Master of Health Science (MHS) in Environmental Health

Food Systems, Water and Environmental Sustainability is designed for students who wish to develop an understanding of the factors that are driving current changes in the global environment and how they can lead to adverse effects on human health at individual and population levels. Through coursework and seminars, students will be exposed to a range of sustainability topics relating to food systems, water quality, use and re-use, the built environment and the multiple impacts of climate change. Research interests can include chemical and biological threats to food safety and water quality and approaches to effective intervention/prevention. This foundation can be used to support plans for subsequent doctoral (e.g. PhD, JD) level training or to pursue a career in government or the private sector. Students studying in this area may also complete the course requirements to receive the Certificate in Food, Environment and Public Health.

The Health Security area of interest provides an understanding of domestic and international health threats, including epidemics, natural disasters, technological accidents, and intentional attacks. Students examine major organizations and initiatives designed to prevent, detect, and respond to health security threats; assess the current status of health security preparedness; and evaluate strategies to enhance health security. The area of interest is designed for individuals who would like to begin careers in public health and healthcare preparedness, global health security, outbreak and epidemic management, disaster response, and related fields. A subset of courses are taught by faculty from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and informed by the Center’s two decades of scholarship and advocacy on health security policy.

Population Environmental Health is for students whose research interests involve the use of epidemiologic methods to investigate of the impact of environmental hazards on the health of communities and high-risk populations. Courses in this area provide a strong foundation in epidemiology and biostatistics and the pathways through which environmental chemical and biological exposures lead to detrimental health outcomes. This combination leads to basic mastery in the use of statistical approaches and introduces students to quantitative skills used in epidemiologic research. Research interests can range from the use of epidemiology to investigate associations between exposure and adverse health outcomes to its applications in risk assessment and environmental health regulatory processes. This foundation can be used to support plans for subsequent PhD-level training, applying to medical school with master’s-level research experience or to pursue a career in government or the private sector. Students studying in this area may also complete the course requirements to receive the Certificate in Risk Sciences and Public Policy.

A pre-med area of focus provides the foundation for students planning to attend medical school. Core courses lead to basic mastery of statistics as well as an understanding of epidemiology. Elective courses in physiology, advanced toxicology, and environmental and occupational disease not only emphasize knowledge covered on the MCAT but they also differentiate graduates from the typical medical school applicant. Ideal candidates present with a strong foundation in the basic sciences and math. The American Association of Medical Colleges site now lists our MHS as a post-baccalaureate program.

Toxicology for Human Risk Assessment is designed to match the needs of students with research interests that extend from laboratory-based study of the toxicological and pathophysiological mechanisms of environmental chemical and biological agent exposures to the methods for applying toxicology data to human risk assessment and the development of regulatory policy. Students who choose this focus area should have strong backgrounds in the basic sciences and be considering subsequent PhD-level training, applying to medical school with master’s-level research experience or who may decide to pursue a career in government or private sector research positions.​ Students studying in this area may also complete the course requirements to receive the Certificate in Risk Sciences and Public Policy.