Fort Valley State University

The M.P.H. Degree Program in Environmental Health was developed in response to the nation’s call-to-action for improved health opportunities for all Americans with a specific focus on state and local needs. This M.P.H. Program offers a course of study that prepares students to identify problems and propose solutions to a variety of environmental conditions that affect the health of minority, rural, and disadvantaged populations at disproportionate rates. Linkages between the high morbidity rates due to heart disease, cancer, and strokes and adverse environmental factors such as livestock rearing, farming practices, food handling, industrial contaminants and the like will be studied with sensitivity to cultural, regional, and ethnic differences.
Graduates of the M.P.H. degree program will be capable of pursuing further study in environmental health or related fields, conducting research in the discipline, managing community health agencies, and/or providing community-based leadership designed to educate and empower citizens to form partnerships in the interest of improving the overall health of their communities.

Matriculation Requirements

If any standard is not met, it is possible the student may be accepted via fast-track admission based on a positive decision by the program coordinator or admission committee. However test scores for a student accepted in this way must be in before the completion of the first 9 hours of graduate classes, and the student may not earn a grade point average of lower than 3.0 or the admission will be withdrawn and financial aid will be discontinued.

Career Opportunities

Professionals completing the M.P.H. degree with a concentration in Environmental Health are eligible to take the Registered Environmental Health Specialist examination offered by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and the Georgia Environmental Health Association (GEHA). Opportunities for employment may be found in both the public and private sectors; at the International, federal, state and local levels; within government and voluntary agencies; as well as within business, industry, agriculture and the health care community.

Internships

Opportunities for field experience may be found in both the public and private sectors; at the federal, state, and local levels; within government and voluntary agencies; as well as within business, industry, agriculture and the health care community.

Program Overview

The M.P.H. Degree Program in Environmental Health was developed in response to the nation’s call-to-action for improved health opportunities for all Americans with a specific focus on state and local needs. This M.P.H Program offers a course of study that prepares students to identify problems and propose solutions to a variety of environmental conditions that affect the health of minority, rural, and dis-advantaged populations at disproportionate rates. Linkages between the high morbidity rates due to heart disease, cancer, and strokes and adverse environmental factors such as livestock rearing, farming practices, food handling, industrial contaminants and the like will be studied with sensitivity to cultural, regional, and ethnic differences.

Graduates of the M.P. H degree program will be capable of pursuing further study in environmental health or related fields, conducting research in the discipline, managing community health agencies, and/or providing community-based leadership designed to educate and empower citizens to form partnerships in the interest of improving the overall health of their communities.

The M.P.H. Degree provides academic preparation in the core areas of Public Health. The program requires
forty-five (45) semester hours
A thesis or non thesis option
Internships with non thesis option

The graduation requirement is a cumulative grade point average of not less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale plus the following:
Core Courses
• FVSU 0500 Graduate Studies Orientation -0 hrs
• HLTH 5103 Environmental Health - 3hrs
• HLTH 5123 Epidemiology - 3hrs
• HLTH 5153 Biostatistics - 3hrs
• HLTH 5173 Public Health Policy & Administration - 3hrs
• HLTH 5200 Health Behavior/Health Promotion - 3hrs

Environmental Health Concentration
• ENVH 5113 Environmental Pollution - 3hrs
• ENVH 5183 Environmental Law - 3hrs
• ENVH 5193 Environmental Health Hazard Management - 3hrs
• ENVH 5253 Industrial Hygiene - 3hrs
• BIOL 5334 Environmental Microbiology - 3hrs
• BIOL 5354 Physiological Toxicology - 3hrs
• CHEM 5304 Environmental Analysis - 3hrs

Field Experience

HLTH 5850 Field Experience in Public Health (1-6 hrs) will assist the student in applying, planning, implementing, and evaluating the environmental health field experience. Candidates, after completing the field experience, will deliver an oral presentation on their writer report and portfolio for graduate faculty and other MPH students.
Applications for the field experience should be made one term prior to the term of participation and must be approved by the Program coordinator. Late applications may be considered for the next term.

Non-Thesis Option

Students pursuing the non-thesis option will not receive a final grade for the Field Experience until a research report approved prior to the field experience and based on data collected during the field experience has been completed and presented to the Public Health faculty and students.

Thesis

HLTH 5999 Thesis Research Manual along with the required textbook will assist the student in preparing for the Research Thesis Prospectus, the Research Thesis Proposal, and the Research Thesis Format. Candidates, after writing the thesis, will defend their research in an oral presentation for graduate faculty and other MPH students.

Scholarships

Some graduate assistantships are available to qualifying students. Financial assistance in the form of loans is available to qualified graduate students. Many professional associations and other groups, such as those listed below; provide financial assistance to graduate students.
 National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)-www.neha.org
 American Waster Management Association (AWMA)-www.awma.org
 California Environmental Health Association(CEHA)-Awards &Scholarships
www.ceha.org/awards.asp

Program Director

Dr. Melanie Ragin
Phone: (478) 953-6128/7423
FAX: (478) 971-4452
Email: raginm@fvsu.edu