Developing Scientific Experts in Environmental Health
The Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health (EEH) concentration provides students with a strong scientific basis to understand the complex linkages among environmental processes, chemical stressors and ecological and human health. Our program is designed to train students to objectively analyze and evaluate laboratory-based and real-world data so they can become scientists capable of assessing health risks.
Our curriculum is structured to provide students with a solid foundation in environmental exposures, contaminant chemistry, toxicology and the effects of contaminants on ecosystems and human health. Core courses introduce state-of-the-art molecular and analytical tools used in environmental toxicology, chemistry and epidemiology to help students understand the mechanisms of toxicity and contaminant fate, which are the foundation of environmental risk assessments. ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s in the EEH concentration also have the option to enroll in a research track that provides additional research experience — laboratory- or field-based — working alongside a faculty member.
A concentration in EEH provides students with the knowledge and skills to apply risk assessment frameworks and address pollution-related ecological and human health problems in multiple sectors, including the private sector (e.g., industry, consulting firms), government (e.g., state and federal regulatory agencies), nonprofits (e.g., environmental advocacy groups) and academia.
Concentration Courses
ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s in the EEH concentration may take one of two tracks: traditional or research.
Core courses – Required for traditional track
- ENVIRON 537—Environmental Health and Epidemiology (3 credits, (spring) 
- ENVIRON 539—Human Health & Ecological Risk Assessment (3 credits, spring) 
- ENVIRON 560—Environmental Health Pollutant Chemistry and Toxicology (3 credits, fall)
- Choose one additional course from the list below:
- ECS 525—Ocean and Freshwater Pollution (3 credits fall)
- ENV 573A—Coastal Marine Pollution (3 credits, fall, Marine Lab)
- ENVIRON 605—Air Quality Management (3 credits, fall)
- ENVIRON 610—Ecotoxicology (3 credits, ad hoc)
- Additional courses with the consent of the EEH chair
Core Courses – required for research track
The research track is comparable to a Master of Science degree. The following core courses are required, along with two additional classes in either toxicology, chemistry or health. ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s must also develop a master’s project or thesis with a faculty advisor.
- ENVIRON 501—Environmental Toxicology (fall)
- ENVIRON 537—Environmental Health and Epidemiology (spring) 
- ENVIRON 539—Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment (spring) 
- ENVIRON 540— (Chemical Fate of Organic Compounds) or ENVIRON 542L—Environmental Aquatic Chemistry courses (fall)
Elective Course suggestions
Recommended courses include graduate-level toxicology, physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology. Suggested additional courses are listed below; alternative courses may be substituted with approval by the EEH chair.
- ENVIRON 516—Global Change: Molecules to Organisms (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 610—Ecotoxicology (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 819—Mechanisms in Environmental Toxicology (3 credits)
- PHARM 533—Essentials of Pharmacology and Toxicology (3 credits)
- TOXC 707—Advanced Toxicology at UNC-Chapel Hill (3 credits)
ENVIRON 540 and ENVIRON 542L are required courses for students specializing in environmental chemistry, plus at least one course from the list below. Suggested additional courses are listed below; alternative courses may be substituted with approval by the EEH chair.
- ENVIRON 566—Environmental Analytical Chemistry (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 667—Chemical Transformation of Environmental Contaminants (3 credits)
- ECS 508—Isotopes Geochemistry (3 credits)
- CEE 666—Aquatic Geochemistry (3 credits)
Two additional courses (not including the core environmental health classes) in a graduate-level field are required. Suggested additional classes are listed below; alternative courses may be substituted with approval by the EEH chair.
- ENVIRON 538—Global Environmental Health: Economics and Policy (3 credits)
- ENVIRON 605—Air Quality Management (3 credits)
- GLHLTH 705—Biostatistics and Epidemiology I (4 credits)
- GLHLTH 707—Biostatistics and Epidemiology II (4 credits)
EEH Primary concentration pathway
The course-based pathway will be available in a limited capacity to students matriculating in fall 2025 and will be fully available and the default pathway for students matriculating in fall 2026 and beyond. Proposed courses and requirements are subject to change. Please contact your primary concentration faculty chair with any questions.
ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s whose primary concentration is EEH will choose one of two pathways. Whether through advanced coursework in the course-based pathway or the Master’s Project (MP) pathway, students will gain tangible deliverables, professional growth and preparation for their next steps after graduation. Most students will follow the course-based pathway.
The EEH course-based pathway offers options from approved courses and requires a minimum of six additional graded credit hours. ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s whose primary concentration is EEH may fulfill the 6-credit requirement by taking any two of the following options:
- ENVIRON 847/848 – Seminar in ITEHP (1 or 2 credits each semester; can take two semesters to achieve 3 credits)
- Environmental Law Clinic (3 credits)
- Bass Connections Project (3 credits)
- ENVIRON XXX – One 3 credit class in an area of specialization
- Toxicology (e.g. Ecotoxicology, Pharmacology, Mechanisms of Toxicity)
- Chemistry (e.g. ENV 540, 542 or ECS 525, 571)
- Environmental health and epidemiology (e.g. ENV 538, 605)
Expectations
Coming in: In addition to the school-wide prerequisites in calculus and statistics, required for all concentrations, the EEH concentration requires one semester of college chemistry and recommends organic chemistry and principles of ecology. We also recommend students have some basic natural science courses such as cell biology, ecology and chemistry. ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s will also benefit from a good foundation in algebra and calculus.
During the program: Through intensive coursework and interactions with environmental health leaders, EEH students will equip themselves with a strong interdisciplinary toolkit. Graduates typically learn to integrate toxicology, ecology, chemistry, epidemiology and policy to address real-world problems.
The ability to concentrate in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health was one of the biggest factors in me choosing Duke Environment. These fields are inherently multidisciplinary and I am impressed at how much academic space the program covers – whether the conversation revolves around chemical law and policy, ecological risk assessment, or metabolic pathways at the cellular level, graduates of the EEH program will be well-versed in contributing to both the science and the discourse."
–Brock keller, MEM'26
Transferable Skills
In this concentration, students will gain skills related to:
- Ecological and human health risk assessment
- Environmental exposure assessment
- Environmental sampling and monitoring
- GIS and spatial analysis
- Understanding toxic mechanisms of action
- Environmental epidemiology
- Molecular and analytical tools for environmental health research
Knowledge Gained
ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s in this concentration will also gain:
- A solid foundation in the scientific principles underlying pollutant fate and transport, environmental exposures and impacts on human and ecological health
- The knowledge and skills to understand the concepts and methodologies used in the fields of toxicology, environmental chemistry, risk assessment and ecology
- Training in state-of-the-art approaches for evaluating environmental contamination, and for making management decisions using quantitative tools and approaches
- Oral and written skills to communicate scientific studies and management outcomes to a wide audience, especially at the interface of science, policy and the public
Enrich Your Experience
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health students will find a wide range of opportunities to expand their academic experience and get connected to projects and people that align with their interests. We recommend exploring these programs to get started:
- Integrated Toxicology & Environmental Health Program
- ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ in workshops and seminars offered by institutions within Research Triangle Park, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Research Triangle Institute (RTI)
- (National Science Foundation-funded Engineering Research Center for Precision Microbiome Engineering, headquartered at Duke)
