Master of Science in Public Health -
Specialization in Toxicology
Overview
This curriculum integrates the basic knowledge and different skills needed to understand the potentially harmful effects of overexposure to any chemical substance. The first principle of toxicology is "the dose makes the poison". Many chemicals can be perfectly harmless given specific conditions but cause great harm under other circumstances. Determining levels expected to be relatively safe, estimating human and other animal health risks associated with exposure to excessive amounts of a chemical, state-of-the art and other more traditional approaches to achieving a thorough understanding of underlying chemical mechanisms of action, and a working familiarity with the many "hot" topics in toxicology are all stressed in different courses offered in the Toxicology curriculum.
Students typically choose to focus their thesis work on a single substance (e.g., MTBE, a fuel additive) or a class of chemical compounds, such as structurally-related pharmaceuticals, pesticides, industrial chemicals, toxic food constituents, or a mixture of pollutants in the general environment. In addition to the required laboratory-based thesis, this program also challenges students to present their research at scientific meetings and publish in peer-reviewed journals. Field experiences that allow students to experience firsthand what toxicologists do day-to-day are also encouraged. Thesis research conducted in conjunction with a field internship may be arranged with pharmaceutical and other local companies and organizations. This program is intended to meet the needs of students who either wish to continue other studies (e.g., PhD, MD, DVM) or proceed directly into a job in industry, a government agency, or consulting firm.
Download additional information about the Toxicology Concentration (.pdf, 97 kb).
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