Undergraduate Programs

 Veronica Roberson
Public Health, 
Health Administration,
and Environmental Health
(423) 439-4540

Dara Young
Health Sciences and
Microbiology
(423) 439-4458

 

If you have not yet applied to ETSU, you may do so here.

• BS in Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Sciences

  The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Sciences was formed in 1964. The B.S.E.H degree program is fully accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection and Accreditation Council and was the first in the nation to be professionally accredited and reaccredited.The purpose of our department is to prepare environmental specialists by increasing understanding of interrelationships between environmental factors and human health.

  Environmental and Occupation Health and Safety Sciences service needs are complex and increasing because of changes brought about by economic and technological advances. Technical specialists in Environmental and Occupation Health and Safety Sciences require a comprehensive education in basic and applied sciences. The B.S.E.H. also provides strong preparation for graduate studies.

  Catalog

  What is Environmental and Occupation Health and Safety Sciences?

  Environmental and Occupation Health and Safety Sciences is the study of how environmental factors can impact human health, and how to identify, prevent, and control these effects.Environmental and Occupation Health and Safety Sciences specialists use a broad background of scientific, technical, and behavioral knowledge and skills to investigate, evaluate, and eliminate environmental conditions that may be harmful to people or communities. After studying the health problems and needs of the community, they plan and implement control programs in a variety of areas including ambient noise, hazardous substances, solid wastes, land use, pests, and housing.

  Environmental and Occupation Health and Safety Sciences Professionals protect human health and safety by:

  • Maintaining a safe supply of food and drinking water; Degree Competencies
  • Discovering the mechanisms of environmentally related diseases such as insects, rodents and other animal carriers of disease;
  • Treating and disposing of solid and toxic wastes;
  • Reducing air, water, food and noise pollution;
  • Ensuring safe schools, playgrounds and workplaces by controlling physical, biological, and chemical hazards.

  Where Do Graduates Work?

  • Federal government
  • State and local government
  • Industry
  • Education
  • Armed Forces
• BS in Health Administration

  The Bachelor of Science in Health Administration prepares students to become effective health care administrators capable of managing and delivering health services in a variety of settings. Graduates pursue employment in for-profit, nonprofit, and government sectors, including hospital systems, medical practices, clinics, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, public health agencies, and other health-related organizations.  

  The health care industry is the largest industry in our nation and is growing fast. Employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 18 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. 

  The curriculum focuses on real-world applications and culminates in a semester-long internship to help students jump-start their career, or distinguish their application for graduate school.  Students develop skills in leadership and communication, healthcare strategy and operations, human resources, quality improvement, legal and ethical decision-making, and budgeting and finance.  

  The program enjoys exceptional job placement rates.  100% of ETSU's health administration graduates over the past 3 years were employed or continuing their education within 12 months of graduation.

  BSHA Page   Catalog

   

• BS in Health Sciences 

  The purpose of the Health Sciences degree is to provide a “human-centric” program with exposure to current concepts, laboratory techniques, and disease prevention/health care recommendations and protocols.

  The concentration emphasizes anatomy, physiology, disease, and human health. Graduates are qualified to be employed as technicians in academic or industrial research laboratories or pursue advanced degrees in graduate or professional schools.

  Catalog (No Concentration) Catalog (Biomedical Sciences Concentration)

  BSHS Page Career Options

   

   

• BS in Microbiology

  The purpose of a Microbiology major is to produce graduates with a fundamental knowledge of the major fields of microbiology. The graduates with a Microbiology degree are qualified to be employed as technicians in academic or industrial research laboratories or pursue advanced degrees in graduate or professional schools.

  Catalog Career Options BS Microbiology Page

   

  
  
  
  

• BS in Public Health (Community Health concentration)

  Bachelor of Science in Public Health

  The B.S. Public Health degree program prepares graduates for careers in community health and other public health disciplines, as well as for graduate study. The program includes one concentration in Community Health.  All students complete the public health major requirements and pursue additional training in their concentration area. Before declaring Public Health as a major, students must first apply and be accepted to East Tennessee State University.

  The curriculum has been recently re-structured to infuse the program with several additional applied/hands-on lea rning opportunities including the ESSENTIALS course and Skills and Encounters courses. The culminating experience for the program is a semester-long internship that is designed to advance the practical skills of students and to prepare them to enter the workforce.

  The program enjoys exceptionally high student and alumni satisfaction rates and remarkable job placement rates. As one of the most established B.S. Public Health degree programs in the nation, our program serves as a model for undergraduate training in public health. 

  If you are interested in pursuing this degree, but are not yet eligible to apply, we strongly urge you to contact Veronica Roberson, Academic Advisor. 

  Health educators teach people about behaviors that promote wellness. They develop and implement strategies to improve the health of individuals and communities. Community health workers collect data and discuss health concerns with members of specific populations or communities. Students completing the community health concentration are eligible to sit for the national Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credentialing exam.

  BSPH Page Career Options Catalog

   

• Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program (ABM)

  Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program

  Students may apply to the ABM program once they have completed 75 credits in their respective undergraduate program and hold a minimum ETSU GPA of 3.25.  They must apply and be accepted to the ABM program prior to earning the undergraduate degree.  Interested students should contact the MPH and MHA Graduate Program Coordinator and Advisor at huntjr1@etsu.edu to initiate the application process. 

  The ABM program provides high performing ETSU undergraduate students an opportunity to complete both their bachelor and Master of Health Administration (MHA) or Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees at an accelerated pace.  Participating students can apply as many as 12 credit hours of graduate-level coursework toward both of their undergraduate and graduate degree. Students do not have to be completing a BS in public health or health administration to be eligible for the ABM to MPH or MHA as long as the undergraduate and graduate programs can determine appropriate coursework to share.

  The Master of Public health has five concentrations, all with competency-based curricula: Biostatistics, Community Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Epidemiology, and Public Health Policy & Leadership.  Students may also choose the Master of Health Adminstration.  Accepted students will choose one of these concentrations for their dual program of study for the MPH or will choose the MHA. 

  Graduates of the ABM program will have a broader perspective on health that will complement their undergraduate program of study. The public health training component strengthens the student’s ability, knowledge and skills to address issues of major public health concern at the individual and the population levels. 

  The application to the ABM program starts with a student request to the Program Coordinator and Advisor. 

  Required materials for admission consideration include: 

  • Statement of Purpose which includes a statement of the student’s professional goals and why they believe they would be a good fit for the ABM program.
  • Completed ETSU Graduate School application *once admission has been recommended by the College Admissions Committee.

  
  Once students have spoken with the MPH Coordinator and completed the ETSU Graduate School application for the MHA or MPH, they will be notified of an admission decision via email.  If offered admission, applicants must accept the offer for their application and subsequent admission to be finalized. 

  Program Application Deadlines are: 

  Fall semester: August 1
  Spring semester: December 1