Environmental Health Program FAQ
Environmental health is the field that studies the relationship between the natural world and human health. This can include the air, water, soil, and food. It studies the health impacts of exposure physical, chemical, and biological hazards.
Some key focus areas in environmental health include air quality; water, sanitation, and hygiene; one health (how disease spreads between animals and humans); food safety; toxicology; and climate change.
The right environmental health degree depends on your career goals, interests, and preferred learning format. Some students want to address environmental factors that affect human health through public health practice, while others are interested in data science, global environmental health, or research. Rollins School of Public Health offers a wide range of environmental health degree programs so you can choose the pathway that best aligns with your academic and professional goals.
A Master of Public Health (MPH) in Environmental Health is ideal for students who want to understand how environmental exposures affect human health and develop solutions that protect communities. The program combines training in environmental health with a broad foundation in public health, preparing graduates for careers in government agencies, health departments, nonprofit organizations, consulting firms, and the private sector.
Students interested in the intersection of environmental health and epidemiology may consider the MPH in Environmental Health and Epidemiology, which combines training in both disciplines to prepare graduates to investigate environmental health risks, evaluate public health interventions, and improve population health through data-driven decision-making.
The MPH in Global Environmental Health is designed for students who want to address environmental health challenges that affect populations around the world, such as climate change, air and water quality, infectious diseases, and environmental justice. Rollins also offers this degree in an online, part-time format, providing flexibility for working professionals who want to advance their careers while continuing to meet personal and professional commitments.
Students who want more advanced quantitative and analytical training may choose the MSPH in Data Science in Environmental Health. This research-focused degree emphasizes data science, statistical analysis, computational methods, and environmental health research, preparing graduates for careers in research institutions, government, industry, and doctoral study.
A PhD in Environmental Health Sciences prepares students to conduct original research, develop new scientific knowledge, and address complex environmental health challenges. Graduates often pursue careers in academia, research institutions, government agencies, and industry.
Whether your goal is improving environmental health through public health practice, advancing research, applying data science, or addressing global environmental challenges, Rollins offers a degree program designed to help you build the knowledge and skills for your chosen career.
An environmental health degree is a gateway to a career improving community well-being through environmental action. Coursework teaches skills like disease ecology, data analysis, exposure science, risk assessment, and toxicology. Real-world experience gives students the soft skills they need to thrive across sectors in public health research or practice.
Environmental health graduates from Rollins work at nonprofits like CARE, government entities like the Environmental Protection Agency, and academic institutions like Emory Centers for Public Health Training and Technical Assistance. Common job titles include environmental research fellow, sustainability manager, GIS analyst, industrial hygienist, and risk assessor.