Public Health—Environmental and Occupational Health Online Certificate
Boost your public health career in environmental and occupational health.
Ready to Get Started?
Request InfoPublic Health—Environmental and Occupational Health Online Certificate Overview
Whether you would like to work in public health, health care or environmental sectors, the Public Health Certificate in Environmental and Occupational Health from UWF will instill a foundation of public health knowledge, in addition to more specialized coursework in occupational safety, industrial hygiene, disease monitoring, environmental toxicology and risk management.
The public health certificate in environmental and occupational health can benefit professionals from many industries, including health sciences, education, government, business, social and natural sciences and others. While this certificate program does not lead to professional certification, you can advance your career, secure a higher salary or confidently pursue certification after completion of the program.
The fully online program is delivered asynchronously, meaning that you do not have to log in at any specific time; you can complete coursework and communicate with your professors at times that are convenient for you. Our professors, who are experts in their fields, have real-world experience in public health that translates directly to their teaching.
Candidates for This Program Include:
- Students of all backgrounds who desire a career path in public health
- Working public health professionals seeking to retool their skills
- Those who want to work in environmental and occupational health
You Will Be Able To:
- Pursue career advancement in public health
- Seek professional certification using your knowledge
- Educate others on how to keep the environment clean and their workplaces safe
Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.
Courses and Requirements
The Environmental and Occupational Health Certificate requires completion of the following courses with a grade of C or higher. Students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 to earn the certificate. The certificate does not lead to industry (OSHA) certification.
- PHC 5355 - Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health
3.0 Credit Hours
Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health
Concerns worker protection and serves as a prerequisite for advanced study of hazards and work settings. Development and management of occupational safety and health programs, resolution of safety and health issues, and improvement of safety performance. Introduction to safety and health fields, overview of loss control information and analysis, specific safety and health programs, and program implementation and maintenance. Offered concurrently with PHC 4341; graduate students will be assigned additional work.
- PHC 5356 - Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene
3.0 Credit Hours
Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene
An on-line multidisciplinary approach to the study of industrial hygiene intended for a wide range of health related professionals. Recognition, evaluation and control of environmental or occupational hazards. Insight into the management of occupational health hazards and diseases that can be leveraged in a professional practice. Offered concurrently with PHC 4340; graduate students will be assigned additional work.
- PHC 6300 - Environmental Health
3.0 Credit Hours
Environmental Health
This foundational pubic health course provides a broad overview of the relationship between humans and their environment, and of the efforts to prevent or mitigate environmental threats. Students will be given an overview of the chemical, physical, and biological hazards present in our living and working environment and their effects on human health. The course is designed to acquaint students with the scientific and technical foundations of population health and examines both the practice of environmental health and problems addressed public health practitioners.
- PHC 5355 - Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health
Non-aerospace students must successfully complete the following 3 courses in addition to the foundational core courses.
- PHC 5102 - Principles of Public Health
3.0 Credit Hours
Principles of Public Health
This course introduces students to the history of public health, the structure of the public health system and the various sectors of public health practice, in order to gain an understanding of the complex factors that determine the health status of a community. Lectures will draw from the public health field, but also related disciplines such as behavioral sciences, healthcare management, medical ethics, and social work. National state, and local level practices will be analyzed, as well as the role that law and government play in the public's health. The course is also intended to stimulate student interest in other public health courses and program offerings.
- PHC 6251 - Disease Surveillance and Monitoring
3.0 Credit Hours
Disease Surveillance and Monitoring
Disease surveillance and monitoring is the systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of data for use in prioritizing, planning, implementing, and evaluating health programs, activities and practices in the United States as well as in other developed and developing countries. We will focus on these fundamental processes and procedures which are utilized to investigate and track infectious and communicable diseases as well as non-infectious chronic diseases. The course will highlight the importance of designing and reporting quantitative and qualitative contents in disease surveillance.
- PHC 6310 - Environmental Toxicology
3.0 Credit Hours
Environmental Toxicology
Environmental toxicology is the study of the effects of toxic substances on health and the environment. The student will recognize that human survival depends upon the well-being of other species and upon the availability of clean air, water, and food; and anthropogenic, as well as naturally occurring, chemicals can have detrimental effects on living organisms and ecological processes. Concepts to be covered include occurrence of toxicants, damage process and action of toxicants, factors affecting zenobiotic action, defense responses to toxicants, and others. Will also examine chemicals of environmental interest and how they are tested and regulated. Case studies and special topics will be examined.
- PHC 5102 - Principles of Public Health
RAM residents must successfully complete the following 3 courses in addition to the foundational core courses.
