New York University Graduate Program in Environmental Health Sciences Master of Science

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
AND THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCE
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER
550 FIRST AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10016-6497
845-731-3661

CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT:
Professor Max Costa

DIRECTOR OF GRADUATE STUDIES:
Professor Jerome J. Solomon

The Program in Environmental Health Sciences (EHSC) provides advanced training in scientific disciplines related to environmental health, with emphasis on major health problems, such as cancer, respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and musculoskeletal ailments. The program provides specialized knowledge in several environmental health areas (biostatistics, epidemiology, ergonomics and biomechanics [ERBI], exposure assessment and health effects, molecular toxicology / carcinogenesis, and toxicology), offering perspectives on the interrelationships of environmental health problems and competence in basic science. Both the M.S. and the Ph.D. degrees are offered.
            The Department of Environmental Medicine is supported by a center grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which has designated it as a national “Center of Excellence” for research and teaching in the environmental health sciences.

The areas of study offered by the doctoral program are biostatistics, epidemiology, ergonomics and biomechanics, exposure assessment and health effects, molecular toxicology/carcinogenesis, and toxicology. The master’s program offers areas of study in environmental hygiene, environmental toxicology, and ergonomics and biomechanics. The Program in Environmental Health Sciences collaborates with other departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Science. For example, a collaborative doctoral program between biology and environmental health is designed for students who wish to obtain a solid foundation in biology while specializing in environmental health. A description of the programs can be obtained from the environmental health sciences (EHS) Web site at www.med.nyu.edu/environmental/graduate or the ergonomics and biomechanics (ERBI) Web site at www.med.nyu.edu/oioc under “Education.” Applicants for admission and fellowship support should contact the EHS graduate coordinator at 845-731-3661 or the ERBI program administrator at 212-255-6690.

MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

The M.S. program in environmental health sciences is a specialized course of study providing students with the opportunity to develop applicable skills and expertise in a selected subject area. It is designed for individuals needing graduate training for employment in jobs involving worker health and safety, health hazard communication, health risk assessment, and environmental analysis of toxicants, including related areas of administration and technical sales. Potential employers include academia, industry, consulting firms, trade associations, and local, state, and federal governmental agencies. The expansion of regulations in occupational safety and health and environmental protection provides increased career opportunities for individuals trained in various aspects of environmental health sciences. The program can also provide secondary school teachers with the appropriate background to allow introduction of environmental science into their school’s curriculum or into existing science courses.
            The program of study, which may be full time or part time, emphasizes an understanding of how to apply appropriate scientific methodology to the solution of real-world environmental problems. It provides the student with a basic background in areas of environmental pollution, toxicology, and biostatistics and also with practical knowledge on how to present scientific data and how to properly interpret scientific reports. Beyond this, the course of study is individualized to the needs and interests of the particular student. To this end, students may take relevant courses in other schools within the University, for example, in environmental management and planning, environmental law, risk assessment, and environmental impact assessment.

Admission: Applicants to the M.S. program in environmental health sciences are generally expected to have a bachelor’s degree in a scientific field, such as biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, or a related discipline. Exceptions to this may be made on an individual basis depending on the selected course of study. General admission guidelines are an overall GPA of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) and GRE scores of 500 verbal, 600 quantitative, and 4.5 analytical writing.

Financial Support and Costs: Some full-time M.S. applicants (ERBI candidates not included) receive graduate assistantships. In the 2009-2010 academic year, the stipend is $13,500 plus tuition and fees. A comprehensive list of University, Graduate School, and departmental fellowships, prizes, and awards appears in the Financing Graduate Education section of the GSAS Application for Admission and Financial Aid. This information is also available on the GSAS Web site at http://gsas.nyu.edu/page/grad.financialaid.

Course of Study: Awarding of the M.S. degree is dependent on the following:

1. The successful completion of 36 points of course work, of which at least 24 must be in residence at the Graduate School of Arts and Science. Some M.S. tracks require additional course work.

