Human Health & the Environment

Human Health & Environment

Many of the world’s most debilitating illnesses such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and microbial diseases are strongly associated with the quality of air, water, food, and indoor environments. The majority of these debilitating and costly illnesses are preventable via strategic management of microbial and infectious diseases, reducing air pollution both outside and indoors, avoidance of hazardous chemicals such as metals, solvents, tobacco products and pesticides, water filtration, or shifting dietary patterns to reduce intake of livestock products, saturated fats, salt, sugars, and alcohol. Collectively this means that prevention of many diseases and premature mortality is possible. 

  • Air pollution: respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and cancers
  • Drinking water: microbial and chemical contamination
  • Food and human health: malnutrition, starvation, obesity, contamination
  • Vector-borne diseases: dengue, malaria, Zika virus
  • Influenza transmission: incidence reductions
  • Environmental toxicology: plastics, pesticides, metals, and solvents
  • Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Chemicals
  • Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)
  • Legal and regulatory policy development
  • Public health education and disease prevention
  • Psychological health and environmental factors
  • Climate change impacts on human health
  • Environmental health in conflict zones
  • Risk assessment, perception, communication, and management

- Bachelor of Science (BS): Emphasizes policy and social aspects of environmental health
- Bachelor of Arts (BA): Focuses on scientific and biomedical aspects of environmental health

  • Health care and medical professions
  • Public health administration and research
  • Environmental policy analysis and development
  • Government health agencies
  • Non-profit organizations focused on health and environment
  • International health organizations

Alumni Stories

Adoma Addo EVST ‘22 Concentration in Human Health & the Environment

Suggested Coursework

Students in the Human Health & Environment Concentration must complete six courses of their choosing related to human health and the environment

See our list of suggested courses

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