Employment & Career Opportunities in Environmental and Occupational Health

The BSPH-Environmental Health major is an exciting, rigorous, science-based, applied curriculum that prepares graduates for direct entry into environmental health jobs, training fellowships, graduate or professional the study, or other environmental public health career opportunities.    

Employment Opportunities

Environmental health professionals work in offices, laboratories, and in the field where they monitor environmental conditions firsthand and collect data. Most work full time. Working conditions, level of job responsibility, independence, and salary vary by employer, type of position, educational level and degree, and experience. 

Environmental health is a broad field with opportunities to work in different areas including:

1. Air pollution analysis & control
2. Vector control
3. Drinking water quality
4. Hazardous waste management
5. Solid waste management & control
6. Toxicology
7. Industrial hygiene
8. Emergency and disaster management
9. Housing quality
10. Emergency response
11. Environmental remediation
12. Occupational safety and health
13. Food protection and safety
14. Radiation protection
15. Noise control

Potential Employers

BSPH graduates can work in local, county and state health departments or in federal health, environmental, and development agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Drug Agency (FDA), United States International Development Agency (USAID), National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH at CDC), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), or as commissioned officers in the Public Health Service Corps, or U.S. Armed Forces.

Other employment opportunities are in the private sector, working for environmental or occupational health consulting firms, in pharmaceutical, biotech, manufacturing, agricultural companies, and tourism industries, labour and consumer organizations, and private foundations, Health, labour, consumer, and other non-profit organizations, colleges and universities

Potential international employers include health and relief health agencies such as the World Health Organization, World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Food and Agriculture Organization, Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders, CARE,  World Food Programme, and Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Post-Graduate Fellowships

Some students also may take advantage of governmental and other programs to gain more experience after graduation. 

• Peace Corps service
• AmeriCorps service
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) training fellowship
• World Health Organization fellowships/internships
• World Bank training fellowships/internships

Graduate School & Professional Programs



The BSPH curriculum provides excellent preparation for students who wish to go on to professional programs and graduate study. 

The science, math, environmental health and public health courses required for this major also provide a solid foundation for students intending to pursue advanced degrees in environmental health practice and other graduate fields such as toxicology, exposure sciences, epidemiology, environmental science, and public health. 

The BSPH curriculum is also attractive for students who may wish to also pursue future professional program study in medicine, veterinary medicine, allied health, and other professional careers in health.

Source: public-health