What is Environmental Health?

What is Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Sciences (EOHS Sciences)?

EOHS Sciences is a very diverse field, and those students who pursue this degree option will typically be a big fan of the sciences.  While past graduates have secured professional positions such as environmental health and safety specialist, occupational health and safety manager, and environmental health inspector, the field and opportunities are much more widely comprehensive in scope.  This program (formerly named Environmental Health) has been a longstanding successful department and undergraduate and graduate degree major on the ETSU campus.  Graduates have been able to find jobs in the region as well as throughout the country now for over five decades!  It should be noted that these positions typically pay well above the average salaries for college graduates.  

Environmental health (EH) is a branch of public health protection that is concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment that may affect human health. Other terms that refer to the discipline of environmental health include environmental public health and environmental health and protection. EH is a field of science that studies how the environment influences human health and disease. "Environment" in this context means identifying and addressing how the environment impacts human health. EH is a very diverse field where professionals perform a variety of tasks such as research, investigations, outreach and education, environmental cleanups and more. EH professionals are best known for their efforts to ensure the safety of what we eat, breathe, touch and drink. The traditional EH professionals are those individuals who monitor air quality, water and noise pollution, toxic substances and pesticides, conduct restaurant inspections, carry out vector control and promote healthy land use and housing. 

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is a related area of emphasis that is covered in our programs.  This could be characterized as EH applied in the occupational setting.  There are numerous opportunities for graduates in this professional area.  Over the years, OHS and EH programs have been somewhat blended together to prepare students for roles in both complementary realms of the applied sciences.  In the recent past, our graduates have secured safety specialist and manager positions as well as environmental and occupational regulatory posts with both government and industry.  With the required time of field experience, our students are prepared to take certification exams such as the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), the Certified Safety Professional (CSP), and the Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (CHMM).  

Need More Information?

Association of Environmental Health Academic Programs Careers
Explore Environmental Health Careers

American Society of Safety Professionals https://www.assp.org/about

American Industrial Hygiene Association https://www.aiha.org/

U. S. News and World Report's ranking of best science jobs
-Environmental Health Inspector - Best Jobs