College of Public Health

The Master of Science (MS) degree is intended for students whose interests in Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) are research oriented rather than directed toward professional practice.

It is a natural entry point for students who are interested in pursuing a PhD degree or a career in research. Because of this orientation, the emphasis in the MS degree program is on building a strong foundation in a particular specialty field, along with the research methods important in that field.

To reflect this research and academic orientation, the MS degree ordinarily requires the preparation of a thesis, though it is available under a non-thesis option at the discretion of the division.

Students admitted to the MS degree program are assigned a faculty advisor who will provide guidance throughout the program. Students are encouraged to get to know their advisor and meet with him/her at least twice each semester.

This information serves as a resource to be used by the student and the advisor in planning a program with a specialization in Environmental Health Sciences. For detailed additional information about specific requirements, students are directed to the College of Public Health (CPH) Graduate Student Handbook and to the Graduate School Handbook (http://www.gradsch.ohio-state.edu/).

Program of Study

Although the focus of the MS degree program of study is in EHS, students are required to show coverage in epidemiology and biostatistics. The MS-EHS curriculum consists of a minimum of 45 credits organized into three curricular domains:
1. Courses required for a specialization in EHS (36 credits)
2. Elective courses approved for the specialization (6 credits)
3. Thesis (3 credits)