PhD in Environmental Health, Occupational Health & Toxicology

PhD In Environmental Health, Occupational Health & Toxicology

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The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Public Health (CoPH) has created an intercampus, multidisciplinary graduate program leading to a PhD degree in environmental health, occupational health, and toxicology. It is a revision and expansion of the previous Toxicology graduate program to accommodate the broader graduate education goals of the College. The program provides students with the knowledge base, laboratory skills, and problem-solving abilities to become independent, innovative investigators using state-of-the-art approaches to address scientific problems in the fields of environmental health, ecological health, occupational health and safety, and toxicology. 

A unique aspect of the program will be a focus on the impact of agricultural practices on human and environmental health. In states, such as Nebraska, where the economy is primarily based on agriculture, this focus will provide effective training for students interested in agricultural issues. 

Specific objectives of the graduate education and training program are to provide students with: 1) basic knowledge in ecological, environmental, agricultural and occupational health, as well as toxicology; 2) broad understanding of relevant problems in the various areas of ecological health (effects of contaminants and practices on air, water, soil and ecosystems), environmental health (effects of environmental contaminants and practices on human health), occupational health and safety or toxicology, with particular emphasis on agriculture; and 3) the ability to apply this information to important scientific questions and solve problems in these areas. Graduates of this program will be well equipped to pursue careers in public health, environmental health, occupational health, toxicology and related fields. 

Applications for enrollment are being accepted. Contact Sherry Cherek at 559-8924 or email scherek@unmc.edu  

Degree Program Information

• Why get a degree in Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Toxicology?
   
  • Need for the trained professionals 
  • Employment and educational advancement opportunities for graduates 
  • Partnerships with business 
  • Collaborations within the University 
  • Collaborations external to the University
     
• Program of Study
   
  • Ph.D. requirements
     
• Educational Tracks
   
  • Environmental and Occupational Hygiene Track 
  • Occupational Biomechanics Health Track 
  • Toxicology Track 
     
• Contact for more information

Why get a degree in Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Toxicology?

Need for Trained Professionals

Public awareness of environmental hazards has grown tremendously over the past four decades. Toxicologists and other environmental and population scientists play an essential role in ensuring that we are not endangering our health or the environment with the products and by-products of modern and comfortable living. This is especially true in states such as Nebraska, where production agriculture dominates the economy, but the potential impacts of such intense agricultural production on human health and environment are unclear. As a consequence, there are increased demands for new and better ways to determine the potential harmful effects of chemical agents, development of conditions under which toxic chemicals can be used safely, assessment of the probability that particular chemicals present a significant risk to human health and/or the environment, and the establishment of rules and regulations aimed at protecting and preserving human health and the environment.

In 1997 the University of Nebraska Center for Environmental Toxicology was established with faculty from UNMC and UNL. Its main function was to administer the Toxicology Graduate Program, which is now the Environmental Health, Occupational Health, and Toxicology Graduate Program, administered by the Department of Environmental, Agricultural and Occupational Health (DEAOH), College of Public Health. A major focus of the graduate program will be scientific issues related to production agriculture. 

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Why get a degree in Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Toxicology?

Employment and educational advancement opportunities for graduates With the increase in health consciousness, as well as concern for our environment, a wide and growing variety of career opportunities exists in environmental health, ecological health, occupational health and safety, and toxicology. Professionals with advanced degrees in these areas participate in basic research using the most advanced techniques in molecular biology, chemistry, and biomedical sciences; work with chemical, pharmaceutical, agrichemical and many other industries to test and ensure that their products and workplaces are safe; work for local and federal governments and agencies to develop and enforce laws to ensure that chemicals are produced, used and disposed of safely or to ensure that natural watersheds and local air quality criteria are maintained at appropriate levels; and work in academic institutions to teach others about the safe use of chemicals and to train future scientists. 

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Why get a degree in Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Toxicology?

Partnerships with Business
Agriculture is the backbone of the regional economy. There are many health and safety concerns associated with work in production agriculture in food processing, such as meat packing plants and the growing biofuels sector. Contacts faculty have with corporations in these industries provide strong partners in our effort to provide educational opportunities and training for our students. Giving students access to their businesses for research projects will be critical to the success of our program. Collaborations currently exist with several businesses addressing occupational health and safety issues. Additional potential collaborators include pharmaceutical and other medical research and service companies, construction and trucking companies, environmental consulting and engineering firms in the Lincoln and Omaha area involved in site assessments and remediation and local, state and federal agencies. 

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Partnerships within the University
Faculty participating in the degree program are drawn from various departments and colleges listed below: 

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Collaborations with Higher Education Institutions and Agencies External to the University 
A strong effort is being made to build on existing collaborations with other universities, particularly those in adjoining states.  Specific collaborations are anticipated, for example with the University of Iowa College of Public Health, which has collaborative arrangements with the Department of Environmental, Agricultural and Occupational Health.  Extramural support for students and their research projects will be sought through programs of the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other federal agencies. State agencies with expected collaborations include Health and Human Services, the Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Agriculture, and the Game and Parks Commission. 

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Program of Study - Ph.D. requirements
The Ph.D. degree in each of the three tracks includes satisfactory completion of required and elective courses,  completion of a grant proposal outside the student’s area of dissertation research with oral defense, submission of at least one article from the dissertation research for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, and completion of a dissertation with oral defense. 

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Environmental  and Occupational Hygiene Track (An academic degree designed to prepare students for future academic work and research)
Required courses  

Courses Required for PhD Degree:





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Occupational Biomechanics Track
Required courses  

Courses Required for PhD Degree:



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Toxicology Track
Required courses

Courses Required for PhD Degree:



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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:  

Sherry Cherek
Department of Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health
College of Public Health
University of Nebraska Medical Center
402-559-8924
scherek@unmc.edu  

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