MPH in Environmental Health Sciences

Climate change, air pollution, drinking water quality, and chemical pollutants are among the century's most pressing environmental health issues. The Yale School of Public Health Department of Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) aims to advance scientific knowledge about the connections between the environment and health through multidisciplinary research and the design of science-based solutions that can inform public health and policy. The MPH program provides the latest scientific information about the etiology of various health conditions due to environmental exposures and develops environmental risk assessment and abatement skills to prepare students for leadership roles in the field.

• Climate change and energy impacts on health
• Developmental origin of health and disease
• Green chemistry solutions
• Environmental justice and health disparities
• Environmental-related health outcomes
• Metabolomics
• Novel approaches to environmental exposures an dearly markers of effect

• We teach to 21st century needs in the field.
• In addition to participating in research with the department's faculty, EHS's interdisciplinary collaboration with the departments of chemistry and environmental engineering, occupational medicine, the School of Forestry and the Yale Cancer Center provide enriched opportunity and scope for research and engagement in environmental health sciences by all our students.

The MPH degree requires a total of 20 course units. The MPH in Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) requires the student to complete or acquire an exemption from the following courses. Full time students must carry a minimum of 4 course units each semester. If a course is waived, a substitute course must be identified. In addition, all 2-year MPH students are required to complete an Applied Practice Experience (APE). Please refer to the Applied Practice Experience Guidelines for more information.

• EPH 505 - Biostatistics in Public Health 1 unit
• EPH 507 - Social Justice and Health Equity 1 unit
• EPH 508 - Foundations of Epidemiology for Public Health 1 unit
• EPH 510 - Health Policy and Health Care Systems 1 unit
• EPH 513 - Major Health Threats: Determinants and Solutions 1 unit
• EPH 100 & EPH 101 - Professional Skills Series 0 units
• EPH 521 - Applied Practice Experience (Please note: APE workplans must first be approved by the Office of Public Health Practice. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the APE in the summer before their 2nd year. If not, students will have opportunity to complete the APE requirement in fall or spring terms using the APE course - internship or independent project or a practicum course.) 0 units
• EPH 525 - Thesis 2 units

Required Courses for EHS (5 course units)

• EHS 503 - Public Health Toxicology 1 unit (Spring)
• EHS 508 - Environmental & Occupational Exposure Science 1 unit (Spring)
• EHS 511 - Principles of Risk Assessment 1 unit (Spring)
• EHS 525/EHS 526 - Seminar and Journal Club in Environmental Health (four semesters) 0 units (Fall/Spring)

One of the following:

• BIS 505 - Biostatistics in Public Health II 1 unit (spring)
• CDE 534 - Applied Analytic Methods in Epidemiology 1 unit (spring)

Elective Courses (8 course units)*

When you graduate from YSPH, you have options! Our curriculum is closely mapped to the core and departmental competencies so that you will have a foundation in the skills you need for a successful career in public health. See our Career Management Center pages to see where our alumni live and work after completing their MPH studies.

The core curriculum of the MPH program focuses on competencies in evidence-based approaches to public health (1–4), public health and health care systems (5–6), planning and management to promote health (7–11), policy in public health (12–15), leadership (16–17), communication (18–20), interprofessional practice (21), and systems thinking (22).

Upon completing the core curriculum, the student will be able to:

1. Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice.
2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.
3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate.
4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice.
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5. Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings.
6. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities, and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community, and societal levels.
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7. Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health.
8. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs.
9. Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention.
10. Explain the basic principles and tools of budget and resource management.
11. Select methods to evaluate public health programs.
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12. Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence.
13. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.
14. Advocate for political, social, or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations.
15. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity.
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16. Apply principles of leadership, governance, and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration, and guiding decision-making.
17. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges.
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18. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors.
19. Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation.
20. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.
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21. Perform effectively on interprofessional teams.
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22. Apply systems-thinking tools to a public health issue.

• Describe the mechanisms of toxicity of biological, chemical, physical stressors, and social stressors in the residential and workplace environments.
• Evaluate the scientific merit and feasibility of different environmental epidemiologic study designs.
• Design an environmental epidemiologic study.
• Evaluate the scientific merit and feasibility of environmental and occupational exposure assessment approaches.
• Design an environmental or occupational exposure study.
• Produce a human health risk assessment using information from epidemiological, exposure, toxicological, and risk assessment studies on an environmental health issue.