Master of Science Degree in Environmental Health Sciences
The Master of Science (MS) program in the Environmental Health Sciences department is aimed at graduates in the natural and applied sciences who plan to go on to scientific research and leadership careers.
The MS Program requires students to complete diadactic coursework and undertake original research culimnating in a master's thesis. Students are required to take 6 credit hours of research which will be supervised by an EHS faculty member. Graduates are qualified for positions in academia, research institutes, government, and industry.
Degree Options and Concentrations
Environmental Health Sciences MS
Research areas of interest include a broad range of environmental and occupational areas. Many topics include aspects of Environment, Sustainability, and Heath and Occupational Health Sciences-Industrial Hygiene. The MS degree also offers a formalized concentration in Industrial Hygiene.
Environmental Health Sciences Accelerated Master's Degree (AMD)
The Accelerated Master's Degree (AMD) program option will award a Master of Science degree in Environmental Health Sciences for highly motivated students working towards their bachelor's degree in their senior year, plus one more year of graduate study in Environmental Health Sciences. Students will application during the second semester of their second year. Learn more about the AMD program.
Toxicology MS
The field of toxicology identifies environmental and therapeutic exposures of concern, reveals mechanisms by which chemical toxicants create pathological dysfunction or disease, identifies interventions for the prevention of adverse effects, conducts safety assessments, and estimates acceptable levels of exposure for the protection of the public health. Learn more about the Toxicology MS.
Program Prerequisites
Typical undergraduate majors among applicants admitted to the MS in recent years include environmental sciences/studies, public health, industrial hygiene, biology, chemistry, biochemistry and engineering. However, prospective students with other undergraduate majors are welcome to apply. For the MS degree programs, basic science knowledge is expected.
Students who are applying for the MS or AMD programs must meet the following prerequisite courses listed below. Some deficiencies may be made up after admission to the program. Courses taken to fulfill basic deficiencies do not count toward fulfillment of the degree's course requirements.
- General Biology
- General Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- General Physics
- Calculus
Program Curriculum and Courses
Below is an example schedule for the 2025-2027 cohort. Sample schedules can vary from
one cohort to the next, but the majority of the coursework will be quite similiar.
Year: 1 Fall 2025
BIOSTAT 521 Applied Biostatistics
EHS 510 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship (RCRS)
EHS 602 Essentials of Toxicology
EHS 652 Evaluation of Chemical Hazards‡
EHS 658 Physical Hazards
EHS 869 Research Critiques and Scientific Communications in EHS
YEAR 1: Winter 2026
EHS 603 Occupational and Environmental Disease
EHS 698 Research*
EPID 600 Introduction to Epidemiology
EHS Selective Courses**
YEAR 2: Fall 2026
EHS 698 Research*
EHS Selective Courses**
YEAR 2: Winter 2027
EHS 698 Research*
EHS 699 Master's Thesis
EHS Selective Courses**
Required: Students must select one of the following courses during their first year
EHS 652 Evaluation of Chemical Hazards‡ (fall semester)
EHS 658 Physical Hazards (fall semester)
EHS 576 Biological Agents (winter semester)
Required: Quantitative Course (select one | 3-4 credits)
EAS 635 Multivariate Statistics for Environmental Science
EAS 538 Natural Resource Statistics
BIOSTAT 522 Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Studies
EHS 655 Human Exposure Analysis
EHS/EPID 675 Data Analysis for Environmental Epidemiology
NUTR 620 Multivariate Analysis of Nutrition Related Studies
* Must complete a minimum of 6 credits to meet both departmental and program requirements.
Students can distribute these as they see fit across semesters.
**Select at least 9 credits among courses listed in Table 1. At least six (6) of the
credits must be 600-level or higher.
‡Students who take EHS 652 should not also take EHS 601 to avoid redundancy in content
Below is an example schedule for the 2025-2027 cohort. Sample schedules can vary from one cohort to the next, but the majority of the coursework will be quite similiar.
YEAR 1: Fall 2025
BIOSTAT 521 Applied Biostatistics
EHS 510 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship (RCRS)
EHS 602 Essentals of Toxciology
EHS 652 Evaluation of Chemical Hazards‡
EHS 658 Physical Hazards***
EHS 869 Research Critques and Scientific Communications in EHS
YEAR 1: Winter 2026
EHS 576 Biological Agents***
EHS 603 Occupational and Environmental Disease
EHS 653 Enivronmental Sampling and Analysis Laboratory
EHS 654 Control of Exposures to Airborne Contaminants
EHS 668 Professional Seminar in Occupational Health
EHS 698 Research*
EPID 600 Introduction to Epidemiology
YEAR 2: Fall 2026
EHS 585 Psychosocial Factors Impacting Environmental and Occupational Health
EHS 698 Research*
EHS Selective Courses**
YEAR 2: Winter 2027
EHS 698 Research*
EHS 699 Master's Thesis
IOE 539 Occupational Safety Engineering
Required: Quantitative Course (select one | 3-4 credits)
EAS 635 Multivariate Statistics for Environmental Science
EAS 538 Natural Resource Statistics
BIOSTAT 522 Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Studies
EHS 655 Human Exposure Analysis
EHS/EPID 675 Data Analysis for Environmental Epidemiology
NUTR 620 Multivariate Analysis of Nutrition Related Studies
* Must complete a minimum of 6 credits to meet both departmental and program requirements.
