Environmental Health and Safety Major, B.A., B.S.
B.A. degree or B.S. degree
An Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Specialist is a professional who protects human health and the environment by overseeing compliance with local, state, and federal environmental health and safety regulations. This interdisciplinary program prepares students for a variety of careers in areas related to Environmental Public Health, Environmental Protection, and Occupational Health and Safety. Responsibilities of an EH&S Specialist include: developing written programs and training to comply with regulations; conducting inspections to ensure compliance with regulations; collecting and analyzing air, water, or soil samples for environmental hazards; and investigating EH&S concerns. The EH&S major is accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC). Only students enrolled in accredited programs are eligible for National Environmental Health Association and federal EH&S scholarships and internships. Graduating from an accredited program ensures the specific standards needed to become a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) and is essential for employment in federal agencies including the U.S. Public Health Service. Interested students should meet with the Environmental Health and Safety Program Director, Dr. Rebecca Uzarski, as early as possible to assist with course scheduling and discuss career opportunities.
Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards
All Environmental Health & Safety majors must:
- Complete an Environmental Health & Safety internship (180 hrs),
- Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.7.
Program Requirements
Required Courses I (44 hours)
| BIO 101 | General Biology | 3(2-2) |
| BIO 208 | Microbiology | 4(3-3) |
| BIO 365 | Environmental Contaminants | 3(3-0) |
| BIO 435 | Environmental Toxicology | 3(3-0) |
| CHM 131 | General Chemistry I | 4(3-3) |
| CHM 132 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| CHM 342 | Survey of Organic Chemistry | 4(3-3) |
| ENV 101 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | 3(3-0) |
| ENV 310 | Environmental Management and Regulations | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 352 | Environmental Health | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 404 | Epidemiology | 3(3-0) |
| PHY 130QR | College Physics I | 4(4-0) |
| STA 282QR | Introduction to Statistics | 3(3-0) |
Required Courses II (4 hours)
Select one of the following in consultation with an advisor as it relates to the Technical area:
Required Courses III (3 hours)
| HNS 452 | Environmental Health & Safety Internship | 3(Spec) |
Electives I (0-6 hours)
Select one of the following in consultation with an advisor as it relates to the Technical area:
| GEL 100 | Introduction to Earth Systems | 3(2-2) |
| HSC 211 | Human Anatomy and Physiology | 3(3-0) |
Electives II (12 hours)
To complete training in four technical areas, select a minimum of 12 hours in consultation with an advisor:
| BIO 334/GEO 334 | Soil Science | 3(2-2) |
| EGR 201 | Introduction to Environmental Engineering | 3(3-0) |
| GEL 308 | Hydrologic Processes | 3(3-0) |
| GEO 203QR | Introduction to Geographic Information Science | 3(2-2) |
| HNS 345 | Occupational Health and Safety | 3(3-0) |
| HNS 425 | Hazardous Materials Technology | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 317 | Community Health | 3(3-0) |
| HSC 505 | Work Injury Prevention | 3(3-0) |
| NDS 364 | Food Safety, Sanitation, and Health | 3(3-0) |
Total: 63-69 semester hours