Master of Science Degree
The Master of Science (MS) program in the Environmental Health Sciences deaprtment is aimed at graduates in the natural and applied sciences who plan to go on to scientific research and leadership careers in the areas of exposure science and health effects. Graduates are qualified for positions in academia, research institutes, government, and industry. The department offers MS degrees in the following areas:
Environmental Health Sciences MS
Research areas of interest include a broad range of environmental and occupational areas. Many topics include aspects of environmental quality, sustainability and health and exposure science-industrial hygiene. The MS degree also offers a formalized concentration in Industrial Hygiene.
Environmental Health Sciences Accelerated Master of Science (AMD)
The Accelerated Master's Degree (AMD) program option will award a Master of Science degree in Environmental Health Sciences for highly motivated students working towards their Bachelor's degree in their senior year, plus one more year of graduate study in Environmental Health Sciences.
Toxicology MS
The field of toxicology identifies environmental and therapeutic exposures of concern, reveals mechanisms by which chemical toxicants create pathological dysfunction or disease, identifies interventions for the prevention of adverse effects, conducts safety assessments, and estimates acceptable levels of exposure for the protection of the public health.
Financial Aid
EHS MS students can receive financial support from one or more of the following sources:
- Traineeships from the NIOSH ERC
- Grants/Scholarships the School of Public Health
- Teaching assistantships from EHS or other SPH departments
- Research assistantships from faculty research grants
- Smaller scholarship awards from external organizations, such as the American Industrial Hygiene Foundations (AIHF), Chevron, and the 3M Corporation
Admitted EHS students are automatically considered for SPH Scholarships and support from the NIOSH ERC (U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents only). Teaching and research assistantships are determined by arrangement with faculty and/or department. Applications for the smaller scholarships depend on the sources.
Admissions
Typical undergraduate majors among applicants admitted to the MS in recent years include environmental sciences/studies, public health, industrial hygiene, biology, chemistry, biochemistry and engineering. However, prospective students with other undergraduate majors are welcome to apply.
For the MS degree programs, a basic science knowledge is expected.
- Applicants to the Environmental Health Sciences MS must have a minimum of one undergraduate course in each of the following: (1) general biology, (2) general chemistry, (3) organic chemistry, (4) general physics and (5) calculus.
- Applicants to the Environmental Health Sciences MS with a concentration in Industrial Hygiene must have a minimum of one undergraduate course in each of the following: (1) general biology, (2) general chemistry, (3) organic chemistry, (4) general physics and (5) calculus.
- Applicants to the Environmental Health Sciences Accelerated Masters Degree MS must have a minimum of one undergraduate course in each of the following: (1) general biology, (2) general chemistry, (3) organic chemistry, (4) general physics and (5) calculus.
- Applicants to the Toxicology MS must have a minimum of one undergraduate course in each of the following: (1) general biology, (2) general chemistry, (3) organic chemistry, (4) general physics and (5) calculus.
Some deficiencies may be made up after admission to the program. Courses taken to fulfill basic deficiencies do not count toward fulfillment of the degree's course requirements.
Please visit the Admissions & Aid section of the U-M SPH site for details on the application process and financial aid options. Additional information for international applicants can be found here.
Applications and Deadlines
Application instructions and deadlines for all U-M SPH Programs can be found on the SPH Admissions & Aid webpage.
Degree Requirements
Master of Science - Environmental Health Sciences
School of Public Health Core Requirements
BIOSTAT 521 Applied Biostatistics, 3 credits
PUBHLTH 512 Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health, 3 credits
Foundations in Public Health (online modules)
Environmental Health Sciences Core Requirements
Select one of the following:
BIOSTAT 502 Application of Regression Analysis to Public Health Studies, 3
credits
BIOSTAT 522 Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Studies, 3 credits
EHS 655 Human Exposure Analysis, 3 credits
EHS 674 Environmental and Health Risk Modeling, 3 credits
Select one of the following:
EHS 576 Biological Agents, 2 credits
EHS 652 Evaluation of Chemical Hazards, 3 credits
EHS 658 Physical Hazards, 2 credits
EHS 510 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship (RCRS), 1 credit
EHS 602 Essentials of Toxicology, 3 credits
EHS 603 Occupational and Environmental Diseases, 3 credit
EHS 698 Research, 6 credits
EHS 699 Masters Thesis, 1 credit
EHS 869 Doctoral Seminar in Occupational and Environmental Health, 1 credit
Master Thesis -- All MS students are required to perform a research project during the program, to write an acceptable thesis on the project, to present the research results in a seminar and to defend the thesis before a committee of the faculty (see thesis guidelines).
