The Climate Change and Health Concentration

The YSPH Concentration in Climate Change and Health will work to address the severe shortage of public health professionals with the educational background needed to address climate change as a public health issue.

The study of climate change and health is multi-disciplinary and should interest students from all YSPH departments. Climate change is an environmental exposure (Dept. of Environmental Health Sciences) that can affect both infectious (Dept. of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases) and chronic (Dept. of Chronic Disease Epidemiology) diseases. Research about the relationship between climate change and health can involve sophisticated modeling (Dept. of Biostatistics and others). Behavioral change, mental health, and social justice are major concerns (Dept. of Social and Behavioral Sciences). Finally, health management expertise is needed to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies, and climate change involves thorny policy issues (Dept. of Health Policy and Management).

Students enrolled in the YSPH Climate Change and Health Concentration (CCCH) must fulfill the requirements of their respective departments or programs. In addition, the Climate Change and Health Concentration requires the student to complete:

• EPH 570 and 571 Seminar in Climate Change and Health - 0 units
• EHS 547 Climate Change and Public Health - 1 unit
• EPH 555 Clinic in Climate Justice, Climate Policy, Law, and Public Health - 1 unit

One of the following courses:

• EHS 560 Methods in Climate Change and Health Research - 1 unit
• EHS 544 Climate Equity and Health Policy Methods - 1 unit

Two courses from approved electives, available by contacting the YCCCH Program Administrator. Students may petition the Concentration Executive Committee to place additional electives on the approved list - 2 units

*Suggested additional requirements:

• Complete a thesis with a substantive focus on climate change and health. The Concentration Executive Committee and Affiliated Faculty will be available to advise interested students on choosing thesis topics.
• Complete a summer internship related to climate change and health. The Concentration will develop a listing of summer internship opportunities for interested students and will also offer competitive funding.

Upon completing the Climate Change and Health Concentration, the student will be able to:

• Describe how the climate has changed, explain the role of greenhouse gases in climate change, and describe how the climate is predicted to change in the future.
• Describe how climate change adversely impacts population health, with differing vulnerability across population sub-groups.
• Explain how adaptation and mitigation strategies can reduce adverse health impacts of climate change and can generate substantial non-climate health benefits in a just and equitable manner.
• Apply basic methods used in climate change and health research.
• Apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to an applied public health research or public health practice project focused on climate change and health.
• Explain and value the relationship among climate change, public health and justice.