Environmental Health

Box 70682
Phone: (423) 439-5245

Accredited by: The National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council

Statement of Purposes, Goals, and Objectives

The need for a healthful environment is common to all peoples and to all communities. The needs for environmental health services are complex because of changes brought about by economic and technological advances. There is an increasing need for technical personnel in the field of environmental health. The many problems brought about by economic and technological advances require a comprehensively trained specialist in environmental health.

The educational objectives of the department are to provide the student with an opportunity to:

Develop an understanding of
1. the chemical, biological, physical, and social factors which affect the health of the community;
2. relevant concepts from the social and behavioral sciences; and
3. the environmental health systems.
Become proficient in
1. identifying community environmental health needs;
2. information collection, storage, retrieval, analysis, and dissemination; and
3. environmental monitoring, analysis, and management.
Acquire skills in the application of the above techniques and knowledge necessary for solution of environmental health problems.

Degrees and Concentrations

At the undergraduate level the department offers the Bachelor of Science in environmental health degree. The programs leading to this degree are the environmental health concentration, which has a public health orientation, and the occupational health and safety concentration. In addition, the department offers a minor in environmental health and a minor in safety.

At the graduate level, the department offers the Master of Science in Environmental Health (M.S.E.H.) and the Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences.

The Department of Environmental Health also offers a minor in Emergency/Disaster Response Management . This minor is offered jointly with the Department of Health. Requirements for completion of this minor are listed in the catalog in the Department of Community Health section.

Graduate Study

Admission to the graduate program requires a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning. Majors pursue studies with emphasis in the specialist area or the administrative area. Further information on graduate programs is contained in the Graduate Catalog.