Overview
Description
This course provides an applied introduction to the practice of environmental health administration within public health agencies. Students learn how environmental health specialists contribute not only to field-based activities, but also to program oversight, documentation, interagency coordination, policy implementation, and administrative decision-making to emergency response, public health preparedness, environmental and epidemiological investigations, and crisis communication.
Requirements
Prerequisites
PBH 334
Original catalog text
Prerequisites
Prerequisite(s): PBH 334
Units
Lecture3
Catalog Details
Offering
Offered: Every Spring
Terms
spring
Attributes
Standard
Learning Outcomes
- describe the roles and administrative responsibilities of environmental health professionals within public health systems, including program oversight, emergency response coordination, and routine EH operations.
- apply environmental health surveillance concepts to identify potential hazards, interpret basic surveillance information, and determine when an issue requires investigative or administrative action.
- analyze environmental and epidemiologic case scenarios to determine likely hazards, contributing factors, affected populations, and recommended next steps.
- develop a structured approach to investigating an environmental health incident, including complaint intake, information gathering, partner coordination, and documentation, and regulatory considerations.
- create effective environmental health risk communication materials that demonstrate clarity, accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and crisis communication best practices.
- explain how selected inspection activities (e.g., food, water, housing, events) support population health and describe the regulatory and administrative context in which inspections occur.
- evaluate a real or realistic environmental health incident and propose a feasible response plan that integrates investigation, regulatory authority, administrative decision making, and communication strategies.
- explain how environmental health programs are administered, including budgeting processes, staffing structures, documentation systems, workflow management, and interagency coordination.
- explain the regulatory frameworks governing environmental health practice, including the roles and authorities of federal, state, and local agencies, and how these frameworks shape enforcement and compliance actions.
- apply foundational administrative principles (e.g., planning, resource allocation, staffing considerations, workflow management, supervision, and documentation) to the operation of environmental health programs.
- evaluate environmental health programs and policies using quality improvement, performance management, ethical decision-making, and equity considerations, including implications for environmental justice and vulnerable populations.