Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences
Promote health, safety and well-being through Purdue’s Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology-accredited occupational and environmental health sciences major. Gain hands-on experience assessing and managing environmental and workplace risks.
Why Purdue?
Applying
Understanding the Difference in Health-Related Majors
Please note at the time of major selection: Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences is different from Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy. Those are healthcare professions focused on helping patients recover or improve their ability to perform daily activities, often requiring a master’s degree in occupational or physical therapy. In contrast, Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences focuses on understanding and improving workplace and environmental conditions to protect public health.
An occupational and environmental health sciences degree prepares you to identify, assess and control hazards across industries and public health settings. Some potential career paths include:
- Occupational health and safety specialist
- Industrial hygienist
- Environmental health and safety coordinator
- Risk management specialist
- Environmental health scientist
- Construction site safety coordinator
- Health Safety and Sustainability Engineer
Through valuable learning experiences and world-class instruction, our occupational and environmental health sciences alumni find success in a variety of careers and advanced degree programs. Some examples include:
- Life scientist, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
- Master of Public Health, Purdue University
You should pursue the most rigorous high school curriculum available to you. Succeeding in challenging courses will allow you to be a stronger candidate for Purdue’s competitive admission process and better prepare you for college success.
Minimum high school coursework (many applicants exceed these minimums):
- Math – 4 years
- English – 4 years
- Lab science – 3 years
- Social studies – 3 years
- World language – 2 years
Connect
College of Health and Human Sciences
Discover our 22 majors across nine departments and schools dedicated to improving human health and quality of life.
Contact
Undergraduate Student Services
(765) 494-8533
hhsrecruitment@purdue.edu
Visit
Experience for yourself all that Purdue has to offer with opportunities to explore in-person or virtually.
Apply
Ready to take the next step? Apply to begin your journey at Purdue in the occupational and environmental health sciences major.
Katelyn Riddle
From the classroom to the construction site, Katelyn Riddle found her purpose in educating others and protecting communities through prevention. Hear how this Boilermaker carved her own path in occupational and environmental health, inspired by hardworking parents and a passion for making a difference—without taking the traditional route of patient care.
Transfer to Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences
Purdue admits to individual majors. Transfer students must meet Purdue’s overall transfer criteria, as well as any major-specific requirements. Before you apply, check the closed programs page to confirm this major is open to transfer students. If it is, refer to the information below for major-specific transfer criteria.
- Minimum 2.5 GPA
- Completion of college-level biology or chemistry course with a grade of C or higher.
