Portland-State-University 2021-2022 Bulletin

Environmental Systems and Human Health MPH

The MPH in Environmental Systems & Human Health (ESHH) program offers ecosystem-based public health training for students who would like to investigate and remediate environmental impacts on human health. Believing that a healthy environment is a cornerstone of preventive medicine, the goal of the ESHH track is to produce graduates who will be able to analyze relationships between human activities, the environment, and human health. Areas of emphasis include environmental change and its effect on human health, environmental pathogens, environmental transport, fate and remediation of chemical contaminants, food web bioaccumulation, wastewater treatment, environmental risk assessment and toxicity testing, culturally competent risk communication, and social justice issues. Within the program special attention will be given to mediating and modifying the effects of environmental disruptions on the health of vulnerable populations in a culturally competent, ethical manner.

Program Competencies

Students graduating from this program will be able to:

  • Communicate the relationship between environmental systems and human health, particularly in response to a changing climate.

  • Analyze how environmental hazards (chemical, physical and biological) interact with natural and built systems, including the mechanisms of their adverse effects on humans.

  • Assess and interpret relevant literature in the area of public health and environmental hazards.

  • Evaluate the risk of environmental exposures to human populations through the incorporation of exposure, toxicological, and other relevant data into risk assessment methodology.

  • Discuss how federal and state regulatory programs, guidelines and authorities impact environmental and occupational health issues.

  • Apply ethical principles that govern the practice of environmental risk assessment, management, and communication.

  • Specify approaches for assessing, preventing and controlling environmental and occupational hazards that pose risks to human health and safety.

  • Integrate, synthesize and apply theory to practice in the context of a research study, policy consequences, or environmental exposure.

  • Explain the general mechanisms of toxicity in eliciting a human health effect in response to various environmental and occupational exposures.

Program Required Coursework

UNI 504Qualitative Methods for Health Professionals

2

ESHH 519Environmental Health in a Changing World

3

ESHH 529Environmental Toxicology & Risk Assessment

4

ESHH 521Principles of Occupational Health

4

HSMP 573Values and Ethics in Health

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Core Required Coursework

Bsta 525Introduction to Biostatistics

4

Epi 512Epidemiology I

4

ESHH 511Concepts of Environmental Health

3

HSMP 574Health Systems Organization

3

PHE 512Principles of Health Behavior

3

Exam Certified in Public Health Examination

0

ESHH 502Integrative Experience and Paper

1

ESHH 509Practice Experience

4

Total Credit Hours:22

Elective Coursework

Electives commonly taken:
ESHH 512Global & Planetary Health Concepts

3

ESHH 530Environmental Health Chemistry

4

ESHH 532Ecological Public Health

CPH 515Geographic Information Systems for Public Health

3

Epi 513Epidemiology II

4

Epi 514Epidemiology III

4

PHE 511Foundations of Public Health

3

PHE 517Community Organizing

3

PHE 519Introduction to the Etiology of Disease

3

PHE 520Qualitative Research Design

3

PHE 521Quantitative Research Design and Analysis

3

PHE 540Mass Media and Health

3

ESM 552Environmental Regulation and Non-regulatory Approaches

3

ESM 570Methods for Informal Environmental Education

4

ESM 588Environmental Sustainability

4

Geog 588/USP 591Geographic Information Systems I: Introduction

4

Geog 592/USP 592Geographic Information Systems II: Advanced GIS

4

Psy 510Occupational Safety and Health

3

Psy 550Occupational Health Psychology

4

Psy 510Work and Well-Being

3

Total Credit Hours:22

Total Credit Hours: 60

For more information and instructions on how to apply visit the MPH in Environmental Systems & Human Health web page.