DEGREE:
Master of Science in Occupational & Environmental
Exposure Sciences
Overview |
Funding for graduate study |
Thesis and Portfolio Options |
Course Requirements |
Learning Emphasis Areas |
Typical Schedule |
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Overview
The Exposure Sciences program provides rigorous training in both occupational and environmental health sciences, and recognizes that skills and knowledge in these disciplines are blended in professional practice. The Occupational and Environmental Exposure Sciences MS degree covers a diverse range of topics. These topics are selected to be responsive to the needs of students, employers, and workers in a modern global economy such as Washington State. Graduates of the Exposure Sciences program often work for international companies where they take on responsibility for implementing and complying with both environmental & occupational health regulations. The MS degree curriculum consists of a core course sequence (ENV H 551, 553, and 557) covering hazard evaluation, exposure assessment, evaluation and control methods. In addition, graduates gain advanced knowledge in statistical analysis, epidemiology, and field sampling and data analysis.
MS degree students select a learning emphasis area strengthen knowledge in a particular topic without needing a separate degree. Four learning emphasis areas have been defined: Occupational Hygiene, Ergonomics and Human Factors, Health and Safety Management & Policy and Exposure Biomarkers. MS students also can choose to complete a Master’s thesis or complete a Master's project in the portfolio option. Both the MS thesis and portfolio option require the same number of credits. The MS thesis is oriented toward students interested in building their research skills and in applying advanced scientific tools available in their thesis work. The portfolio option expands the opportunities for development of practical skills for students focused on professional careers. Students selecting the portfolio option complete an internship, a field-based project and written report, and document their learning experience in a web-based portfolio. Students are strongly encouraged to develop a portfolio and to conduct an internship even if they choose a traditional MS thesis.
Funding for graduate study
Most students in the Exposure Sciences Program receive some form of financial support. This financial support comes through research assistantships on faculty projects, and teaching assistantships for classroom instruction. The Exposure Sciences Program is able to offer a wide variety of funding opportunities which can be matched to student needs.
Read more about funding opportunities.
Thesis and Portfolio Options
Students selecting the Portfolio option can combine paid internships and work in the private sector with their graduate degree project.
Thesis research is typically supported by external funding awarded to a faculty member to investigate some aspect of an identified occupational health threat.
Program Curriculum and Course Requirements (31 credits)
The following tables outline the requirements for the degree credits and the MS thesis or portfolio option for the Occupational and Environmental Exposure Sciences MS degree.
In addition to completing the core courses, students must select an emphasis area and complete the requirements for that emphasis. Elective courses can be selected from the suggested lists, or other courses can be substituted with the approval of the student’s advisor, to obtain the necessary minimum of 63 credits.
| Course # | Course Name | Credits Required | Quarter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOST 512 | Medical Biometry II [1] | 4 | W | |
| EPI 511 | Introduction to Epidemiology | 4 | A | |
| ENV H 580 | Environmental & Occupational Health Seminar | 3 | A, W, Sp | |
| ENV H 581 | Environmental Health Reading I | 1 | A | |
| ENV H 583 | Environmental Health Reading III | 1 | Sp | |
| ENV H 700 OR ENV H 564 AND 599 AND 598B |
Master's Thesis OR Project Portfolio |
8-9 | A, W, Sp, S | |
| [1] A hIgher level Biostatistics course can be substituted for BIOST 512. | ||||
| Course # | Course Name | Credits Required | Quarter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENV H 551 | Principles of Human Exposure Science | 3 | A | |
| ENV H 553 | Environmental Exposure Monitoring Methods | 4 | W | |
| ENV H 557 | Exposure Controls | 3/4 [1] | W | |
| [1] 1 credit optional ventilation module (except Occupational Hygiene Learning Emphasis area). | ||||
Learning Emphasis Areas (22 credits)
The following pages describe four Learning Emphasis Areas defined to date. Each emphasis area consists of 22 course credits designed to guide students in a topic of interest.
- Occupational Hygiene
- Ergonomics and Human Factors
- Health and Safety Management & Policy
- Exposure Biomarkers
MS, Occupational and Environmental Exposure Sciences Typical Schedule
| Learning Emphasis Area |
Autumn Quarter | Winter Quarter | Spring Quarter | Summer Quarter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core | ENV H 551 Principles of Human Exposure Science |
ENV H 553 Environmental Exposure Monitoring Methods |
ENV H 599C Field Studies (Internship) [3] [4] |
|
| ENV H 580 Environmental Health Seminar |
ENV H 557 Workplace Exposure Controls [2] |
|||
| ENV H 581 Environmental Health Reading I |
ENV H 580 Environmental Health Seminar |
ENV H 580 Environmental Health Seminar |
||
| BIOST 511 or BIOST 517 [1] | BIOST 512 or 518 | ENV H 583 Environmental Health Reading III |
||
| EPI 511 Intro to Epidemiology |
||||
| Occupational Hygiene | ENV H 405 Toxic Chemicals and Human Health ENV H 570 Occ. & Env. Epidemiology |
|||
| Ergonomics and Human Factors | ENV H 405 Toxic Chemicals and Human Health OR (see autumn second year)... ENV H 596A Current Issues Occ. and Env. Medicine (if odd year) |
|||
| Health and Safety Management & Policy | Electives | |||
| Exposure Biomarkers | ENV H 405 Toxic Chemicals and Human Health |
| Learning Emphasis Area |
Autumn Quarter | Winter Quarter | Spring Quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core | ENV H 700 Master's Thesis [3] OR ENV H 598B Project/Portfolio Option [4] |
ENV H 700 Master's Thesis [3] OR ENV H 598B Project/Portfolio Option [4] |
ENV H 700 Master's Thesis [3] OR ENV H 598B Project/Portfolio Option AND ENV H 559 Applied Occ. Health & Safety [4] |
| Occupational Hygiene | ENV H 560 Org. and Admin. Industrial Safety Electives |
Electives | ENV H 555 Industrial Hygiene Measurement Electives |
| Ergonomics and Human Factors | ...OR ENV H 577 Risk Assessment Electives |
ENV H 566 Intro to Ergonomics Electives |
ENV H 596A Current Issues Occ. and Env. Medicine (if odd year) Electives |
| Health and Safety Management & Policy | ENV H 560 Org and Admin Industrial Safety ENV H 577 Risk Assessment Electives |
ENV H 584 OEH Policy and Politics Electives |
Electives |
| Exposure Biomarkers | PCEUT 506 Pharmacokinetics Electives |
P BIO 406 Human Physiology Electives |
ENV H 570 Occ. and Env. Epidemiology Electives |
[1] Take BIOST 511 or 517 only if you are not qualified to take BIOST 512 or 518 in Winter.
[2] OH emphasis area requires 4 credits of ENV H 557
[3] 9 credits required for the thesis option. ENV H 599C internship recommended, if not required by learning emphasis area.
[4] 9 credits required for the project option in:
ENV H 599C (3),
ENV H 559 (3),
and ENV H 598B (1 credit each A, W, Sp)