Master of Science

MS students in the Environmental Health Sciences division are trained to make research and technical contributions to the field of environmental health science. EHS offers an MS degree in Environmental Health Sciences and Global Health and Environment. The EHS MS educational objectives are to develop an understanding of the human health impacts of physical, biological, and chemical agents in the environment and workplace and to explore the means of their recognition and control.

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For more information, including course requirements, for our EHS MS offerings, please consult the student handbook.

The MS program emphasizes interdisciplinary training in the environmental health sciences. Upon completion of the program, M.S. graduates will be prepared to:

  1. Describe how chemical agents are tested for acute, subchronic and chronic health effects, including reproductive, developmental and carcinogenic effects, and interpret toxicological data in terms of relevance to human health.
  2. Describe how humans are exposed to chemical, physical, and biological agents in the workplace and environment, and
  3. Describe how exposures are assessed and can be controlled through administrative procedures, personal protective equipment and various engineering technologies.
  4. Utilize epidemiological data, with due regard to statistical validity, in the assessment of the nature and degree of impact of hazardous agents on the health of human populations.
  5. Analyze risk management decisions, demonstrating the scientific components of environmental and occupational health assessment and the policy context in which risk management decisions are made.
  6. Utilize and adapt technical methods for the measure or evaluation of hazards in the environment and the workplace, and communicate such to decision makers.
  7. Identify significant gaps in the current knowledge base concerning health effects of environmental agents.
  8. Identify the most important disease burdens with major environmental risk factors and the environmental risk factors that produce the most disease burden.
  9. Identify areas of uncertainty in the exposure and risk assessment processes.
  10. Describe current legislation and regulation regarding environmental health issues.
  11. Develop and conduct a research project in an area of interest.
  12. Organize information and data, prepare technical reports and give oral presentations on environmental contaminants and the impacts on human health.


All EHS MS students are assigned a faculty advisor according to their intended course of study and expressed areas of interest. Advisors may be changed by mutual consent. Students are expected to meet with their advisors at the beginning of each term and are encouraged to do so more often. Group advising sessions will be held occasionally during the academic year. Students are encouraged to attend these sessions to learn more about general academic policies, recommended courses, and other developments in EHS.