What is an MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences?

The Master of Science (MS) in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences offered by Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health is a full-time graduate degree program.

This graduate program offers students the opportunity to obtain a research-oriented degree in environmental sciences, focused on building the knowledge and skills needed to identify and answer important questions about how the physical environment influences human health and to disseminate those findings.

Students undergo rigorous training in the research methods required to address key questions and generate evidence on how the environment influences health, with a focus on modifiable factors that can be addressed through policy.

Why Pursue an MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at Drexel Dornsife?

Unique features of Drexel Dornsife's MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences include the latitude to:

• Choose from a broad range of opportunities to learn from and participate in research.
• Study at Philadelphia's first CEPH-accredited school of public health and a center of excellence in urban health and policy-relevant research and training.
• Learn from 12 full-time faculty in the department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH). EOH faculty are focused on research issues including:
  • Environmental Exposures
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Risk Assessment
  • Social Epidemiology
  • Toxicology
  • Infectious Disease
  • Global Health
  • Environmental Justice
  • Climate Change
  • Urban Health
  • Health Disparities
  • Health Policy

This program prepares students to become independent researchers, while developing the competencies needed to hold leadership positions in environmental and occupational health in government, private industry, or the nonprofit sector.

Core competencies that students will adopt throughout the program include:

• Assess pathways of human exposure to hazardous agents and stressors in the environment and workplace.
• Investigate and synthesize research on hazardous agents and their impacts on human health effects, including how individual and population factors affect vulnerability.
• Evaluate epidemiologic methods used in occupational and environmental research and interpret findings.
• Formulate testable hypotheses about critical knowledge and evidence gaps in environmental and occupational health.
• Apply appropriate study designs, data collection strategies, and analytical methods to test scientific hypotheses.
• Communicate research findings and evidence through scientific manuscripts, presentations, and other forms to both scientific and lay audiences.

To learn more about the MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences program, request more information to speak with an academic advisor today.

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MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Admissions Requirements

Applicants to the MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences program at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health must meet the following admissions requirements:

• Possess a baccalaureate degree in a field relevant to the proposed course of study
• Successful completion of undergraduate-level coursework in quantitative analytic methods (e.g. statistics, probability theory) or calculus
• Successful completion of undergraduate-level coursework in biology
• Successful completion of undergraduate-level coursework in chemistry or physics; and evidence of research aptitude.

Application Requirements for the Master’s in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Program

In order to have an application be considered, applicants to the MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences program must submit the following documents:

• Online application
• Official transcripts from every college-level institution you attended (academic records from institutions outside the U.S. must undergo a credentials evaluation)
• English proficiency test score (TOEFL or IELTS), if applicable
• Three letters of recommendation
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Statement of Purpose and Objectives (describing why a degree in environmental and occupational health sciences appeals to you, and your strengths as a candidate)

Applications for the MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences program do not require the GRE.

Past work experience in areas relevant to environmental and occupational health will be given considerable weight for applicants who do not apply for the program directly following other post-secondary programs of study.

Admissions and Application Requirements

Master’s in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Curriculum

The MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences curriculum highly encourages extensive research opportunities. Dornsife's rigorous research-based curriculum empowers students to analyze and answer key public health questions that impact environmental health.

Students will develop a course of study that will build their skills and knowledge in areas including:

• Epidemiology
• Exposure Science
• Environmental and Occupational Health Policy
• Risk Assessment
• Toxicology

Core Courses

The MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences program requires five quarters of structured coursework, consisting of required core courses, electives, and hands-on research dissertations in the Dornsife School of Public Health.

Core courses in the program include:

• BST 571 Introduction to Biostatistics - 3 credits
• EOH 510 Principles and Practice of Environmental and Occupational Health - 3 credits
• EOH 610 Environmental and Occupational Toxicology - 3 credits
• EOH 612 Environmental Exposure Science - 3 credits
• EOH 625 Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology - 3 credits

Students choose electives from within the Dornsife School of Public Health or from other academic units within Drexel University.

The 45 total credit hour requirement is distributed as 27 credits in Year 1 and 18 credits in Year 2. There are 27 credits of required courses, 9 credits of electives, and 9 additional credits for the master’s thesis.

Master’s Thesis

All MS students must complete an original investigation in an area of research presented in the form of a thesis. The thesis must be based on the student’s own work and acceptable to the student’s Thesis Committee.

Degree Requirements

Completion of the MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences requires:

• A minimum of 45 credit hours earned
• A Master of Science thesis

How Long Does a Master’s in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Take?

The Master’s in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences graduate program is a full time. Most students complete the program in less than two years. For a suggested sequence of courses, review the plan of study.

To learn more about the MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences curriculum and to see a sample plan of study, please follow the links below.

Review Degree Requirements and Courses

Sample Plan of Study

What Can You Do With an MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

A Master’s in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences prepares individuals for unique career paths and advancement opportunities, including:

• Health and Safety Specialist
• Environmental Technician
• Environmental Health Exposure Scientist
• Public Health Program Administrator
• Health Educator

Where Can You Work with an MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences?

MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences graduates work in a variety of settings including:

• Public health research and service organizations
• University research groups
• Hospitals
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Health-related industries
• Government

Master’s in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Salary Range

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 6 percent increase in the job outlook for masters-trained environmental scientists and specialists, with a median annual wage $76,480 in May 2022.

More information regarding the projected outlook and salary for environmental scientists and specialists can be found on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' website.

Advance your career and further your research capabilities with a MS in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences. Start your application today.

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