Environmental Health
Environmental health is a cornerstone of public health. Students in our program possess a strong commitment for protecting human health and the quality of the environment for current and future generations. They are curious about associations that exist between environmental hazards and human disease and injury and are willing to learn how to scientifically investigate those relationships with the goal of finding ways to prevent adverse health outcomes as well as treat or manage health conditions so that affected individuals can have the highest quality of life possible.
Our curricula involves learning about natural and man-made environmental hazards, the effects of these hazards on health and the environment, and how to gather and use data to identify, investigate, control, and prevent these hazards.
Our environmental health faculty has a diversity of expertise and considerable real-world experience in the field. The faculty has strong relationships with environmental health professionals working in organizations at the local, state and national level. These individuals are valuable resources who mentor students and collaborate on research projects. The geographical location of the program in Indianapolis enables students to complete internships in a wide range of local and state public, private and not-for-profit work environments. Interested students have the opportunity to serve as funded research assistants on faculty projects. These opportunities enable students to expand their research skills under the mentorship of environmental health scientists.
Graduates of the program frequently work for federal, state and local government agencies that are responsible for providing public health, environmental management, natural resources, and occupational health and safety programs and services. Examples of common job titles in the environmental health field include: Environmental Health Specialist, Environmental Health Technician, Environmental Scientist, Environmental Analyst, Environmental Protection Specialist, Hazardous Substances Scientist, Environmental Manager, Environmental Affairs Specialist, and Occupational Health and Safety Officer. A more comprehensive list of careers and salaries can be found here.
Graduates also fill positions in the private sector where they work for consulting companies, companies that must comply with environmental rules and regulations, and not-for-profit organizations that focus on environmental or environmental health issues. Employees of consulting companies perform a variety of tasks such as collecting, synthesizing, analyzing, managing, and reporting environmental data to determine validity, quality, and scientific significance and to interpret correlations between human activities and environmental effects. Individuals working for companies in the private sector may review and implement environmental technical standards, guidelines, policies, and formal regulations that meet all appropriate requirements for environmental protection and improvement. Individuals who work for not-for-profit organizations typically interpret and synthesize existing technical data into new information that can support policy initiatives.
