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Rutgers School of Public Health

Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice

PhD in Public Health-Environmental and Occupational Health (72 credits)

The PhD in Public Health degree in Environmental and Occupational Health is intended to give students in-depth understanding of environmental and occupational health. The environmental/occupational research performed by students in the doctoral program covers the spectrum from toxicologically oriented research to epidemiology, risk assessment, exposure assessment, and policy formation.

The existing courses cover most of the prominent topical areas of occupational and environmental health. In a number of cases, there are sequences of related courses to assure that students develop some depth of knowledge in selected areas, while not sacrificing a generalist’s approach to most of the knowledge in their field.

Competencies

Competencies for the PhD in Public Health-Environmental and Occupational Health (72 credits)

Each Department identifies competencies for each degree offered. These competencies reflect the full range of knowledge, skills, and other attributes that a student will acquire as a result of completing the requirements for a particular degree.

Upon graduation, a student completing the PhD in Public Health curriculum in Environmental and Occupational Health will be able to:

  • Design a testable hypothesis and execute research activity to investigate the effects of a toxicant, toxin, or hazard event in a community
  • Explain the importance of differences of susceptibility and vulnerability to environmental toxicant/toxins based upon age, gender, race, ethnicity, genetics and socioeconomic status in different populations
  • Provide an informed expert opinion to government and/or community leaders regarding the extent or level of risk associated with a particular environmental or occupational hazard or condition
  • Be able to teach a course in Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Obtain grant funding from private and/or governmental agencies to initiate an ENOH research program
  • Explain basic principles in environmental and occupational health sciences including toxicology, quantitative risk assessment, epidemiology, and exposure science
  • Develop and/or apply novel and cutting-edge research methods in the laboratory and/or in the field

Curriculum (Prior to Fall 2020)

Curriculum for the PhD in Public Health-Environmental & Occupational Health (72 credits)

For Students Enrolled Prior to Fall 2020

Students seeking the PhD in Public Health-Environmental & Occupational Health degree must complete a minimum of 72 credits of academic work with a minimum GPA of least 3.2 overall and a 3.2 in the set of required courses specified by their department; earn no more than nine (9) credits bearing grades less than B; and complete the degree requirements within nine years. Courses are three credit hours unless otherwise noted.

  • CORE COURSES (9-11 credits)
    • PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
    • PHCO 0503 - Introduction to Environmental Health (if no prior public health experience)
    • PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
    • PHCO 0508 - Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health (1 credit)
    • PHCO 0510 - Issues in Health Education and Behavioral Science (1 credit)
    • PHCO 0511 - Issues in Health Care Systems and Policy (1 credit)
  • REQUIRED COURSES (24 credits)
    • ENOH 0594 - Environmental and Occupational Toxicology
    • ENOH 0656 - Environmental Risk Assessment
    • ENOH 0695 - Environmental Exposure Measurement and Assessment
    • EPID 0650 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
    • -also-
  • Choose one of the following:
    • EPID 0651 - Intermediate Epidemiological Research Methods
    • SBHS 0705 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods
    • -also-
  • Choose one of the following:
    • BIST 0551 - Applied Regression Analysis for Public Health Studies
    • BIST 0615 - Categorical Data Analysis
    • BIST 0650 - Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis
    • -also-
  • Choose at least two of the following (6 or more credits)
    • ENOH 0560 - Public Health Biology and Physiology
    • ENOH 0563 - Ecological Risk Assessment
    • ENOH 0565 - Introduction to Environmental Law
    • ENOH 0644 - Indoor Air Quality
    • ENOH 0693 - Principles of Occupational Health
    • ENOH 0695 - Environmental Exposure Measurement and Assessment
    • ENOH 0699 - Principles of Industrial Hygiene
    • UGPH 0600 - Introduction to Global Health
  • RECOMMENDED ELECTIVE COURSES (up to 13-15 credits)
    • ENOH 0562 - Pesticides and Public Health (1 credit)
    • ENOH 0565 - Introduction to Environmental Law
    • ENOH 0566 - Hydrology and Public Health (1 credit)
    • ENOH 0644 - Indoor Air Quality
    • ENOH 0645 - Indoor Environmental Health and Assessment (1 credit)
    • ENOH 0653 - Biomarkers
    • ENOH 0659 - Occupational Health Practices (2 credits)
    • ENOH 0696 - Public Health Preparedness II: Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response
    • ENOH 0697 - Public Health Preparedness: Agents of Mass Exposure, Injury or Destruction
    • ENOH 9621 - Principles of Air Pollution
    • ENOH 9642 - Air Sampling and Analysis
    • ENOH 9643 - Hazardous Waste Management
    • EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Research Methods
    • EPID 0657 - Applied Methods in Epidemiologic Research
    • HBSP 0726 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods
  • REQUIRED RESEARCH (24 credits)
    • RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research

