OEH Programs

Occupational and Environmental Health PhD Program

Degree Description and Learner Objectives

This program prepares graduate level students in professional and academic careers in environmental and occupational health. Graduates will be able to assume responsibility for the development and basic administration of environmental and occupational health programs, and will qualify for beginning faculty positions in academic environmental health departments. Although enrollment directly into the PhD program is possible, completion of the MS program is recommended as a first step toward the PhD degree. Undergraduate preparation must have included at least two semesters of chemistry, one semester of physics, mathematics and calculus. Coursework in biological science, microbiology and computer programming are highly desirable. The degree requires a minimum of 72 semester hours.

Graduates of the PhD in Occupational and Environmental Health will be able to:

1. Understand and demonstrate the use of statistical analyses including: graphs and tables, descriptive statistics, probability, binomial and normal distributions, sampling distributions, tests of significance, confidence intervals, frequency data analysis, linear regression and correlation and nonparametric tests.
2. Understand epidemiological principles including: design and analysis of case-control and cohort studies, historical and current examples of descriptive and analytic epidemiologic studies, etiologic factors in human disease and the determinants of disease in man.
3. Understand the principles and integration of the practice of occupational medicine, industrial hygiene and safety, occupational health nursing, ergonomics and occupational health management.
4. Assess contemporary human health issues associated with the biological, chemical and physical factors of the environment and to perform a critical review of environmental factors that affect health.
5. Discuss and identify the sources, routes of entry, and effects of environmental toxicants and their effects on humans; as well as the pathophysiology of toxicant actions, including those of air and water pollutants, metals, pesticides, solvents, mycotoxins, food toxicants and other chemicals.
6. Understand the breadth and depth of the literature in occupational and environmental health.
7. Critically read and evaluate research literature in occupational and environmental health.
8. Design and carry through an independent research project in the area of occupational and environmental health.
9. Communicate the results of their research both orally and in writing.

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