Ecotoxicology & Environmental Health
The EEH program focuses on understanding how pollutants affect the health of people and ecosystems. We take a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates toxicology, environmental chemistry, risk assessment, and ecology to assess the fate, effects, and risks of pollutants in natural ecosystems and human populations. EEH is one of eight available concentrations in the two-year residential Master of Environmental Management (MEM) program
OUR VISION
Our program provides students with a strong scientific basis to understand the complex linkages among environmental processes, chemical stressors, and ecological and human health. Students enjoy a small class size and low student-faculty ratio as they gain the knowledge and skills to apply risk assessment frameworks and address pollution-related ecological and human health problems.
THE CURRICULUM
Your faculty advisor will help you select a curriculum track and area of specialization based on your interests, experience, and goals. You’ll gain knowledge of historical and current environmental health problems at regional and global scales, as well as practical skills applying the quantitative tools used in risk evaluation and management. You can choose from courses across Duke and at our partner institutions.
Snapshot: Employment Profile for EEH Alumni
• 100% of EEH graduates were hired within approximately 6 months of graduation.
• 100% are in a job related to the environment.
• Median salary range = $70,000-75,000
> View: Complete overview with employment profiles for all concentrations
YOUR FUTURE
The Nicholas School’s dedicated Career Center has helped our graduates find positions in environmental consulting and risk assessment, government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, public health departments, and non-profit organizations such as the Environmental Defense Fund.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Find out if our program is right for you. Feel free to contact us with questions:
• Participating Faculty
• Full Program Description
• Prerequisites & Required Courses
• How to Apply
Special funding opportunity: Incoming EEH students are eligible for consideration of a competitive merit-based scholarship award, up to the cost of tuition. Recipients of this award are part of the prestigious Nicholas Scholarship program and will serve as a research assistant focused on NIH Superfund research support. Recipients of this award will be required to select the "Research Track" within the EEH program, and will conduct laboratory research related to the mission of the Superfund Center during their enrollment at the Nicholas School of the Environment.
ADMITTED AND CURRENT STUDENTS
Welcome to the family! Here are some resources to get you started:
• Before You Arrive
• Student Advising
• Curriculum Planning Spreadsheet
• Master’s Projects
Course Planning Worksheets
• For incoming students Fall 2017 >
• For incoming students Fall 2016 >
• For incoming students Fall 2015 >
• For incoming students Fall 2014 >
For more information, contact Program Chair Heather Stapleton at (919) 613-8717.
A WORD FROM THE CHAIR
“The health of our environment is intimately linked with human health. While advances in technology and land use have improved our day-to-day life in numerous ways, there are often unintended consequences that result in environmental contamination. Environmental health research has demonstrated that exposures to chemical pollutants can negatively affect both ecological and human health. However, it has been challenging to identify effective environmental management plans to prevent or remediate pollution. The EEH program encourages students to critically examine these very complex and intricate relationships between the environment and health to help identify potential risks and develop feasible solutions.”
Heather M. Stapleton
EEH Program Chair
Dan and Bunny Gabel Associate Professor of Environmental Ethics and Sustainable Environmental Management
(919) 613-8717
heather.stapleton@duke.edu