MS in Occupational and Environmental Health
This program will prepare you for a career on the front lines of environmental and occupational health. OEH MS degrees can be tailored to students’ interests. Students work with their faculty advisor to design a plan of study with course work on topics such as environmental health, environmental toxicology, ergonomics, and occupational injury prevention. Request information about the MS in Occupational and Environmental Health and funding opportunities.
You’ll graduate qualified for exciting job opportunities in local, state, or federal health agencies, and in departments of health and safety in commercial enterprises and academic institutions.
Overview
Number of credit hours: 38
Average time to degree: Two years.
Prerequisites:
- Minimum cumulative grade-point average: 3.0
- Our students come from a variety of undergraduate majors, but your undergraduate preparation should include coursework in mathematics and biology. Depending on your chosen concentration, your application will be strengthened considerably by coursework in disciplines like chemistry, physics, engineering, and public health.
Funding opportunities: Many of our students in this degree program receive financial support. Financial support may be in the form of tuition payment and/or a monthly stipend.
Thesis: You will be required to complete a research project and thesis.
When and how to apply: The application deadline is May 1. You should apply as soon as possible to secure your position and funding. Learn how to apply here.
How and where courses are delivered: All courses are delivered in person at our Iowa City campus, with most taking place in the College of Public Health building.
Full-time or part-time study options: Most students study full-time, but it’s possible to study part-time.
Funding
Depending on their concentration, most MS students receive financial support—100% tuition paid and a monthly stipend.
Most students in the Environmental Health and Environmental Toxicology areas receive funding through graduate research assistantships. Learn more about these funding sources here.
Most students in the Ergonomics and Occupational Injury Prevention areas receive funding from the Heartland Center for Occupational Health & Safety through a grant from NIOSH. This funding is only available for U.S. citizens.
Sample Plan of Study
Semester 1, Fall
| NUMBER | TITLE | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| OEH:4240 | Global Environmental Health | 3 s.h. |
| EPID:4400 | Epidemiology I: Principles | 3 s.h. |
| or Intro to Biostatistics | 3 s.h. | |
| OEH:5010 | OEH Seminar | 0 s.h. |
| CPH:6100 | Essentials of Public Health | 2 s.h. |
| CPH:7270 | Principles of Scholarly Integrity: Public Health | 0 s.h. |
| Total | 11 s.h. |
Semester 2, Spring
| NUMBER | TITLE | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| Selective Course #1 | 3 s.h. | |
| OEH:5010 | OEH Seminar | 0 s.h. |
| CPH:7270 | Principles of Scholarly Integrity: Public Health | 1 s.h. |
| Elective | 3 s.h. | |
| Elective | 3 s.h. | |
| Total | 10 s.h. |
Semester 3, Fall
| NUMBER | TITLE | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| Selective Course #2 | 3 s.h. | |
| Elective | 3 s.h. | |
| Elective | 3 s.h. | |
| Total | 9 s.h. |
Semester 4, Spring
| NUMBER | TITLE | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| OEH:5010 | OEH Seminar | 1 s.h. |
| OEH:7000 | Thesis | 6 s.h. |
| Elective | 3 s.h. | |
| Total | 10 s.h. | |
| Grand Total | 40 s.h. |
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
Take all of the following:
| NUMBER | TITLE | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| OEH:4240 | Global Environmental Health | 3 s.h. |
| OEH:5620 | Occupational Health | 3 s.h. |
| BIOS:4120 | Introduction to Biostatistics | 3 s.h. |
| OEH:5010 | Occupational & Environmental Health Seminar | 1 s.h. |
| EPID:4400 | Epidemiology I: Principles | 3 s.h. |
| CPH:6100 | Essentials of Public Health | 2 s.h. |
| CPH:7270 | Principles of Scholarly Integrity: Public Health | 1 s.h. |
| 16 s.h. | ||
Take at least 6 s.h. among the following courses:
| NUMBER | TITLE | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| OEH:4260 | Global Water and Health | 3 s.h. |
| OEH:4310 | Occupational Ergonomics: Principles | 3 s.h. |
| OEH:4510 | Injury and Violence Prevention | 3 s.h. |
| OEH:5410 | Occupational Safety | 3 s.h. |
| OEH:6110 | Rural Health and Agricultural Medicine | 3 s.h. |
| OEH:6710 | Human Toxicology and Risk Assessment | 3 s.h. |
| 6 s.h. | ||
Electives
Elective courses must be chosen to fulfill the minimum MS degree requirement of 38 semester hours. Students and advisors should select courses most appropriate to the individual student’s professional goals.
Thesis
Completion and acceptance of a master’s thesis is required. A maximum of 6 semester hours will be allowed for thesis credit hours.
| NUMBER | TITLE | HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| OEH:7000 | Thesis/Dissertation | 6 s.h. |
Total Semester Hours Required for MS Degree (Minimum): 38 s.h.
Degree Description and Learner Competencies
This program aims to prepare graduate level students for professional careers in environmental and occupational health. The program targets baccalaureate degree students who have had strong undergraduate preparation in science including two semesters of chemistry, one semester of physics, and mathematics and calculus. Course work in biological science, microbiology, and computer programming is highly desirable. The degree requires a minimum of 38 semester hours and prepares students for career opportunities in local, state, or federal health agencies and in departments of industrial health and safety in commercial enterprises and academic institutions.
Graduates of the MS in Occupational and Environmental Health will be able to:
- Describe major environmental hazards that adversely affect human health.
- Demonstrate the use of regulatory guidelines that seek to control occupational health and injury issues.
- Apply epidemiological principles used to assess associations between exposure to occupational health and injury hazards on health outcomes.
- Use computer software and statistical methods to test a hypothesis.
- Use intervention and evaluation theory to prevent occupational health and injury hazards.