Environmental Health Sciences (ENHS) is primarily concerned with the interactions of humans with the environment. Our field focuses on the adverse effects of environmental conditions or contamination on human health and the impacts of human activities on the environment.
Career opportunities for ENHS exist in federal, state and local environmental regulatory agencies, national research laboratories, industries, environmental consulting companies and universities. Jobs in the field include research scientist, industrial hygienist, water quality specialist, health and safety officer, ecotoxicologist, molecular toxicologist, environmental microbiologist, community engagement and environmental justice scientist, nanomaterial scientist, air pollutions scientist, health physicist and professor.
ENHS examines the causes and effects of interactions between humans and their environment.
Our goal is to understand and minimize impacts on human health and the environment.
To explore these complex interactions, numerous elements of pure and applied sciences,
including biology, chemistry, geography, physics, engineering, public health and medicine,
are required. Two broad areas of emphasis are available to students entering the department’s
graduate programs: environmental health and human health.
ENHS holds at least 20 nationally competitive grants from a variety of our field's esteemed professional organizations. Our graduate students receive financial support from these grants via Graduate Research Assistantships. In addition, ENHS graduate students are routinely recipients of nationally competitive research fellowships.
We offer four advanced degrees in environmental health sciences. Find the degree option that works best for you then explore the application deadlines and requirements for each degree.
As the US Army Senior Scientist for Environmental Sciences, David Moore advises Army Leadership on emerging environmental issues impacting the Army, including the US Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works mission space.
Tamar Hagopian Schlekat graduated in 1998 with an MSPH in Environmental Quality. Today, she's the Global Science Affairs Director and North America Executive Director for the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.
When Heath Kelsey began looking for graduate programs in environmental health sciences in the late 1990s, he was excited to find that USC’s was located in a school of public health and tied environmental science issues to public and human health.
The Office of the Vice President for Research has announced the recipients of the 2025 Advanced Support for Innovative Research Excellence (ASPIRE) and ASPIRE AI awards to fund 27 scholarly projects.
The Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences program offered Pennington opportunities to expand his research into other areas of the field while continuing to work with marine ecosystems.
Research experience as a public health undergrad convinced Shea McCarthy to pursue an M.S. in Environmental Health Sciences. Now she's the Nonpoint Source Coordinator for the state.