- PHC 6194 - GIS Applications in Public Health
3.0 Credit Hours
GIS Applications in Public Health
An online course providing hands-on training in the use of geographic information systems for public health-related data. Students will complete projects covering the collection, analysis, and visualization of spatial data using both public domain and commercial software tools supporting geospatial data. Through a set of focused case studies, students will learn the basic features and limits of each tool, as well as interoperability with other GIS software products (both public domain and commercial packages). Part of the Master of Public Health degree program.
- PHC 6347 - Aerospace and Occupational Toxicology
3.0 Credit Hours
Aerospace and Occupational Toxicology
This course is an overview of practical hazards, assessment, and mitigation techniques used in the unique area of aerospace. The course provides an overview of the chemical, physical, and biological hazards present in our living and working environment and their effects on human health. The course is an elective for students in the MPH program who are participating in the Aerospace Medicine residency program and open to other students with the permission of the Department of Public Health.
- PHC 6360 - Accident Investigation and Risk Managament
3 Credit Hours
Accident Investigation and Risk Managament
Accident Investigation & Risk Management includes an aerospace safety overview, biomechanics of impact, restraint systems, crew protection, and crew escape concepts, aviation and space vehicle crashworthiness, aerospace injury mechanisms, conduct of an accident investigation, forensic concepts, legal issues, and promoting prevention strategies to avoid future accidents. This course is an elective restricted to students in the MPH degree program who are participating in the aerospace and occupational medicine residency program.
- PHC 6194 - GIS Applications in Public Health
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the University of West Florida’s online Public Health—Environmental and Occupational Health Certificate program, you must be admitted to the University as a graduate non-degree seeking student.
How to Apply
Once accepted as a graduate non-degree seeking student, students should contact the Public Health academic advisor about course availability and scheduling, and to complete the online Graduate Certificate Declaration Form on MyUWF. Current UWF graduate students interested in completing the graduate certificate are not required to complete the non-degree seeking application but will need to contact the MPH academic advisor to review their degree audit and initiate the declaration of certificate process.
Have questions about this program or the admissions process? Contact our graduate admissions team at gradadmissions@uwf.edu. If you are a current UWF student, please reach out to the department academic advisor.
Costs & Financial Aid
| Component | Cost | Total* |
|---|---|---|
| In-State Tuition | $384.60 per credit hour | $6,922.80 |
| Full Out-of-State Tuition | $1,044.24 per credit hour | $18,796.32 |
| 90% Out-of-State Tuition Waiver | $478.83 per credit hour | $8,618.94 |
Tuition waivers cover up to 90 percent of the non-resident portion of your tuition and are available to non-Florida residents (including international students) admitted to online programs and registered for online courses in active pursuit of that degree or certificate. You must pay all other assessed tuition and fees.
Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and course availability. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted. This program takes up to 18 months to complete.
Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.
* Tuition and fees are subject to change.
#costs-tab > table:nth-child(3) { display: none; }
Alabama Differential Out-of-State Tuition
Residents of Alabama are eligible for Alabama Differential Tuition, a reduced out-of-state tuition rate. For more information and to verify residency status for tuition purposes, new undergraduate students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and new graduate students should contact the Graduate School. Current enrolled students should contact the Office of the Registrar.
Military Students
UWF is a Military FriendlyⓇ School proudly serving active-duty U.S. military members and veterans. As UWF has been a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program since 2011, you could be eligible to receive free tuition with your military benefits.
See How We Can Serve YouFinancial Aid
Funding your college education should not empty your wallet. We offer various financial aid options for our online students, including loans, scholarships and grants for degree-seeking students.
Learn More About Financial AidCareer Outcomes
Upon completion of our environmental and occupational health certificate, you can pursue a variety of careers within public health. Some careers require additional education, certification or training.
* Salary and job outlook information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and PayScale.
Environmental Health Scientists and Specialists
Environmental health scientists and specialists apply a research-oriented approach to solve contemporary public health problems within organizational or population/community settings. From a public health perspective, you would engage with other scientists to protect human health from environmental factors while promoting community health. Environmental scientists and specialists earned a median annual salary of $76,530 in 2021, and these positions are expected to grow by 5% from 2021 to 2031.
Health and Safety Engineers
These public health professionals combine knowledge of engineering and of health and safety to develop procedures and design systems to protect people from illness and injury and property from damage. They could work on-site with other employees, or they could work in an office writing reports and recommendations. Some engineering knowledge might be needed for this position. Health and safety engineers made a median annual salary of $89,130 in 2018, and jobs are expected to grow 5 percent through 2028.
Health Educators and Community Health Workers
As a community health worker and educator, you would actively educate your community about wellness strategies and behaviors to improve their health. In this role, you may collect data and analyze the conditions of the community and population you serve. You’ll be able to apply an informed, science and data-backed public health framework that ultimately benefits community health. Health educators and community health workers earned an average salary of $48,860 in 2021, and positions in the field are expected to increase by 12% from 2021 to 2031.