Department Website
Program Description
The Master of Science degree program in Environmental Health Science is a specialized course of study providing students with the opportunity to develop applicable skills and expertise in a selected subject area. The program is designed for individuals needing graduate training for employment in jobs involving toxicology, pharmaceutical research, worker health and safety, health hazard communication, health risk assessment, and environmental analysis of toxicants, including related areas of administration and technical sales. Potential employers include academia, industry, consulting firms, trade associations, and local, state, and federal governmental agencies. The Master of Science program can also serve as a stepping stone to the PhD program in Environmental Health Sciences.
Tracks
The program offers two specialized tracks:
Environmental Toxicology
The environmental toxicology track provides a broad cross-sectional education on the toxicology of environmental exposures at all levels, from molecular/cell studies to experimental models and human population studies, including community based research.
Occupational-Environmental Hygiene
The occupational-environmental hygiene track specifically focuses on the recognition, evaluation, and control of chemical and physical agents in occupational settings.
Admissions
All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the general application requirements, which include:
See Environmental Health Sciences for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.
Program Requirements
The program requires the completion of 36 credits, and a Master's Thesis. The program in environmental health sciences offers two specialized tracks: environmental toxicology and occupational-environmental hygiene. See recommended courses for each track below.
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| 36 |
| Total Credits | 36 |
Tracks
Environmental Toxicology
Occupational-Environmental Hygiene
Additional Program Requirements
Master's Thesis
Students must complete and submit a master's thesis project. Depending on the student’s needs, this may be either a library thesis or a thesis based on a laboratory project performed under the guidance of a faculty member.
Courses at Other NYU Schools
Students may take relevant courses in other schools within the University, for example, in environmental management and planning, environmental law, risk assessment, and environmental impact assessment. The program of study may be full time or part time. Master of Science students are required to attend departmental seminars and journal clubs. Laboratory placements for study pursuing research-based thesis projects may be arranged in consultation with the student’s academic adviser. Most courses are offered at the Washington Square campus.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:
- Have an introduction to underlying theories, concepts, critical issues, historical information and gaps of knowledge in the field of environmental health science to begin to understand exposure science as it relates to human health, disease, and disease treatment or prevention.
- Learn about scientific methods of inquiry, including proper hypothesis development; as well as familiarity with and/or basic use of technologies and investigative tools relevant to the specific line of investigation being undertaken in the field of environmental health sciences.
- Understand and implement appropriate methods of data analysis and statistical testing applicable to the MS thesis research being undertaken.
- Develop skills for oral and written scientific communication in the field of environmental health science, learn how to produce written scientific reports that are of sufficient quality for publication in the journals available in the field, as well as the ability to deliver high quality oral and poster presentations at scientific conferences. Understand how scientific findings get translated to governmental regulatory agencies and the public.
- Develop an understanding of post MS degree career options in the field of environmental health sciences, building knowledge and experience in scientific peer-review, grantsmanship, teaching, mentoring and career development, whether in the next stages of academia, or in industry or government sectors.
Policies
NYU Policies
University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
Graduate School of Arts and Science Policies
Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page.