Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Concentration
Environmental health science students are trained to assess and control hazardous workplace exposures through a curriculum that blends science, public health, management, and policy. Environmental health professionals work in a wide variety of settings. Almost all of these involve working with people and translating scientific and technical information into clear and understandable language for educational, legal, and public information.
Possible Career Opportunities
Graduates from the ECU’s environmental health sciences program will be prepared for the professional challenges and opportunities available with local, state, federal, and international agencies. Student will learn the value of teamwork and communication skills necessary to protect the public health from any environmental threat. Career fields include safety engineer, fire protection engineer, safety coordinator, environmental health and safety specialist and industrial hygienist.
Admission Requirements
Students entering the Environmental Health, BS program choose one of two concentrations: occupational health and industrial hygiene or public health protection sciences. A minimum GPA of 2.0 in all 1000 level basic science and math courses, completion of a minimum of 30 s.h. with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and completion of EHST 2110 are required to declare as an environmental health major. Environmental health majors must pass all environmental health courses with a minimum grade of C-. A student earning lower than a C- in any of these courses must petition the environmental health faculty for probationary continuation.
Cost of Attendance and Financial Information
Afford | Undergraduate Admissions | ECU
Program Requirements
The curriculum consists of two phases: the first two years are preparatory, during which the general education requirements for a baccalaureate degree are met, and those courses that are required as background for the second phase of the program can be taken. The junior and senior years make up the professional phase of the program, with course work taken in the specialty. – Environmental Issues in Construction, Air Pollution, Industrial Hygiene, Industrial Hygiene Laboratory, Introduction to Occupational Health
Required Courses
Four Year Plan
Requirements and general idea of timeline for graduation (how long does it generally take to complete the program). The degree requires a minimum of 120 student credit hours. Most students complete the program in 4 years.
Internship Requirements and Experience
Student Interns work in areas of education, surveillance, inspection, consultation, and enforcement of state, local and federal environmental health & safety laws, and regulations. Including public, private, national, and international environmental health organizations. Student interns also work in public and private laboratories conducting research on environmental health related issues. Students use technologies and strategies to address environmental disease causes and apply preventative measures associated with foodborne, waterborne, and vector borne diseases, as well environmental diseases causing birth defects and cancer.
Internship requirements: CHECKLIST (280 Hours)
Preparation:
___1. Secure an internship through applying for intern positions posted on state, local, federal, public, or private environmental health or related websites or through other opportunities you locate.
___2. Interview with the internship coordinator to be sure that the position is appropriate for the internship course.
___3. Have your supervisor complete the Internship Contact Information form.
___4. If a health department, or other agency request a contract agreement with ECU to specify responsibilities of an internship agreement, contact the internship coordinator. Contract forms can be sent electronically.
___5. Consult with your work supervisor on what your project will be for the time of your internship. Ask about expectations, duties, and responsibilities.
Internship work:
___1. Keep a log for your activities from day to day and save as a Word Document. (Include date and number of hours worked.)
___2. Electronically send the log as an email attachment (Word Document) to the internship coordinator each week. (Include challenges, accomplishment, views, or questions.)
___3. Electronically send a midterm report to the internship coordinator at 140 hours including how much of the original project you have completed. Summarize your experiences, duties, and responsibilities to this point of the internship.
___4. Send a final report (280 hours) to the internship coordinator with the results of your project, including how much you could do, the problems you had, what went well, and what you have learned.
____5. Prepare a power point presentation with at least six (6) slides of your internship and projects you were working on. Ask for permission to take pictures. Be prepared to give a presentation to EHST 2110 students as scheduled by the internship coordinator.
Evaluation documents:
___1. Send or give the employer or supervisor an evaluation form. Make sure they received it. Employer will be sending the evaluation directly to the internship coordinator.
___2. Check with the internship coordinator to see if the evaluation has been received and that your grade has been calculated and entered.
NOTE: Students registered for NC Centralized Intern Training (CIT) are required to submit a copy of the certificate of completion issued by Division of Public Health, Environmental Health Section, North Carolina Department of Health, and Human Services along with the “Internship Work” (section B) to meet the requirements of EHST 4990, Environmental Heath Internships.
Student Opportunities and Experiences
ECU ECO-Pirates for Sustainability – is a student-led organization at East Carolina University interested in improving sustainability on campus and in the community.
Activities include: Greenville Community Garden & Orchard, Upcycled Mosaic Event, Adopt-A-Street Cleanup, National Clean-Up day, Student Organization Awards Ceremony, Sustainability Ball, Earth Week, World Environmental Health Day, National Public Health Week, Tar River Cleanup, Otter Creek Natural Area, Sustainability Film Screening, outdoor yoga, plastic water bottles to upcycle into planters, World Water Day, Sustainability trivia for National Recycling Day.
Delivery Methods
This program is only offered in an on-campus, face to face format.
Accreditation Information
The BS Environmental Health program is accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC). Such accreditation makes our students eligible to apply for great internship and scholarship opportunities that are only available for EHAC-accredited programs and makes our graduates eligible for appointment in the U.S. uniformed services (e.g., US Public Health Service, US Navy).
Institutional and Professional Licensure Disclosures for Enrolled and Prospective Students
ECU degree programs satisfy the professional licensure and/or certification requirements in North Carolina and prepare students to sit for these exams. However, requirements in other states may be different.
If you are considering a degree program that may, would, could or potentially lead to a professional license and/or certification, please note that at this time ECU may or may not be able to advise whether a program meets requirements outside of North Carolina. Prior to enrolling in a degree program, please discuss this important topic with your program of interest.