Environmental Health Science

College of Public Health

B.S.E.H.
Minor

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College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

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Biological Science

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College of Public Health

Overview

The need for Environmental Health scientists is increasing due to the limited availability of college training programs for this field and evolving environmental health concerns of a modern society. 

The Environmental Health Science major at UGA is nationally accredited and the only undergraduate environmental health program in the state of Georgia.  The curriculum incorporates multiple fields of study such as biology, chemistry, physics, math, and microbiology.  Applied environmental health science courses in such areas as air, water, and noise pollution; solid and hazardous waste management; environmental toxicology; industrial hygiene; food microbiology; epidemiology; and public health law are available.  Students have considerable freedom in choosing courses of interest to develop a specialty area in Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Protection, or Public Health. 

A dual degree program is also offered with Biological and Agricultural Engineering which allows a student to earn both the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health (B.S.E.H.) and the Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering (B.S.B.E.) simultaneously in a five-year course of study.

A wide range of employment options exist in environmental and occupational health departments, public health and safety agencies, private industry, solid and hazardous waste management, general sanitation engineering, water and air pollution control, and consulting firms.  The degree prepares graduates for advanced degrees in industrial hygiene, toxicology, epidemiology, ecology, and many others while satisfying entrance requirements for professional degree programs in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, and pharmacy.

Study Abroad Options: Maymester programs in Vietnam, China, and Croatia; Agriculture and Ecology in Tropical America - Guatemala (odd-numbered years) & Costa Rica (even-numbered years); Agriculture and Ecology of Tropical America - Pernambuco Brazil; Costa Rica Ecology Program; Costa Rica Study Abroad; Sustainable Agriculture in Mediterranean Regions

Spotlight

Health Educators and Community Health Workers
Harris Jamal
Class of 2020

A combination of my wonderful siblings, amazing friends, encouraging mentors and foundational experiences inspired me to explore more of what this incredible university has to offer. During my sophomore year, through the Experiential Learning Scholarship, I was able to fulfill my dreams of studying abroad to study environmental health and health promotion in Croatia. It was fascinating to meet people from halfway across the world and connect over similar issues. I also was fortunate to receive an opportunity at the UGA Office of Sustainability to create a new intern position as the Sustainability in Healthcare Intern to continue my work at the Health Center with their support. During my time at the UGA sustainability office, I met Kevin Kirsche and Tyra Byers, who are some of the most kind and down to earth individuals I have ever met. They guided and encouraged me on how to make my vision of making a sustainable health center come to life. I would be remiss if I did not mention the wonderful community of individuals at the Health Center, including Dr. Garth Russo, Donnie Smith and Bill Kemper who were eager to drive positive change and contribute ideas. With their help, I was able to advance the initiative and start working on specific issues, including the usage of safer chemicals and efficient waste management at the Health Center.

During my junior year, I decided to become a Double Dawg and pursue a Master of Public Health. This path opened many doors including opportunities to get involved in research that is more applicable to the local community and general population. A group of graduate students and I proposed to examine lead levels in schools across Athens-Clarke County with an emphasis on underserved areas and areas with high minority populations. This initiative added lead testing of school drinking water as an important part of childhood lead poisoning prevention in Georgia. The project was awarded the 2019 UGA College of Public Health Diversity and Inclusion Grant and was funded to be carried out. We analyzed previous county records of tap water in schools, tested multiple school sites, created a lesson plan for teachers to teach kids about lead prevention, and encouraged outreach by presenting our results to the College of Public Health and the school district. Additionally, it was through the wonderful Jacquelyn Hughes from the UGA College of Public Health that I was able to get in touch with and create an internship opportunity at Emory Healthcare. This internship allowed me to work on pharmaceutical disposal and opioid abuse prevention, expanding my perspectives on sustainability in health care.