Environmental Health Foundations Certificate

The educational objectives of the Environmental Health Foundations certificate are to provide students with an online, academic learning experience of the fundamental core principles and concepts associated with environmental health. The certificate is designed for individuals either currently working in environmental or public health (local or state health departments), current (public health or other) graduate students that want to have some environmental health credentials without pursuing a Master of Science in Environmental Health (MSEH), or those with no environmental health experience, who may consider it a “steppingstone” towards the MSEH degree.

The certificate program emphasizes core principles in environmental health. Students gain insight into understanding the effects of the environment on human health. This will help protect public health and improve students’ job opportunities within environmental/public health sectors.

Admission Requirements

This certificate program is open to students who have successfully completed a baccalaureate program with a 2.5 GPA or greater. The program is also open to students enrolled in graduate and/or medical degree programs. The GRE or other standardized test score is not required to enter the certificate program. Students currently enrolled in the MSEH program are not eligible to earn the certificate.

Curriculum and Course Descriptions

Successful completion of 13 credit hours is required to obtain a graduate certificate in Environmental Health Foundations. Certificate courses are part of the standard core curriculum included in the MSEH program and are offered online. Coursework included in the certificate program must be completed with a 3.0 GPA or better. Courses in this certificate program can be transferred into the MSEH program with a grade of B or better and upon meeting the program’s academic admission requirements.

Courses include:

BIOS 7021 Biostatistics for Health Professionals (3 h) (required)
EHST 6010 Fundamentals of Environmental Health (3 h) (required)
EHST 5010 Principles of Toxicology class (3 h) (choice)
EHST 5011 Principles of Toxicology lab (1 h) (choice)
EHST 5800 Solid and Hazardous Waste Management (3 h) (choice)
EHST 6300 Public Health Pests and Vector Borne Disease (3 h) (choice)
EHST 6420 Food Safety Science and Public Health Protection (3 h) (choice)
EHST 6700 Industrial Hygiene Application class (3 h) (choice)
EHST 6701 Industrial Hygiene Application lab (1 h) (choice)
EHST 6800 Environmental Health Program Management and Law (3 h) (choice)

BIOS 7021 Biostatistics for Health Professionals (3 h) (Spring, Fall)
Applies statistical methods to health sciences. Types, organization, and display of data; elementary probability; parametric and nonparametric techniques when dealing with one or two samples (matched and independent); one way ANOVA; and simple linear regression.

EHST 6010 Fundamentals of Environmental Health (3 h) (Spring, Fall, Summer)
Effects of environment on human health. Focuses on rural environment. Considers water supply and wastewater disposal, water quality, solid and hazardous wastes, air quality, occupational health and safety, food protection, and vector control.

EHST 5010 Principles of Toxicology class (3 h) (Spring)
Basics of toxicology such as physiological response and environmental sources as well as specifics of major toxins.

EHST 5011 Principles of Toxicology lab (1 h) (Spring)
Basics of toxicology such as physiological response and environmental sources as well as specifics of major toxins.

EHST 5800 Solid and Hazardous Waste Management (3 h) (Fall)
Problems associated with collection, treatment, and disposal of municipal solid waste and hazardous wastes in the United States.

EHST 6300 Public Health Pests and Vector Borne Disease (3 h) (Fall)
Identification, management, and ecology of arthropods and other pathogen vectors, and characteristics and epidemiology of associated diseases.

EHST 6420 Food Safety Science and Public Health Protection (3 h) (Fall)
Food safety emphasizing foodborne pathogens, toxicants and toxins, and food additives. Covers farm-to-fork safety systems, hazard analysis, and critical control point (HACCP) approaches to protecting public health.

EHST 6700 Industrial Hygiene Application class (3 h) (Summer)
Principles of evaluating and controlling work environment. Emphasis on resolving occupational health problems.

EHST 6701 Industrial Hygiene Application lab (1 h) (Summer)
Methods of measurement and evaluation used by industrial hygienists.

EHST 6800 Environmental Health Program Management and Law (3 h) (Spring)
Knowledge and practice in planning, developing, and managing environmental health programs. Applies current management practices toward solutions of environmental health problems.

For further information, contact:

Stephanie L. Richards, MSEH, PhD
Professor of Environmental Health Sciences
Graduate Program Director; MS Environmental Health
Dept. of Health Education and Promotion
College of Health and Human Performance
East Carolina University, Greenville, NC; 252-328-2526; richardss@ecu.edu