Environmental Health 



 
 November 24, 2009

 
Course Syllabus

Course Description | Course Objectives | Course Format | Grading Policy | Course Materials | Contact Information | Help | Ethical Conduct


 

Course Description

Examines health issues, scientific understanding of causes, and possible future approaches to control of the major environmental health problems in industrialized and developing countries. Topics include how the body reacts to environmental pollutants; physical, chemical, and biological agents of environmental contamination; vectors for dissemination (air, water, soil); solid and hazardous waste; susceptible populations; biomarkers and risk analysis; the scientific basis for policy decisions; and emerging global environmental health problems.


Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Define the major sources and types of environmental agents
  • Discuss the transport and fate of these agents in the environment
  • Identify the carriers or vectors that promote the transfer of these agents from the environment to the human
  • Describe how these agents interact with biological systems, and the mechanisms by which they exert adverse health effects
  • Explain and use models for prediction of the magnitude of adverse effects in biological systems
  • Identify and define the steps in the risk-assessment and risk-management processes
  • Describe the steps in the regulatory processÑin terms of risk assessment and risk managementÑand identify current legislation and regulation regarding environmental issues
  • Identify significant gaps in the current knowledge base concerning the health effects of environmental agents and identify areas of uncertainty in the risk-assessment process

Course Format

This is a five-credit course taught through the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Distance Education Division. The course is divided into eighteen lectures and two case studies, which are to be completed in order over the eight-week period of the Third Term.

Bulletin board and LiveTalk discussions will be used to further explore the issues.


Grading Policy

  • Two Homework assignments: 30%
  • Three exams: 70%

    •  

    Each exam will consist of approximately 25–30 multiple-choice questions. The exams will be non-proctored, closed-book and will last for 60 minutes each.

    Grading Scheme

    A: 90-100 D: 60-69
    B: 80-89 F: <60
    C: 70-79  

     


    Course Materials

    There is no formal textbook for the course; all required material is on the Web site.

    Recommended Additional Resources:

    Blumenthal, D. S., and Ruttenber, A. J. (1995). Introduction to environmental health. Second Edition. New York: Springer.

    Friis, R. H. (2007). Essentials of Environmental Health. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett.

    Lippmann, M. (Ed.). (1992). Environmental toxicants: Human exposures and their health effects. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

    Moeller, D. W. (1997). Environmental health (Revised ed.). Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Moore, G. S. (1999). Living with the earth: Concepts in environmental health science. Boca Raton: Lewis Publishers.

    Nadakavukaren, A. (2000). Our global environment: A health perspective (5th ed.) Prospect Heights: Waveland Press, Inc.

    Pepper, I., Gerba, C., and Brusseau, M. (2006).  Environmental and Pollution Science (2nd ed.) San Diego: Academic Press.

    Philp, R. B. (1995). Environmental hazards and human health. Boca Raton: Lewis Publishers.

    Yassi, A., Kjellstrom, T., de Kok, T., Guidotti, T. L. (2001). Basic environmental health. New York: Oxford University Press.

     

    		  

    Contact Information

    Faculty

    Kellogg Schwab, PhD
    Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences
    The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
    615 North Wolfe Street, Room E6620
    Baltimore MD 21205-2179
    (410) 614-5753
    kschwab@jhsph.edu

    Jonathan Links, PhD
    Professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences
    The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
    615 North Wolfe Street, Room E7531
    Baltimore MD 21205-2179

    Teaching Assistants

    Stephen Dunay
    ehcourse@jhsph.edu

    Gillian Stresman
    ehcourse@jhsph.edu


    Help

    Concerns
    Contact
    Concerns about course topics and assignments
    Technical concerns about the functionality and operation of course Web pages (before emailing, please make sure that you can replicate the problem)
    • DEHelp, the central help system for all tech support inquiries related to DED courses
    Technical help on weekends
    • JHSPH User Support: 410-955-3781
    Concerns about your Internet connection
    • Your Internet service provider (e.g., AT&T, Erols, etc.)
    Concerns about your personal software
    • Your software vendor


    Ethical Conduct

    The academic ethics code, as discussed in the Policy and Procedure Memorandum for Students, March 31, 2002, will be adhered to in this class.


    Disability Support Services

    If you are a student with a documented disability who requires an academic accommodation, please contact Betty H. Addison in the Office of Career Services and Disability Support: dss@jhsph.edu, 410-955-3034, or Room E-1140.

     

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    Copyright to this collective work of materials is owned by The Johns Hopkins University.
    Copyright to individual contributions may be retained by contributing authors.