Students can distribute these as they see fit across semesters.
**Select at least 9 credits among courses listed in Table 1. At least six (6) of the
credits must be 600-level or higher.
*** You must enroll in EHS 576 or EHS 658. You do not need to take both courses.
‡NOTE: Students who take EHS 652 should not also take EHS 601 to avoid redundancy
in content
AMD students are required to take the same courses as the MS EHS students; however, they begin taking their classes during their senior year of their undergraduate degree. Since each student is different, the amount of courses a student will take during their first year depends on their senior year schedule. Typically, we recommend students take 2-3 courses during their first semester. If they can take more, the Academic Program Manager and/or faculty member will guide students on what courses to take.
Below is an example schedule for the 2025-2027 cohort. Sample schedules can vary from one cohort to the next, but the majority of the coursework will be quite similiar.
Year: 1 Fall 2025
BIOSTAT 521 Applied Biostatistics
EHS 510 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship (RCRS)
EHS 602 Essentials of Toxicology
EHS 652 Evaluation of Chemical Hazards‡
EHS 658 Physical Hazards
EHS 869 Research Critiques and Scientific Communications in EHS
YEAR 1: Winter 2026
EHS 603 Occupational and Environmental Disease
EHS 698 Research*
EPID 600 Introduction to Epidemiology
EHS Selective Courses**
YEAR 2: Fall 2026
EHS 698 Research*
EHS Selective Courses**
YEAR 2: Winter 2027
EHS 698 Research*
EHS 699 Master's Thesis
EHS Selective Courses**
Required: Students must select one of the following courses. It is encouraged for
AMD students to take this during their first year; however, discussin your senior
schedule may require you to take this during your second year in the program.
EHS 652 Evaluation of Chemical Hazards‡ (fall semester)
EHS 658 Physical Hazards (fall semester)
EHS 576 Biological Agents (winter semester)
Required: Quantitative Course (select one | 3-4 credits)
EAS 635 Multivariate Statistics for Environmental Science
EAS 538 Natural Resource Statistics
BIOSTAT 522 Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Studies
EHS 655 Human Exposure Analysis
EHS/EPID 675 Data Analysis for Environmental Epidemiology
NUTR 620 Multivariate Analysis of Nutrition Related Studies
* Must complete a minimum of 6 credits to meet both departmental and program requirements.
Students can distribute these as they see fit across semesters.
**Select at least 9 credits among courses listed in Table 1. At least six (6) of the
credits must be 600-level or higher.
‡Students who take EHS 652 should not also take EHS 601 to avoid redundancy in content
Below is an example schedule for the 2025-2027 cohort. Sample schedules can vary from one cohort to the next, but the majority of the coursework will be quite similiar.
YEAR 1: Fall 2025
BIOLCHEM 515 Introduction to Biochemistry*
BIOSTAT 521 Applied Biostatistics
EHS 510 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship (RCRS)
EHS 602 Essentials of Toxicology
EHS 652 Evaluation of Chemical Hazards***
EHS 869 Research Critiques and Scientific Communication in EHS
YEAR 1: Winter 2026
EHS 698 Research**
EPID 600 Introduction to Epidemiology
EHS 603 Occupational & Environmental Disease***
Select one of the following:
EHS/EPID 608 Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology
OR
EHS 660 Environmental Epigenetics and Public Health
YEAR 2: Fall 2026
EHS 685 Toxicology Case Studies of Environmental Disasters: How Chemicals Cause Harm
EHS 698 Research**
YEAR 2: Winter 2027
EHS 616 Introduction to Toxicological Pathology
EHS 717 Toxicological Pathology Lab
EHS 697 Readings
EHS 698 Research**
EHS 699 Master's Thesis
Required: Quantitative Course (select one | 3-4 credits)
EAS 635 Multivariate Statistics for Environmental Science
EAS 538 Natural Resource Statistics
BIOSTAT 522 Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Studies
EHS 655 Human Exposure Analysis
EHS/EPID 675 Data Analysis for Environmental Epidemiology
NUTR 620 Multivariate Analysis of Nutrition Related Studies
Notes
* BIOLCHEM 415 (undergraduate) and BIOLCHEM 515 (graduate) are combined courses, so
it will include students enrolled in both. You can be exempted to complete this class
with previous coursework. Please email Rachel to go through the process.