2. The satisfactory completion of a special project. Depending on the student’s needs, this may be either a library thesis or a thesis based on a laboratory project performed under the guidance of a faculty member.

The M.S. degree program in environmental health sciences offers two specialized tracks: environmental toxicology and occupational-environmental hygiene. The latter specifically focuses on the recognition, evaluation, and control of chemical and physical agents in occupational settings.

Recommended courses for the environmental toxicology track

Required courses for the environmental hygiene track

Environmental Health (G48.1004)
Introduction to Biostatistics (G48.2303)
Principles of Toxicology (G48.2310)
Environmental Hygiene Measurements (G48.2035)
Environmental Hygiene Laboratory I (G48.2037)
Introduction to Epidemiology (G48.2039)

            In addition, students are required to attend departmental seminars and are strongly encouraged to attend journal clubs. Laboratory rotations may be arranged in consultation with the student’s academic adviser. Most courses are offered at the Washington Square campus of New York University, located in Manhattan, and most of the research is performed in laboratories at Sterling Forest in Tuxedo, New York, about 50 miles northwest of Manhattan.

MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN ERGONOMICS AND BIOMECHANICS

The program in ergonomics and biomechanics (ERBI) offers the Master of Science degree to students who seek an advanced understanding of these complementary disciplines.
            The ERBI program focuses on musculoskeletal ailments and utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to examine ways of controlling musculoskeletal disorders, injuries, and disabilities. As such, it emphasizes the complex interaction of individual and environmental factors that lead to injury, disease, and/or disability. 
The ERBI program is part of the New York/New Jersey University Education and Research Center (ERC), Region II of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). These centers serve as regional resources for all those involved with occupational health and safety, including industry, labor, government, academia, and the general public.
            Students attracted to the ERBI program come from all over the world with varied backgrounds such as medicine, physical and occupational therapy, occupational health, environmental health, allied health, basic medical science, engineering, industrial design, safety and health, industrial hygiene, epidemiology, psychology, physics and kinesiology, or health-related sciences with a total mean grade of B (3.0) or higher. Acceptance is based on undergraduate grades, GRE scores, professional or academic experience, letters of recommendation, and an interview. All students are required to have basic anatomy, physics, and calculus as prerequisites.
            The master’s degree requires the successful completion of 36 points of course work. The program is designed to provide the skills essential for the development and management of musculoskeletal ailment prevention programs in industry and the health care environment. The program also trains the student in basic research, study design, and the use of equipment and measurement techniques employed in ergonomic and biomechanical evaluation and analysis.
            The master’s program encourages students to participate in ongoing research in areas of ergonomics and biomechanics. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of our program, our students are desirable to biomedical manufacturers, product design companies, insurance companies, health care organizations, health and safety organizations, and disability management organizations, to name a few.

ADVANCED CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN ERGONOMICS

The ERBI program offers a 12-credit program approved by the Department of Education of New York State. Students who wish to pursue course work at NYU but desire only to take a few courses for academic or professional development, may apply as certificate students.
            The goals of the program are to update and expand professional skills in the design and implementation of occupational safety and health programs, recognize hazards for musculoskeletal disorders, and enable the participants to acquire immediately applicable knowledge and skills for enhanced performance or career advancement.
            ERBI certificate students should have a relevant professional degree or significant professional experience, so they may proceed with advanced course work. Certificate students must take two classroom courses on physical and environmental factors in the workplace (G48.2131 and G48.2132) and an independent study in applied ergonomic methods (G48.2133). The certificate is awarded upon completion of the three courses with a grade B or better. Time for completion is two to four semesters. If a certificate student is accepted later as a degree-seeking student, those courses may be credited toward the degree requirements.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

The Ph.D. program is designed to prepare scientists for active and productive research careers and other professional service. The didactic portion of the program places a particular emphasis on achieving a solid foundation in relevant basic sciences, while the research portion provides trainees with the opportunity to design, conduct, and interpret studies focused on specific scientific issues in environmental health disciplines. The diversity of the research within the program allows trainees to develop skills incorporating their expertise using various investigatory approaches.

