Environmental Health: the Foundation of Global Public Health from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Week 1: Welcome & Introduction to Environmental Health Sciences

Welcome to Week 1! We start this week with an orientation to the course and our learning community. Then, we start our course by covering two main topics: Basic Concepts of Environmental Health Sciences, and Environmental Hazards. Let’s find out more about these topics, and more, in the Week 1 module.

Week 2: Environmental Health Policy

What laws and policies govern our actions toward our environment? Who is responsible for enacting these laws and policies? How do we assess the impacts of laws and policies on the environment? Let’s find out the answers to these questions, and more, in the Week 2 module.

Week 3: Exposure Pathways & Systems Thinking in Environmental Health

There are many ways of thinking about the world around us; design thinking, critical thinking, computational thinking, etc. But have you heard of systems thinking, and how it can be an effective approach to think about our environment? Let’s find out how we can use systems thinking for environmental health purposes, and more, in the Week 3 module.

Week 4: Occupational Health

Different jobs involved exposures to different hazards and varying levels of risk. A construction worker is far more likely to be injured than a store cashier, for example. But all jobs involve potential occupational hazards. Let’s find out about occupational health (OH for short) and how we can approach it in the Week 4 module - the last one of this course.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Examines environmental issues affecting public health

Introduces fundamental concepts in environmental health

Explores occupational health risks and solutions

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Environmental Health: the Foundation of Global Public Health with these activities:

Organize Course Materials for Efficient Review

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Organize your course materials to create a comprehensive and accessible study resource.

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Gather all lecture notes, readings, assignments, and quizzes.
Create a system for organizing and categorizing the materials.
Consider using digital tools or apps for efficient organization.

Review EHS Basic Concepts

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Revise fundamental concepts of EHS to strengthen your foundation for the course.

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Review lecture notes and readings from previous courses in environmental health or public health.
Attend a refresher workshop or webinar on EHS basics.

Explore Online Resources on Environmental Health Policies

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Enhance your understanding of environmental health policies and regulations by exploring online resources and tutorials.

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Identify reputable websites and organizations that provide information on environmental health policies.
Review online tutorials and webinars to learn about policy development and implementation.

Five other activities

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Analyze Environmental Exposure Pathways

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Practice identifying and analyzing exposure pathways to enhance your understanding of how environmental hazards impact human health.

Browse courses on Environmental Health

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Solve practice problems and case studies related to exposure pathways.
Participate in online forums or discussion groups to engage with peers and experts.

Attend an Environmental Health Conference

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Engage with professionals in the field to exchange knowledge and expand your network.

Browse courses on Environmental Health

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Research and identify upcoming environmental health conferences.
Prepare a brief introduction and elevator pitch to introduce yourself and your interests.
Attend sessions, participate in discussions, and connect with attendees.

Support a Local Environmental Organization

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Gain practical experience and contribute to your community by volunteering with an environmental organization.

Browse courses on Environmental Advocacy

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Research and identify environmental organizations in your area.
Contact the organizations and inquire about volunteer opportunities.
Participate in activities such as cleanups, advocacy campaigns, or educational programs.

Develop a Case Study on Occupational Health

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Create a comprehensive case study to apply your knowledge of occupational health hazards and risk assessment.

Browse courses on Occupational Health

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Select an industry or workplace and identify potential occupational hazards.
Research and analyze relevant data on occupational health risks and regulations.
Develop recommendations for preventive measures and interventions.

Review: Environmental Health by Levy and Wegman

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Expand your knowledge by reading a comprehensive textbook on environmental health.

View Occupational and Environmental Health on Amazon

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Read the assigned chapters from the textbook.
Take notes and highlight key concepts.
Complete the review questions or exercises at the end of each chapter.

Career center

Learners who complete Environmental Health: the Foundation of Global Public Health will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Public Health Policy Analyst

A Public Health Policy Analyst focuses on the development and implementation of public health policies. This course, which covers environmental health policy, is a great fit for someone in this role. It will help build the foundation to consider environmental health impacts of various public health policies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Health Policy Analyst

Environmental Health Educator

An Environmental Health Educator develops and delivers educational programs on environmental health topics. This course, which explores key concepts and policies in environmental health, is a great fit for this role. The material learned here will be foundational to work in this career.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Health Educator

Environmental Health Engineer

An Environmental Health Engineer designs and implements solutions to environmental health problems. The course will help build a foundation for this career as it covers environmental health hazards and policies that can be used to address and reduce the impacts of environmental health hazards.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environmental Health Engineer

Environmental Health Scientist

An Environmental Health Scientist studies the relationship between environmental conditions and human health. This course, which covers environmental health hazards and their impact on the human body, may be useful to launch a career in this role. One who takes this course will develop a basis of understanding of environmental hazards, which can be beneficial in the career.

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Toxicologist

A Toxicologist studies the effects of toxic substances on humans and the environment. This course, which covers environmental health hazards, will help build a foundation for success in this career.

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Occupational Health Nurse

An Occupational Health Nurse provides care to workers who have been exposed to occupational hazards and illnesses. This course covers occupational health, which will be essential knowledge for this role.

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Industrial Hygienist

An Industrial Hygienist identifies and evaluates workplace hazards, and develops strategies to control or eliminate them. This course covers occupational health, which is an essential field of practice for an Industrial Hygienist. Understanding occupational health can help someone in this role succeed in their career.

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Health Physicist

A Health Physicist protects people from the harmful effects of radiation. This course, which covers environmental health hazards, may be useful in this career. Understanding environmental health hazards is a key component to being a Health Physicist.

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Epidemiologist

An Epidemiologist investigates the causes of disease and other health problems in populations. This course, which covers the exposure-disease model, may be useful in this career. Understanding this model is key for Epidemiologists.

See salaries and explore the career path for Epidemiologist

Environmental Health Systems Analyst

An Environmental Health Systems Analyst uses systems analysis techniques to identify and solve environmental health problems. This course, in particular, focuses on systems thinking in environmental health issues. The knowledge and skills learned here may be useful for an Environmental Health Systems Analyst.

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Environmental Scientist

An Environmental Scientist studies the environment and its impact on human health. This course, which provides a foundation in environmental health sciences, may be useful as a foundation for this career.

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Public Health Administrator

A Public Health Administrator plans, implements, and evaluates public health programs. This course provides a useful framework for understanding the influence of the environment on human health, which may be useful for some in this role.

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Environmental Justice Advocate

An Environmental Justice Advocate works to ensure that all people have equal access to a clean and healthy environment. This course, which covers environmental health policies, may be useful in this career. The environmental health policies discussed in this course are key to being an Environmental Justice Advocate.

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Environmental Planner

An Environmental Planner develops and implements plans to protect the environment. This course, which explores the exposure-disease model, may be useful for some in this role.

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Sanitarian

A Sanitarian is responsible for enforcing public health laws and regulations. This course may be useful to someone in this role because it covers environmental health policies that can be used to address and reduce the impacts of environmental health hazards.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sanitarian