** Must complete a minimum of 6 research credits to meet both departmental and program
requirements. Students can distribute these as they see fit across all semesters.
*** You must enroll in EHS 652 or EHS 603. You do not need to take both. If you take
EHS 652, you should not take EHS 601 to avoid redundancy in content.
Financial Support
Applicants will automatically be considerered for scholarships from the school/department upon submission of their application. Applications that are submitted by the priority deadline will be the first to recieve funding opportunities. As the application cycle continues, funding will not be guaranteed.
In addition to financial aid and funding opportunities from the School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Master’s of Science degree students can receive financial support from one or more of the following sources:
- Grants/scholarships the School of Public Health
- Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) positions from the department, the School of Public Health, and other Univeristy of Michigan deparments/schools
- Research assistantships from faculty research grants
- Smaller scholarship awards from external organizations, such as the American Industrial Hygiene Foundations (AIHF), Chevron, and the 3M Corporation
Ready to Apply?
Applications for the Environmental Health Sciences Master of Science program should be submitted through the Rackham Graduate School.
Deadlines
- MS in Environmental Health Sciences or Toxicology
- Priority Deadline: December 1
- Applications accepted on a rolling basis after December 1, but priority for funding decisions is given to those submitted by December 1
- MS AMD
- Early Deadline: December 1 of your junior year
- Official Deadline: January 15 of your junior year
- If you do not believe you'll complete your application by January 15, please contact Rachel Yarbrough, EHS Academic Program Manager, for guidance on next steps.
Application Requirements
- Academic Statement of Purpose
- Your SOP should be a concise, well-written statement about your academic and research background, your career goals, and how Michigan's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives. The SOP should be 1-3 pages in length and include your name, name of the graduate program, and your UM ID (if known).
- Personal Statement
- How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational, citizenship status, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan? The personal statement should be 500 words and include your name, name of the graduate program, and your UM ID (if known).
- Quantitative Statement
- In an effort to get a better understanding of your abilities, we require a statement
for all graduate-level applicants as part of the application process. This short essay
(maximum 500 words) asks you to summarize the strength of your analytical and quantitative
skills by addressing the following (if applicable).
- List each college-level course you have taken that evaluates mathematical or quantitative skills (e.g. algebra, calculus, differential equations, statistics, physics, or courses that require data analysis using statistical software, etc.). For each course, indicate the name of the course, academic year (e.g. freshman, sophomore, etc.), and grade received. Example: Calculus I, freshman year, B+
- Discuss specific details and examples of relevant research, work, volunteer, or professional experiences that involved analytical and/or quantitative skills and tasks. You may also incorporate instances where you worked with data.
- If you have experience with quantitative or qualitative data, describe how you used it to solve a complex problem and include how you communicated your findings. Note: please include measurable outcomes that demonstrate your results.
- In an effort to get a better understanding of your abilities, we require a statement
for all graduate-level applicants as part of the application process. This short essay
(maximum 500 words) asks you to summarize the strength of your analytical and quantitative
skills by addressing the following (if applicable).
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- You will add your recommender emails to the Rackham Graudate School application which, upon submitting, they will recieve an email to complete their form. Electronic submission is the highly preferred method; however, if your recommenders come across any issues, please contact the EHS Academic Program Manager.
- It is recommended that at least 2 of your recommendation letters be from faculty. However, if you do not have strong contacts anymore and would prefer to use professional recommenders, you can.
- CV/Resume
- Upload your CV/Resume that describes your education, work experience, research publications, teaching experience, professional/volunteer activities, community engagement, honors, and awards.
- Faculty Members
- Although it is not required for MS students, you may list individual department faculty members with whom you would like to work if admitted into the program.
- Transcripts
- The Rackham Graduate School allows students to upload electronic versions of their official transcripts to the application portal. If you are admitted, you will need to send an official copy if you would like to matriculate into the program. Please follow the Rackham Graduate School guidelines closely on how to upload your documents correctly to your application.
- WES is NOT required for the Rackham Graduate School
- English Language Test Scores (TOEFL/IELTS)
- Students can be waived of the TOEFL/IELTS if they earned their degree in the US, Canada, UK, etc. You can also be considered for a waiver if your school taught your curriculum in English. You can check the World Education Database to see if your university/college shows English as the primary language of instruction.
Application Review Process
The Admissions Committee will begin reviewing applications in November. Complete applications will tyically take ~3 weeks from completion to be reviewed by the committee. Please note, that this turnaround may be impacted by the December break which occurs soon after the fall semester concludes. Admission review will resume when the Winter semester begins in January.
Questions and More Information
For answers to any questions that you might have, please visit other pages on this website and/or contact Rachel Yarbrough, EHS Academic Program Manager, at ryarbro@umich.edu