Curriculum (Fall 2020 and After)

Curriculum for PhD in Public Health-Environmental & Occupational Health (72 credits)

For Students Enrolled Fall 2020 and After

Students seeking the PhD in Public Health-Environmental & Occupational Health degree must complete a minimum of 72 credits of academic work with a minimum GPA of least 3.2 overall and a 3.2 in the set of required courses specified by the concentration; earn no more than nine (9) credits bearing grades less than B; and complete the degree requirements within seven years. Courses are three credit hours unless otherwise noted and semester when each course is typically offered is noted parentheses. Students should review the Forward Schedule for long-term course planning and the Course Schedule for each semester to determine when, where, and how a course is offered.

  • PREREQUISITES Do not count toward the 72-credit PhD curriculum. MPH from an accredited school or program meets prerequisite requirements. PHCO 0502 and PHCO 0504 must be completed before Year 1, Fall semester (e.g., online summer before) if student does not have graduate-level coursework in these two areas.
    • PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology [Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment]
    • PHCO 0503 - Introduction to Environmental Health (if no prior public health experience)
    • PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics [Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment]
  • PHD IN PUBLIC HEALTH CORE COURSES (9 credits)
    • PHCO 0512 - Public Health Foundations (Spring) If a student holds an MPH from a CEPH-accredited school or program of public health, course is waived, but not the credits.
    • ENOH 0701 - Public Health Research Ethics (Spring-Even Years)
    • HBSP 0700 - Advances in Public Health Theories (Fall-Odd Years)
  • REQUIRED CONCENTRATION COURSES (30 credits) Note: Students should review the Course Descriptions in the School Catalog for specific information about prerequisites required for required courses and recommended electives.
    • ENOH 0594 - Environmental and Occupational Toxicology (Spring)
    • ENOH 0656 - Environmental Risk Assessment (Spring)
    • ENOH 0695 - Environmental Exposure Measurement and Assessment (Fall)
    • BIST 0535 - Biostatistical Computing (Fall/Spring)
    • BIST 0551 - Applied Regression Analysis for Public Health Studies1 (Fall/Spring)
    • BIST 0615 - Applied Categorical Data Analysis (Fall)
    • EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Research Methods (Fall/Spring)
    • HBSP 0703 - Evaluation and Research Design for Public Health Interventions (Fall-Even Years)
    • HBSP 0724 - Population Health and Public Policy (Fall)
    • HBSP 0726 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods (Summer)
  • RECOMMENDED ELECTIVE COURSES (9 credits)
    • Selected with Advisor approval
  • REQUIRED RESEARCH (24 credits)
    • RESH 0701 - Doctoral Colloquium I (0 credit) Taken in Fall and Spring in Year 1
    • RESH 0702 - Doctoral Colloquium II (0 credit) Taken in Fall and Spring in Year 2
    • RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research (20 credits)
    • RESH 0761 - Doctoral Research: Dissertation Proposal Seminar (3 credits) Taken in Spring in Year 2
    • 1611-5556 - Ethical Scientific Conduct (1 credit) [Offered through School of Graduate Studies] Taken in Spring in Year 1
  • OTHER REQUIREMENTS (0 credits)
    • Pass Qualifying Exam (written and oral) Typically completed at the end of Year 2
    • RESH 0730 – PhD Seminar (0 credit) Attend PhD seminar once per month for Fall and Spring semesters, every year
    • Earn a Teaching Certificate from Rutgers Teaching Assistant Program (TAP) [0 credits] or complete HBSP 0724 - Effectively Teaching and Training Adults (3 credits)
    • Complete Ethical Scientific Conduct Refresher (0 credit) Taken in Year 5
    • All PhD students are expected to engage in research activities with their faculty advisor.

    • Notes:
    1With Advisor approval, may substitute with BIST 0610 - Advanced Regression Methods for Public Health Studies