By James Meadows, Program Manager, Environmental Health
Since 1947, the Environmental Health Undergraduate Program has trained hundreds of undergraduates to protect people in the Puget Sound region and beyond from man-made and naturally occurring human health hazards like arsenic in drinking water or methylmercury in certain types of fish. Our major differs from most University of Washington science majors in that we are small (under 60 students) and our classes even smaller. Our students enjoy the opportunity to study a science-based discipline in an intimate and friendly environment. Since all of our undergraduate courses are taught by faculty, our students are known to the faculty. Also, a number of our undergrads are able to collaborate with faculty on research projects. In addition, because the admission prerequisites overlap most suggested courses for medical school preparation, several Environmental Health students choose to prepare for admission to medical school in our major.
The Undergraduate Program admission requirements have changed slightly. We are still a minimum requirement major. This means if you complete our prerequisites, you can enter the major. There is no application competition at this time. However, you must now earn a 2.0 or higher in all chemistry and biology prerequisite courses to be guaranteed admission. If you earn a grade(s) below 2.0 in your chemistry or biology prerequisites, the Program Manager will review your case with the Department Chair who will then make a decision about entry to the major. Please keep in mind that a prerequisite biology or chemistry grade below 2.0 will not automatically disqualify you from admission.
Our prerequisites are as follows:
| General Chemistry | 1 year: CHEM 142, 152, 162 |
| Organic Chemistry | 1 year: CHEM 237, 238, 239 (or CHEM 223, 224) |
| Introductory Biology | 1 year: BIO 180, 200 220 |
| English Composition | 1 quarter: ENGL 131 or equivalent |
| Calculus | 1 quarter: MATH 124 or equivalent |
If you are interested in more information about the Environmental Health Undergraduate Major at the University of Washington, Seattle, I'd like to hear from you. Please email the Undergraduate Program Manager at ehug@u.washington.edu. You can also visit our website.
Environmental Health Sciences Funded Summer Research Internships
APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 22ND
The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (home to the Environmental Health Undergraduate Program) is sponsoring eight exciting Funded Research Internships this summer.
Our internships are for rising junior and senior science students who wish to collaborate on environmental health research projects with faculty in the department. We are particularly interested in applications from underrepresented science students. Because environmental health is necessarily an interdisciplinary field, our faculty researchers have doctorates in chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, bioengineering, pharmacology or toxicology. Some of our faculty researchers are medical doctors with backgrounds in public health and/or epidemiology.
For more information about our funded research internships including application procedures please visit the our website or contact Rory Murphy at rmurphy@u.washington.edu.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 22ND
