Mission Statement
The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health has a mission to educate students on the many ways we can protect workers and the community from chemical, physical and biological hazards that exist in the human environment. We offer our students a practical body of knowledge that can be applied in many ways upon graduation. We summarize our mission with this phrase: “Building a better world, one student at a time.”
About the Department
Our profession is devoted to understanding the relationship between human health and the environment. Whether it is air pollution, water pollution, hazardous waste, unsafe food or many other special environments (such as industrial settings), we look for practical actions that protect human health.
Five full-time faculty members, along with numerous affiliated and part-time faculty, presently teach in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH). The program emphasizes the study of the chemical, physical and biological factors that affect human health and environmental quality. The curriculum provides the basic knowledge and training required for professional careers in the field of community environmental health and industrial hygiene. The curriculum is also excellent preparation for a career in medicine, dentistry or optometry.
Academic Advisement
All majors should review their academic program in consultation with an advisor once per semester. The undergraduate advisors are Peter Bellin, Gretchen Boria-Perez, Nola Kennedy and Michael Sullivan. The graduate advisor is Antonio Machado. Email the department office at eoh@csun.edu for more information on the degree.
Careers
Graduates find work in such occupations as sustainability coordinators, environmental specialists, industrial hygienists, hazardous waste managers, air quality permit managers, safety supervisors, health and safety inspectors, and environmental managers.
Graduates also are employed as administrators and technical specialists in governmental agencies, private industry and consulting firms. Opportunities for teaching, research and advanced professional programs are numerous.
Many graduates of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health pursue advanced academic degrees, leading to teaching and research opportunities.
Accreditation
The degrees are accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council at the B.S. and M.S. levels. The California Department of Public Health provides a formal approval of the degree at both the B.S. and M.S. levels. With this approval, students are permitted to test for the Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) examination immediately upon graduation.
Clubs and Societies
The Environmental and Occupational Health Student Association (EOHSA) organizes presentations, field trips and student activities.
The department Alumni Association, in coordination with EOHSA and department faculty, is very active. It presents a Fall Speed Mentoring Event and a Spring Technical Symposium each year.
Contact
Chair: Frankie Augustin
Jacaranda Hall (JD) 1537
(818) 677-7476
www.csun.edu/health-human-development/environmental-occupational-health