Global Environmental Health

Environmental health encompasses a broad spectrum of challenges. With the evolution of human society and economic development, a shift of environmental risks has occurred over the past 20 years, from more regional effects to global impacts. In high-income countries, environmental health issues have been more focused on the contribution of environmental factors to the risks of cancer, cardiovascular and other noncommunicable diseases. In low and middle income countries, challenging environmental concerns, such as ambient and indoor air pollution, inadequate and poor quality of water, poor sanitation and hygiene and toxic substances remain leading causes of death, disease and disability.

Moreover, emerging environmental issues, such as changes in global climate and environments, pose a significant and imminent threat to health of human beings and environment. Through elective courses, your field training experience and culminating project, you can learn about substantial environmental health concerns facing the global population. 

Work with your faculty advisor to tailor your program to learn about environmental health from a global perspective.

Courses addressing global population and environmental health issues:

• CHB 500 Special Topics - Health for Refugee Populations
• CHB 625 Health Disparities
• GEO 512 Geography of Health
• CIE 563 Air Pollution
• EEH 573 Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases
• EEH 596 Special Topics, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Low- and Middle-income Settings

View the Epidemiology and Environmental Health Graduate Student Handbook(766 KB) for more information about program requirements