Environmental Health MPH
The Master of Public Health in Environmental Health in Temple’s College of Public Health prepares students for practice-oriented careers in environmental health, with an emphasis on examining environmental exposures from water, soil, air and the built environment that affect the health of communities. The program will prepare you as a public health professional with expertise in
- changing environmental policies and regulations, and their effects on our most vulnerable populations;
- environmental toxicology, risk assessment and management;
- health risks associated with industrial activity, human settlement and urbanization, including transboundary and global health risks; and
- identifying current and emerging environmental factors, including microbial pathogens and chemical exposures, and their relationship to human health and illness.
Environmental health is an interdisciplinary science that examines relationships between people and their surroundings in order to identify how environmental factors influence human health, with the ultimate goal of fostering healthier and safer communities. Students in the Environmental Health MPH program examine the complex global and local challenges related to environmental sustainability, train in illness prevention and risk prediction associated with environmental exposures, and learn to develop interventions that can reduce or eliminate exposures.
Our graduates work in a wide range of settings, including local, state and federal health departments; occupational safety and hygiene departments in hospitals and large agencies; water sanitation and water management departments; and academic institutions. Graduates may lead careers as
- environmental health researchers,
- laboratory technicians,
- product safety officers,
- regulatory officers at government agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or
- risk modelers, among other careers.
What sets apart our MPH in Environmental Health?
- Collaborative, interdisciplinary education: The program has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3-to-1, providing students with opportunities to engage with diverse faculty. Our location in the College of Public Health prepares students for interdisciplinary research and practice.
- Real-world experience: You will gain hands-on experience working in environmental labs and training with local or state agencies, private companies, or nonprofit organizations—making you competitive and prepared to launch your career after graduation.
- Renowned faculty members: Our faculty includes experts who focus on microbial pathogens and chemicals in the environment. They have practical experience working with a wide range of entities such as international nongovernmental organizations and federal, state and local government agencies.
Program Format
Students take core courses that explore the fundamentals of public health, as well as courses that focus on specific topics in environmental health, such as
- epidemiologic methods for studying environmental exposures,
- environmental policy and regulation,
- health effects of climate change and mitigation strategies,
- modeling environmental risks to human health, and
- principles of environmental justice.
You will also complete two fieldwork courses and take electives in order to build topical expertise.
Students complete the Environmental Health MPH on-site, although some courses may be offered online. The program offers a flexible curriculum: Students can choose to study full time to complete the MPH in two years, or part time to finish it in four years.