EHS Subplan in Industrial Hygiene (optional)
BIOSTAT 523, Statistical Methdos in Epidemiology, 3 credits (or equivalent)
EHS 652, Evaluation of Chemical Hazards, 3 credits
EHS 653, Environmental Sampling and Analysis Laboratory, 3 credits
EHS 654, Control of Exposures to Airborne Contaminants, 3 credits
EHS 657, Advanced Exposure Assessment, 3 credits
EHS 658, Physical Hazards, 1 credit
EHS 668, Professional Seminars in Occupational Health, 1 credit
EHS 697, Readings, 1 credit
IOE 539, Occupational Safety Engineering, 3 credits
Electives, minimum of 4 electives
Recommended electives:
BIOSTAT 523, Statistical Methdos in Epidemiology, 3 credits (or equivalent)
EHS 556, Occupational Ergonomics, 2 credits
EHS 651, Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Program Management,
2 credit
EHS 608, Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology 3 credits
Master of Science - Environmental Health Sciences with Industrial Hygiene concentration
School of Public Health Core Requirements
BIOSTAT 521 Applied Biostatistics, 3 credits
PUBHLTH 512 Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health, 3 credits
Foundations in Public Health (online modules)
Environmental Health Sciences Core Requirements
Select one of the following:
BIOSTAT 502 Application of Regression Analysis to Public Health Studies, 3
credits
BIOSTAT 522 Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Studies, 3 credits
EHS 655 Human Exposure Analysis, 3 credits
EHS 674 Environmental and Health Risk Modeling, 3 credits
Select one of the following:
EHS 576 Biological Agents, 2 credits
EHS 652 Evaluation of Chemical Hazards, 3 credits
EHS 658 Physical Hazards, 2 credits
EHS 510 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship (RCRS), 1 credit
EHS 602 Essentials of Toxicology, 3 credits
EHS 603 Occupational and Environmental Diseases, 3 credit
EHS 698 Research, 6 credits
EHS 699 Masters Thesis, 1 credit
EHS 869 Doctoral Seminar in Occupational and Environmental Health, 1 credit
EHS Subplan in Industrial Hygiene
EHS 652, Evaluation of Chemical Hazards, 3 credits
EHS 653, Environmental Sampling and Analysis Laboratory, 3 credits
EHS 654, Control of Exposures to Airborne Contaminants, 3 credits
EHS 657, Advanced Exposure Assessment, 3 credits
EHS 658, Physical Hazards, 1 credit
EHS 668, Professional Seminars in Occupational Health, 1 credit
EHS 697, Readings, 1 credit
IOE 539, Occupational Safety Engineering, 3 credits
Electives, minimum of 4 electives
Recommended electives:
BIOSTAT 523, Statistical Methdos in Epidemiology, 3 credits (or equivalent)
EHS 556, Occupational Ergonomics, 2 credits
EHS 651, Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Program Management, 2
credit
EHS 608, Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology 3 credits
Master Thesis -- All MS students are required to perform a research project during the program, to write an acceptable thesis on the project, to present the research results in a seminar and to defend the thesis before a committee of the faculty (see thesis guidelines).
Master of Science - Accelerated Masters Degree Program
School of Public Health Core Requirements
BIOSTAT 521 Applied Biostatistics, 3 credits
PUBHLTH 512 Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health, 3 credits
Foundations in Public Health (online modules)
Environmental Health Sciences Core Requirements
Select one of the following:
BIOSTAT 502 Application of Regression Analysis to Public Health Studies, 3
credits
BIOSTAT 522 Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Studies, 3 credits
EHS 655 Human Exposure Analysis, 3 credits
EHS 674 Environmental and Health Risk Modeling, 3 credits
Select one of the following:
EHS 576 Biological Agents, 2 credits
EHS 652 Evaluation of Chemical Hazards, 3 credits
EHS 658 Physical Hazards, 2 credits
EHS 510 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship (RCRS), 1 credit
EHS 602 Essentials of Toxicology, 3 credits
EHS 603 Occupational and Environmental Diseases, 3 credit
EHS 698 Research, 6 credits
EHS 699 Masters Thesis, 1 credit
EHS 869 Doctoral Seminar in Occupational and Environmental Health, 1 credit
9 additional credits from designated Environmental Health Sciences department courses
Master Thesis -- All MS students are required to perform a research project during the program, to write an acceptable thesis on the project, to present the research results in a seminar and to defend the thesis before a committee of the faculty (see thesis guidelines).
Master of Science - Toxicology
School of Public Health Core Requirements
BIOSTAT 521 Applied Biostatistics, 3 credits
PUBHLTH 512 Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health, 3 credits
Foundations in Public Health (online modules)
EHS Core Requirements
EHS 510 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship, 1 credit
EHS 602, Essentials of Toxicology, 3 credits
Select one of the following:
EHS 603, Occupational and Environmental Diseases, 3 credits
EHS 652, Evaluation of Chemical Hazards
Select one of the following:
BIOSTAT 502 Application of Regression Analysis to Public Health Studies, 3 credits
BIOSTAT 522 Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Studies, 3 credits
EHS 655 Human Exposure Analysis, 3 credits
EHS 674 Environmental and Health Risk Modeling, 3 credits
Toxicology Core Requriements
BIOLCHEM 515, Introduction to Biochemistry, 3 credits (can be exempted with previous coursework)
EHS 616, Toxicologic Pathology, 2 credits
Select one of the following:
EHS 504 Genes and the Environment, 2 credits
EHS 608 Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, 3 credits
EHS 660 Environmental Epigenetics and Public Health, 2 credits
EHS 674 Environmental and Health Risk Modeling, 3 credits
EHS 628, Toxicology Research Analysis and Presentation, 1 credit
EHS 697, Readings , 1 credit
EHS 698, Research, 6 credits
EHS 699, Master's Thesis, 1 credit
EHS 717, Toxicological Pathology Laboratory, 1 credit
EHS 796, Topics in EHS: Mechanisms in Toxicology, 3 credits
Select two of the following:
CDB 530, Cell Biology, 3 credits
HUMGEN 541, Molecular Genetics, 3 credits
BIOLCHEM 550, Protein Structure and Function, 3 credits
Master Thesis
All MS students are required to perform a research project during the program, to write an acceptable thesis on the project, to present the research results in a seminar, and to defend the thesis before a committee of the faculty (see thesis guidelines).
