The Ph.D. program in Environmental Health Sciences is designed to prepare students for research careers in the environmental health sciences; graduates are trained for entry into positions in universities, colleges, research institutes, government agencies, private industry, and other research-oriented settings. Areas of research emphasis correspond to those of the departmental faculty.

Doctoral students complete a program of study that emphasizes professional development, scientific competence, and research expertise. The Ph.D. requires a minimum of 60 hours of course work beyond the baccalaureate and includes 12 credit hours of dissertation preparation. A limited number of graduate course-work hours from a graduate program may be applied toward the Ph.D. with advisory committee approval. A minimum of 30 hours, including 12 hours of dissertation preparation must be unique to the doctoral program of study. Those students entering without a master’s degree are required to take additional foundational course work in environmental health sciences equivalent to the master’s degree. To achieve doctoral candidate status, students must pass a qualifying examination after the first year of study. Upon completion of all course and language requirements or research methods proficiency, doctoral candidates must pass an oral and/or written comprehensive examination. All doctoral candidates must prepare and defend a dissertation that represents significant research in their area of advanced study. Doctoral students must demonstrate a reading proficiency in a modern foreign language if deemed necessary by the doctoral advisory committee. The specific curriculum for the doctoral degree varies with the discipline and some programs require additional credit hours. Students enrolled in a doctoral program have eight years from the first term of enrollment in which to complete the degree. Students must be enrolled for at least one (1) credit during the term of graduation.

Learning Outcomes

1. Investigate multi-disciplinary approaches through original research to contribute to the resolution of environmental issues.
2. Integrate knowledge gained to address critical gaps in environmental health sciences.
3. Apply research methods to address critical gaps in scientific knowledge concerning the resolution of environmental health problems.
4. Communicate findings from original research to expand the collective knowledge and scientific understanding of environmental health sciences.
5. Analyze collaborative approaches of community-engaged environmental monitoring and reporting systems to address quality of life issues.

Admissions

• Completion of a baccalaureate degree with 120 hours of science-based courses or equivalent to include:
  • A minimum of 60 hours in physical or life sciences, mathematics, engineering, and/or technology
  • At least 15 hours of the 60 hours in upper level junior, senior, or graduate level courses
  • 21 or more semester hours in communication, humanities, and social sciences
• Grade point average of 3.00/4.00 or higher
• For international applicants, a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - minimum score of 80 internet-based, 230 computer-based, or 570 paper-based - or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Course Type 2 exam - minimum overall band score of 6.5.

Degree Requirements (60 Hours)

Specific curriculum requirements for the Ph.D. in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences are listed below.

Curriculum Requirements (27 Hours):

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
EPID 701	Concepts and Methods of Epidemiology	3
PUBH 700	Perspectives in Public Health	3
ENHS 859	Advanced Research Approaches and Applications in Environmental Health Sciences	3
ENHS 864	Survey in Multi-Disciplinary Research of Environmental Health Sciences	3
ENHS 865	Community-Based Approaches for Precision Environmental Public Health Assessment	3
ENHS 899	Dissertation Preparation	12
Total Credit Hours		27

​Required Cognate and Electives (6 hours):

Select two courses, one from the cognate list, and one from the approved electives list. 

ENHS Cognate

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
ENHS 715	Disasters and Public Health Emergency Management I	3
ENHS 740	Environmental Nanoscience	3
ENHS 761	Ecotoxicology of Aquatic Systems	3
ENHS 764	Principles, Methods, and Issues in Air Quality	3

ENHS Approved Electives

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
ENHS 715	Disasters and Public Health Emergency Management I	3
ENHS 716	Disasters and Public Health Emergency Management II	3
ENHS 740	Environmental Nanoscience	3
ENHS 761	Ecotoxicology of Aquatic Systems	3
ENHS 762	Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene	3
ENHS 763	Medical Aspects of Occupational Health	3
ENHS 764	Principles, Methods, and Issues in Air Quality	3
ENHS 765	Applied Research in the Environmental Health Sciences	3
ENHS 790	Independent Study	1-6
ENHS 793	Special Topics in Environmental Health Sciences	1-6
ENHS 862	Special Research Topics in Environmental Health Sciences	3

Other Program Requirements (27 Hours with approval of advisor or graduate director)

Doctoral degree students must complete at least half of the hours on the Program of Study (D-POS) in courses numbered 700 or higher. The PhD requires a minimum of 60 hours of course work beyond the baccalaureate and includes 12 credit hours of dissertation preparation. Students with an earned master’s degree must complete a minimum of 30 hours of course work unique to the University of South Carolina, including 12 hours of dissertation preparation (899). A period of residency, a foreign language or research methods proficiency, a comprehensive examination, and a dissertation defense and examination are also required. The specific curriculum for the doctoral degree varies with the discipline and some programs require additional credit hours. Students enrolled in a doctoral program have eight years from the first term of enrollment in which to complete the degree. Students must be enrolled for at least 1 credit during the term of graduation.