The MPH in Occupational and Environmental Health prepares professionals to recognize and prevent the impact of environmental and occupational hazards on human health. The program provides the knowledge and skills to assess and characterize chemical exposures and hazards, assess health effects, design and implement preventive measures, conduct medical surveillance and promote healthy behaviors in the workplace.
The program follows MPH didactic requirements for the general preventive medicine and occupational medicine boards.
Typical backgrounds: physicians, nurses and other health providers in occupational and environmental medicine; public health professionals; environmental health professionals; people with biology, health and other science degrees seeking careers in public health.
Upon completion of the MPH degree in Occupational and Environmental Health, graduates will have the following competencies:
- Apply scientific principles to recognize, characterize and manage the impact of environmental and occupational hazards on human health.
- Interpret the impact of chemical exposures on workers and general populations health within the frame work of the route of exposure, estimated dose, duration and frequency of exposure and the acute and chronic effects of the agent.
- Design, implement and evaluate primary, secondary and tertiary prevention applications including clinical, behavior and environmental interventions for the protection of worker health
- Utilize population data from hazard and medical surveillance to prevent negative health effects in the work place
- Demonstrate written and oral communication skills for reaching a variety of target audiences including workers and patients, managers and H&S professionals, and other scientists and clinicians.
The Distance Learning Programs follow the Tulane SPHTM admission requirements. In addition, the department requests the following from applicants:
- Baccalaureate degree, preferably in a STEM area, public health, medicine, nursing, with Grade Point Average of 3.0. Or, degree in medicine or other health care professional degree.
- At least 3 years of professional experience in occupational or environmental health, a health care field, or other related field.
- The application includes documentation of a bachelor’s degree and GPA (official transcript), a written statement of Purpose and Objectives, and three letters of recommendations.
- The Application is submitted through SOPHAS.
The MPH Degree in Occupational and Environmental requires a total of 42 credits that include:
SPHTM - Core/Foundational Courses (15 Credits)
- SPHL 6050 Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
- SPHL 6060 Epidemiology for Public Health (3)
- GCHB 6030 Social and Behavioral Aspects of Global Health (3) OR SPHL 6080 Design Strategies for Public Health Programs (3)
- GEHS 6030 Survey of Environmental Health (3)
- SPHL 6070 Health Systems Policy and Management (3)
MPH in Occupational and Environmental Health - Required Courses (17 Credits)
- GEHS 6150 Occupational Health Services (2)
- GEHS 6320 Workplace Wellness (3)
- GEHS 6540 Principles of Occupational Health (3)
- GEHS 6600 Principles of Toxicology (3)
- GEHS 6720 Principles of Industrial Hygiene (3)
- GEHS 7620 Health Risk Assessment (3)
Elective Courses (10 credits)
Selected from courses offered within the department or school in consultation with an academic advisor.
Applied Practice Experience (SPHL 9980)
The Applied Practice Experience (APE) (formerly practicum) is a supervised practice experience conducted in an agency or organization external to the university to gain practical experience. The APE allows students to demonstrate attainment of program and public health competencies, and will include at least three from the foundational public health competencies (CEPH Criterion D2) and two competencies from their program of study. The APE is conducted after completion of the foundational courses. Mid-career students may do a Leadership applied practice experience, a Quality Improvement applied practice experience, or a Workplace applied practice experience.
More information can be found in the APE Handbook. Students should contact Kathy Carneiro to discuss APE requirements the semester before they intend to graduate.
Integrated Learning Experience (SPHL 7950)
All students must complete an Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) (formerly culminating experience) that demonstrates the synthesis of foundational and concentration competencies. Students in the MPH in Occupational and Environmental Health program will conduct a public health analysis (PHA). Students will select a topic in consultation with their academic advisor.
More information can be found in the ILE Handbook. You select the topic in consultation with your advisor and produce a written PHA document. Students should contact Kathy Carneiro to discuss the ILE requirements the semester before they intend to graduate.
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