Occupational Health Curriculum

Occupational Health Curriculum 

The UC Berkeley Occupational Health curriculum is part of the environmental health science MPH program and includes industrial hygiene, human factors and ergonomics, and occupational epidemiology. 

Current courses

PBHLTH 298 Occupational Health Seminar 
This is a Graduate level seminar (upper-level undergraduates can enroll in 198 with permission) with the goal of providing students with a field experience at a government, labor or industry. The experience will provide an example of how occupational health and safety is applied in practice and help develop professional and networking skills in the field. Additionally, students will learn about emerging research in various occupational and health topics by attending monthly ERC webinars and group discussions. Students will prepare a report on their field experience in which they will discuss the occupational health components and their professional skills development.
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PBHLTH 298 Occupational Health Practicum
This graduate-level Occupational Health Practicum provides students with hands-on experience conducting an applied occupational health project in partnership with a government, labor, or industry organization. Students develop projectspecific technical and professional skills by learning and applying a new analytical method (e.g., advanced data collection techniques or simulation software) under faculty and staff mentorship. The practicum includes literature review, site visits, field data collection, hazard and risk analysis, and development of practical mitigation strategies. Students produce a professional report for the partner organization at the end of the semester, which may be used to support professional certification requirements (e.g., BCPE), and gain valuable experience in project management, stakeholder engagement, and professional networking. 

Curriculumn for 2026-2028

EHS – Required Courses Industrial Hygiene Human Factors & Ergonomics
Course #Course NameUnits
PB HlTH 142Biostatistics – Probability and Statistics (250A & 142 recommended to be taken concurrently)4
PB HLTH 200JHealth Policy & Management Breadth2
PB HLTH 200LHealth and Social Behavior Breadth2
PB HLTH 220CHealth Risk Assessment, Regulation, & Policy3
PB HLTH 245Introduction to Multivariate Statistics4
PB HLTH 250AEpidemiology Methods I (250A & 142 recommended to be taken concurrently)3
PB HLTH 270Intro to Environmental Health Sciences3
PB HLTH 270AExposure Assessment and Control I3
PB HLTH 270BToxicology3
PB HLTH 271EScience and Policy for Environmental Health3
PB HLTH 291Leadership for Public Health Changemakers1
PB HLTH 292EHS Career Pathways Seminar1
PB HLTH 292EHS MPH ILE Seminar3
PB HLTH 297Field Study in Public Health (summer practicum)3
One of these 2 courses
Course #Course NameUnits
PB HLTH 271JSocial Justice and Worker Health (occupational health recommended)2
PB HLTH 290Health Equity & the Environment: Theory & Praxis3

Industrial Hygiene 

Occupational Health Industrial Hygiene Required Courses
Course #Course NameUnits
PB HLTH 254Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology3
PB HLTH 269COccupational Biomechanics2-4
PB HLTH 271HGreener Solutions: A Safer Design Partnership4
PB HLTH 290Global Occupational Health and Safety (even years)3
PB HLTH 290Exposure Assessment & Control II (Spring)3
PB HLTH 298Occupational Health Practicum1
PB HLTH 298Occupational Health Seminar (Occ Health Applied Skills Lab Independent Study)1
PB HLTH 298Foundations of Occupational Health Safety (OSHA 30 certification)1

Human Factors & Ergonomics 

Occupational Health Human Factos & Ergonomics Required Courses
Course #Course NameUnits
IEOR 170HFE in Industrial Design3
PB HLTH 254Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology3
PB HLTH 269COccupational Biomechanics4
PB HLTH 269DErgonomics Seminar2
PB HLTH 298Occupational Health Practicum1
PB HLTH 298Occupational Health Seminar (Occ Health Applied Skills Lab Independent Study)1
PB HLTH 298Foundations of Occupational Health Safety (OSHA 30 certification)1
Occupational Health Industrial Hygiene and Human Factors & Ergonomics optional recommend courses
Course #Course NameUnits
PB HLTH 241Intermediate Biostatistics for Public Health4
PB HLTH 269ECurrent Topics in Environmental Medicine2
PB HLTH 298Occupational Toxicology2
PB HLTH 299Independent Research1-4