVE 423Groundwater Engineering3
CIVE 425Soil and Water Engineering3
CIVE 437Wastewater Treatment Facility Design3
CIVE 438Fundamentals of Environmental Engr3
CIVE 439Applications of Environmental Engr Concepts3
CIVE 440Nonpoint Source Pollution3
ERHS 230Environmental Health Field Methods3
ERHS 332Principles of Epidemiology3
ERHS 350Principles of Occupational Safety and Health3
ERHS 405Fundamentals of Ergonomics2
ERHS 410Environmental Health-Air and Waste Management3
ERHS 430Human Disease and the Environment3
ERHS 446Environmental Toxicology3
ERHS 448Environmental Contaminants3
ERHS 450Introduction to Radiation Biology3
ESS 353Global Change Impacts, Adaptation, Mitigation3
HES 345Population Health and Disease Prevention3
MIP 315Pathology of Human and Animal Disease3
MIP 334Food Microbiology3
MIP 351Medical Bacteriology3
MIP 420Medical and Molecular Virology4
NR 319Geospatial Applications in Natural Resources4
RS 351Wildland Ecosystems in a Changing World3
SOCR 455Microbiomes of Soil Systems3
SOCR 467Soil and Environmental Chemistry3
WR 418Land Use and Water Quality3