Admission: Admission is based on a strong academic background in a basic or applied science as judged by prior undergraduate academic performance, recommendation letters, an interview, performance on the general GRE, prior graduate studies, and any relevant work or research experience. General guidelines for admission are as follows: an overall GPA of at least 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0), a major field GPA of 3.3, and GRE scores of at least 550 verbal, 600 quantitative, and 4.5 analytical writing. However, each application is carefully considered, and there may be exceptions to the above.

General Degree Requirements: A total of 72 points, as well as a doctoral dissertation, are required for the Ph.D. degree. At least 48 points must be from didactic courses; the remaining can be research and tutorial credits. Candidacy for the Ph.D. is achieved through a qualifying examination, and the completed dissertation is then defended in a final oral examination. The qualifying examination consists of two stages: a written examination, and the writing and oral defense of a specific research project proposal (doctoral dissertation outline). Doctoral students are required to attend departmental seminars and journal clubs. Students are encouraged to establish early and frequent discussion with members of the faculty and to acquaint themselves with the types of research activities conducted within the department. This enables them to explore mutual interests, which facilitates the ultimate selection of a thesis research mentor. To this end, all first-year predoctoral students (ERBI candidates not included) are required to begin participating in a formal series of rotations within laboratories, selected on the basis of their perceived interest and with the advice and approval of their initial academic adviser. Presentations of available research opportunities are given during the first week of each academic year, in an orientation program at which faculty members describe the research opportunities in their laboratories. All students in the Ph.D. degree program are required to take three core courses in environmental health science: Environmental Health (G48.1004), Introduction to Biostatistics (G48.2303), and Principles of Toxicology (G48.2310). In addition, students are also required to take certain courses in the basic sciences, the nature of which depends on the specific area of concentration. These courses are generally offered through either the Department of Biology or the Program in Basic Medical Sciences. Beyond the above requirements, there are no universal course requirements. Thus, a specific program of study is arranged for each student that is appropriate to his or her particular background and career goals.

Areas of Specialization: The six areas of specialization offered in the program are biostatistics, epidemiology, ergonomics and biomechanics, exposure assessment and health effects, molecular toxicology/carcinogenesis, and toxicology (see www.med.nyu.edu/environmental/graduate/phd.html for details on these specializations). The distinctions between these areas are more for academic planning than for trainee research, as there is much overlap in the research approaches available. The full range of research resources within the program and expertise of the faculty are available to all trainees regardless of the specialization selected.

Financial Support and Costs: All successful full-time Ph.D. applicants (ERBI candidates not included) are supported by graduate assistantships for up to six years. The stipend for the 2009-2010 academic year is $27,000 plus tuition and fees. A comprehensive list of University, Graduate School, and departmental fellowships, prizes, and awards appears in the Financing Graduate Education section of the GSAS Application for Admission and Financial Aid. This information is also available on the GSAS Web site at http://gsas.nyu.edu/page/grad.financialaid.

HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION

The Graduate School of Arts and Science offers students a variety of housing opportunities through NYU’s Department of University Housing, 383 Lafayette Street, 212-998-4600. Students can contact the department to obtain a housing application. Since most courses are offered at Washington Square, students are encouraged to live near the Manhattan site during their first two years. Transportation is provided by van from Washington Square to Sterling Forest to allow students to do laboratory rotations and attend seminars and journal clubs.

GRADUATE STEERING COMMITTEE

Wei Dai, Judith D. Goldberg, Terry Gordon, Chuanshu Huang, Catherine B. Klein, Karen Koenig, Jerome J. Solomon (Chair), George Thurston, Isaac Wirgin, Judith T. Zelikoff.