Career Pathways in Environmental Health Sciences

Graduate student Olatunbosun Arowolo working on a lab project.

Graduates of Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) pursue fulfilling careers across academia, government, community organizations, global public health agencies, and private industry. Our students develop strong technical, analytical, and leadership skills that prepare them for a wide range of professional roles—from hands-on fieldwork and laboratory research to policy development, program management, and executive leadership.

Master’s Degrees (MS / MPH)

Our MS and MPH programs prepare graduates for diverse practice and research careers:

MS Program

Builds advanced technical and analytical expertise in environmental health research, including laboratory methods, exposure assessment, and quantitative analysis.

MPH Program

Provides broad training in public health practice, policy, program leadership, and applied environmental health science.

Common Career Pathways for MS/MPH Graduates

Public Health Agencies & Services

  • Environmental health specialist
  • Epidemiologist
  • Public health program coordinator
  • Climate and health analyst

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) / Industry

  • EH&S officer
  • Industrial hygienist
  • Corporate sustainability or compliance specialist
  • Environmental health manager

Risk Assessment & Consulting

  • Environmental risk assessor
  • Exposure scientist
  • Health risk analyst
  • Environmental consulting associate

Research, Clinical, & Biomedical Settings

  • Research associate or technician
  • Laboratory manager
  • Data analyst in academic, hospital, or biomedical research environments

Further Graduate or Professional Training

  • Medical, veterinary, or dental programs
  • Doctoral programs in public health, toxicology, epidemiology, or related fields

Doctoral Degree (PhD)

PhD graduates are prepared for leadership roles in research, teaching, policy, and practice that advance environmental health sciences at the highest level.

Common Career Pathways for PhD Graduates

Academic and Research Careers

  • Postdoctoral fellow
  • University faculty member
  • Research scientist in universities, national labs, or research institutes

Government and Public Health Agencies

  • Scientist or senior analyst at CDC, EPA, NIH
  • Environmental epidemiologist or toxicologist
  • Policy or regulatory scientist at state and local agencies

Industry, NGOs, and Global Health Organizations

  • Senior environmental health scientist
  • Program or research director
  • Global health program scientist for NGOs, foundations, and international agencies
  • Department of Research and Development in pharmaceutical companies.
  • Safety/toxicity specialist in oil and gas, food companies.

Risk Assessment, Policy, and Consulting

  • Principal scientist or quantitative risk assessor
  • Technical expert supporting regulation, standards, and evidence-based decision-making
  • Consultant for environmental consulting firms