Purdue University Calumet
School of Technology
Course Syllabus
OLS 34100 – Environmental Health
Credits and Contact Hours:
3 credit hours, 3 contact hours
Instructor’s or Course Coordinator’s Name:
Shoji Nakayama
Text Book, Title, Author and Year:
Title: Essentials of Environmental Health, Robert H. Friis, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2007
Introduction to the Course:
a. Catalog Description
This class will be presented as an overview of current issues in community and working
environments. Those issues which are most essential to the supervisor/manager will be emphasized.
Students will develop an understanding of key Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations
such as CERCLA, Clean air Act and its Amendments, Clean Water Act, and RCRA and typical
means to ensure compliance.
(Instructor : Overview of current environmental protection and management issues in community and
working environments. This class will provide an introduction to current issues and concepts in
environmental health including the identification and assessment of health hazards related to air and
water pollution, industrial production processes, urbanization, and energy use in community and
working environments. Students will develop an understanding of key risk assessment principles.)
b. Prerequisite: OLS 33100 or consent of an instructor
c. Selective Course
Specific Goals to the Course:
a. Students who complete this course will be able to:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
Identify chemical, physical, and microbial agents that originate in the environment and can
impact human health. (a, b, e, j, k)
Describe methods used in epidemiology and toxicology to assess environmental exposures and
hazards. (a, b, c, e, j, k)
Discuss the association between population growth and dissemination of environmental
pollutants.(j, k)
Describe policies that have been developed to manage health risks associated with exposures to
environmental hazards. (g, j, k)
Describe specific applications of environmental health concepts to fields such as water quality
control, food safety, and occupational health. (j, k)
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b. Student Outcomes
This course satisfies ABET Criterion a, b, c, e, g, h, j, k
Course Delivery Methods (check all that apply):
□ Lecture
□ Laboratory
√ Online
□ Discussion groups
√ Projects
□ Other (explain)
Factors Used to Determine the Course Grade (check all that apply):
□ Quizzes
√ Exams
□ Homework
√ Papers
□ Lab Reports
□ Class participation
√ How final grade is determined – special topic assignments (15%), exams (30%), research paper
(25%), comparative risk assignment project (30%)
Brief List of Topics to be Covered:
Jan 17
Jan 24
Jan 31
Feb 7
Feb 21
Feb 28
Mar 7
Mar 28
Apr 4
Apr 11
Apr 18
Apr 25
May 2
Session 1 – Introduction and Course Overview
Session 2 – Introduction to Environmental Health
Chapter 1
Session 3 – Risk Assessment – Toxicology and Epidemiology
Chapter 2, 3
Session 4 – Risk Management – Environmental Policy and Regulation Chapter 4
Session 5 – Environmental Health Hazards (Infectious Disease)
Chapter 5
Session 6 – Environmental Health Hazards (Toxic Chemicals)
Chapter 6, 7
Session 7 – Environmental Health Hazards (Physical, Mechanical, Psychosocial) Chapter 8, 13
Session 8 – Water Quality
Chapter 9
Session 9 – Air Quality
Chapter 10
Session 10 – Food and Agriculture
Chapter 11
Session 11 – Liquid and Solid Waste
Chapter 12
Session 12 – Energy and Global Environmental Concerns
Session 13 – Human Settlement and Urbanization
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