Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) is concerned with the biological, chemical and physical factors affecting human health and the environment. Our major provides a solid science-based education with practical applications for a safer and healthier environment. As a result, our graduates work in a variety of high-demand jobs, such as air quality, water quality, food safety, housing, industrial hygiene, safety, hazardous waste management, environmental consulting and radiation safety. Our graduates also work in a wide range of settings, including private industry (aerospace, manufacturing, food production, biotechnology and many others), local government (city and county health departments), state government (Cal OSHA and Cal EPA), federal government (Public Health Service, EPA, OSHA, Department of Health and Human Services), unions, public interest groups, universities and lobbying organizations.

Our courses are explicitly designed to give students the skills needed to succeed on the job. Local employers, many of whom have graduated from this Department, routinely seek our graduates as new hires. As one of the largest programs of its kind in the nation, we have an extensive network of environmental and occupational health professionals dedicated to the protection of the environment and community as well as worker health and safety.

The M.S. Degree is designed to prepare the graduate for higher-level professional activities, including research, analysis and management of EOH systems.

The following criteria are used to evaluate prospective candidates for the Master of Science in Environmental and Occupational Health:

1. Overall GPA and science GPA;
2. Undergraduate degree in Environmental and Occupational Health (or a related scientific discipline);
3. Work experience in environmental and occupational health or a related discipline; and
4. Graduate Record Exam (usually waived if undergraduate GPA is above 3.0); and
5. References.

1. Required Courses (18 units)

EOH 553 Administration of EOH Programs (3)
EOH 554 Seminar: EOH Problems (3)
EOH 555 Seminar: EOH Programs, Standards and Controls (3)
EOH 693A Supervised Field Training (2)
EOH 696A Research Design (4)
EOH 696B Seminar: Research Methodology (3)

2. Electives (12 units)

Each student’s program must include a minimum of 24 units in 500- and 600-level courses. At least 3 units must be taken from the following:

EOH 556 Advanced Toxicology (3)
EOH 560 EOH Epidemiology (3)
EOH 565 Seminar: Industrial Safety (3)
EOH 569 Advanced Risk Analysis (3)
EOH 570 Occupational Ergonomics (3)

Additional courses may be taken from the available 400-level elective courses in the Department. Graduate students must complete supplementary work assignments to receive graduate credit for 400-level courses. A minimum “B” grade is required for all courses, core and elective.

Capstone

Choose one of the following:

1. Comprehensive Examination (written, plus optional oral component). As preparation, student registers for EOH 697 Directed Comprehensive Studies (3) (Does not count toward program total).

2. Thesis. After proposal is approved, student registers for EOH 698 Thesis (3)  (Counts in program total).

Major Core Courses: 18

Major Electives: 12

Total Units for the Master of Science Degree: 30