Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (EOHS) Core Courses

Introduces students to the field of environmental health, which is dedicated to protecting human health by preventing harmful exposures in the environment. Covers the major sources of environmental pollution and how contaminants in our air, water, soil and food causes disease and illness in the population.

Introduces students to the ways our health is affected by our jobs. Covers the major chemical, biological, physical, and psychosocial hazards people experience every day on the job. Students will learn about the injuries and illnesses that can result from these exposures and consider how they can be eliminated.

Presents the principles of exposure assessment, which is used to measure human exposures to hazardous substances in the environment and workplace. Students learn how to assess contaminant levels in our air, water, and soil, and their presence in the body.

Includes management strategies used by local environmental health agencies to protect water, dispose of waste, prevent disease outbreaks, ensure food safety, and help communities prepare for and respond to disasters. Incorporates field experiences where students see environmental health management principles in action.

This course considers the global environmental crisis of climate change from a public health perspective. Covers the natural and man-made causes of climate change and the direct and indirect impacts these changes have on human health. Public health strategies for addressing climate change and mitigating its health impacts are also discussed.

Covers the effects of food production on the health of farmworkers, agricultural communities, and consumers. Students will learn the health effects of agricultural exposures and the complex relationships between farming methods, crop yield, and sustainability. Public health strategies for addressing these issues to protect farmers, their families, and communities are discussed.

Assesses how harmful environmental exposures that result in negative health effects are unevenly distributed due to social and economic inequalities. Prepares students to recognize the determinants of environmental health disparities and to develop strategies that address inequities and promote healthy environments for all.

Explores how work is changing in today’s economy and what these changes mean for our health. Topics include increasing job insecurity and work stress, how global warming is exacerbating dangerous working conditions, and how technologies such as robotics and AI introduced new safety and health risks in our workplaces. Other contemporary workplace issues will also be addressed.