Environmental and Occupational Health
Making the world a healthier and better place to live.
Climate change. Toxic air. Water pollution. These are just a few of the unprecedented environmental challenges facing humans today. Students in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health learn from and work with renowned faculty members to address those challenges and others like them to create healthier environments and workplaces for all.
Graduate Programs
EOH offers two MPH programs as well as a doctorate option.
Whether you are interested in Global Environmental Health or our Environmental Health Science and Policy program, your MPH experience will be enhanced by the proximity to agencies and organization leading the charge here in Washington, DC. And if you're interested in earning a doctorate, the PhD in Environmental Health is perfect for you.
Meet Our Department Chair
Susan Anenberg, PhD
Department Chair
“Our faculty, staff, and students are addressing environmental and occupational issues that are leading public health risk factors in the U.S. and globally, like climate change, pollution, antibiotic resistance and workplace hazards. I’m inspired by their passion and talent, and envision further growing the department’s world class research and engagement with communities and policy processes to advance health, well being and environmental justice locally, nationally and globally.”
Student Opportunities
EOH in the US and Abroad
National & International Opportunities
Each semester, faculty, staff and students from EOH practice what they teach and learn in the classroom with the goal of better health for all.
EOH in DC
In Our Own Community
EOH offers unique opportunities to testify before Congress or work with federal agencies on the most pressing public health problems facing the world.
EOH at GW
Here on Campus
GW is home to a wide range of public health research and practice activities both within EOH and across the university.
Explore EOH
Research
Opportunities in environmental sustainability, occupational health, risk science, infectious disease and community dimensions.
Practice Experience
Our extensive partner network enables students to work with top Washington, D.C. health organizations as practice settings.
Careers and Alumni
Earning one of our degrees can lead to a wide range of professional opportunities. Click for a sampling and alumni profiles.
New In EOH
From Dissertation to Impact: Two EOH Alumni Shaping the Future of Environmental Health
Recent graduates of the PhD in Environmental Health program continue to translate their training into impactful work addressing some of today’s most pressing public health challenges. Dr. Yashan Wang and Dr. Samantha Ammons exemplify how rigorous, interdisciplinary research conducted during doctoral training can inform and shape careers at the forefront of environmental health science and practice.
Department News
REACHing Across Data, Disciplines, and Communities at the 2026 Climate and Health Research Day
April 30, 2026
On Friday, April 24th, the REACH Center, Redstone Global Center, and GW Alliance for a Sustainable Future, convened the 2026 Climate and Health Research Day, an energizing afternoon that highlighted the breadth and impact of climate and health research across the three entities and partnering institutions.
New Study Finds Urban Parks in Less Privileged Neighborhoods Are Smaller, Hotter and More Polluted
Disparities in park size, air quality, and heat exposure highlight unequal health benefits across U.S. cities
April 29, 2026
Disparities in park size, air quality, and heat exposure highlight unequal health benefits across U.S. cities.