(Major Code #6260)
About the profession
Environmental health professionals function as applied scientists, who preserve and improve the quality of our environment and the safety of our workplaces. With a focus on protecting the environment, environmental health specialists study the quality of air, water, shelter and food. They help manage the many environmental factors that impact our health and safety.In addition to a strong background in the physical and biological sciences, environmental health professionals bring an interest in legal, administrative and policy issues to their work.
If you are interested in administering and enforcing environmental and public health laws; if you want to protect the quality of our air, water, shelter and food; if you are concerned with making workers' jobs as free from hazards as possible; if you want to work with public agencies, private corporations, environmental laboratories, and public utilities to ensure a high quality of life for future generations, then a major in environmental health may be right for you.
About the program
The environmental health science program provides you with the skills and abilities to prevent disease by managing water, air, food, waste, and other environmental factors. The curriculum offers you a solid foundation in physical and biological sciences, plus hands-on experience in the field using scientific equipment to analyze air and water quality, visits to facilities and sites during field trips, and meetings with environmental professionals.
The following topics are among those you will study:
- Environmental rules and regulations
- Control of hazardous and toxic substances
- Water quality management
- Solid and hazardous waste management
- Outdoor (ambient) air quality management
- Bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases
The major fulfills the educational requirements for professional registration and for admission to a graduate school of public health. This nationally accredited course of study, which awards a bachelor of science in environmental health (BSEH),prepares you for a career in one of the many fields of public health.
Admission
To gain entrance to the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS), a student must have at least a 2.0 grade point average and make formal application to the college on an official form. To complete an Industrial Hygiene or Environmental Health Science degree, it is necessary to both apply for admission to CHHS, and to meet the College's admission requirements. Applications for the degree program can be obtained from CHHS Student Services.
Financial aid
In addition to limited and competitive scholarships awarded by the School of Public Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University offers scholarships, grants, loans and part-time employment from a variety of sources to qualified students. Students may also be able to earn support working with faculty on funded (grant) projects. Visit the OU Office of Financial Aid for more information.
Program contact
Dr. Timothy Ryan
740.593-2134
ryant@ohio.edu
Curriculum
University General Education Requirements
The Environmental Health Science program requires that Ohio University's General Education requirements be met. An educated person needs certain intellectual skills in order to participate effectively in society. These include: (1) the ability to communicate through the written word and the ability to use quantitative or symbolic reasoning; (2) broad knowledge of the major fields of learning; and (3) a capacity for evaluation and synthesis. To meet these objectives, Ohio University has instituted a three-tier General Education Requirement to be met prior to graduation by all students according to the following schedule.
TIER I: Quantitative Skills and English Composition
TIER II: Breadth of Knowledge
TIER III: Synthesis
Students should consult the Ohio University Undergraduate Catalog for specific requirements about the most current tier course requirements. To graduate with a degree in environmental health, students must complete all courses stipulated on their year -of-entry requirements. These requirements are listed below.
Required core courses:
Environmental Health Science
(Course, quarter offered, credits)
EH 260 Intro. to Environmental Health & Safety (F,SP) 4
EH 275 Environmental & Occupational Health & Safety Regulations (W) 4
EH 310 Water Supply & Waste Water Treatment (W) 4
EH 425 EHS Risk Communication (SF) 4
EH 440 Air Quality and Pollution Control (SP) 4
EH 464 Environmental Health Practicum (All) 15
EH 491 Professional Topics Seminar (W) 1+
Industrial Hygiene
(Course, quarter offered, credits)
IH 200 Intro. to IH and Occup. Hlth. & Safety (F) 4
IH 400 IH Sampling & Analysis (W) 5
IH 401 Toxicological Effects of Hazardous Materials (F) 4
Chemistry
(Course, quarter offered, credits)
CHEM 121, 122, 123 Principles of Chemistry (F,W), (W,SP), (SP,F) 15
Or CHEM 151, 152, 153 Fundamentals of Chemistry (F,W), (W,SP) (SP,F) 15
CHEM 301, 302 Organic Chemistry (F,W) 6
Biological Sciences
BIOS 103 Human Biology (F,W,SP) 5
Or BIOS 170 Intro to Zoology (F,W,SP) 5
BIOS 221, 222 Basic Microbiology & Lab (F,SP):(SP) 6
Other courses:
(Course, quarter offered, credits)
HLTH 330 Community Health Epidemiology (F,W,SP) 4
ECON 103 Principles of Microeconomics (F,W,SP) 4
MATH 115,163 A, or MATH 263A (F,W,SP) 4
PHIL 130 Intro. to Ethics (F,W,SP) 4
PHYS 201 Intro. to Physics (F,W) 5
PHYS 202 Intro. to Physics (F,W,SP) 5
PSY 101 General Psychology (F,W,SP) 5
PSY 120 Elementary Statistical Reasoning
OR 221 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (F,W,SP) 5
SOC 101 Sociology (F,W,SP) 5
Total Required Course Credits: 122
Elective courses:
Majors must complete any 7 of the following:
(Course, quarter offered, credits)
EH 457 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (F) 4
EH 312 Solid & Hazardous Waste Management (F) 4
EH 320 Shelter Environments (SP) 4
EH 330 Food Quantity Sanitation (F) 4
EH 430 Vector Control (SP) 4
EH 450 Institutional Environmental Health (W) 4
EH 455 Recreational Environmental Health Practice (SP) 4
IH 405 Ventilation for Contaminant Control (F) 4
IH 410 Physical Hazards: Evaluation & Control (W) 4
IH 415 Intro to Radiological Health (SP) 5
IH 420 Hazardous Material: Management & Control (SP) 4
Other electives
Majors must completethree of the following courses. Prerequisite courses do not count toward three-course minimum.
General science electives
BIOS 300 Anatomy and Histology
BIOS 301 or 302 Human Anatomy
BIOS 321 General Microbiology (10 hrs of BIOS is pre-req)
BIOS 421 A & B Immunology and Lab (BIOS 321 is pre-req)
BIOS 422 Microbiological Techniques (BIOS 321 is pre-req)
BIOS 423 A & B Pathogenic Bacteria and Laboratory (BIOS 321 is pre-req)
BIOS 424 A & B Virology & Laboratory (BIOS 321 is pre-req)
BIOS 441 A & B Parasitology and Laboratory (BIOS 172, 173 is pre-req)
GEOL 231 Water and Pollution
GEOG 268 Computer Applications in Geography
GEOG 370 Geographic Information Systems Application (GEOG 268 & other GEOG is pre-req)
Total Quarter Hours Required for BSEH: 160-164 Credits