Environmental Health Science Course Description

Department of Environmental Health Science

Nnamdi Azikwe University, Nnewi Campus

The Department of Environmental Health Science offers a five-year programme leading to Bachelor of Environmental Health Science (B.EHS). The environment plays a vital role in the maintenance and promotion of human health and in the prevention of diseases. The training of specialized personnel to form guide and execute policies geared towards the safety of the environment is important for national health development. Training at the University level ensures that these professionals are equipped with skills for research and scientific innovations. The Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) controls the training and the practice of these health professionals.

 

PHILOSOPHY OF THE PROGRAMME

The philosophy of the programme is in the training of personnel to the highest academic and professional standards in the identification and resolution of environmental health and safety issues. The programme will provide higher capacity skilled manpower, trained specifically for promoting health and preventing illness through applying scientific skills to solving real life problems and better management of environment hazards.

 

MISSION STATEMENT:

  1. To impart and generate knowledge that pertains to effective recognition and response to environmental health problems
  2. To acquaint the students with the knowledge of prevailing communicable disease, their mode of transmission and methods of controlling the biological and physical environment so as to prevent them.
  3. To impart the basic knowledge of physical, sociological and biological theories, concepts and principles and application of these in the practice of environmental health.
  4. To impart skills and relevant methods used in identification, diagnosis and management of environmental hazards.
  5. To impart on the students attitude of team work, leadership and scientific enquiry in relation to every aspect of his professional activities.
  6. To equip students with relevant knowledge and skill for advanced training and research in environmental health.

 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

(i) UTME

Candidates may be considered for admission to 100 level (B.EHS) Degree programme after passing at the required level, the UME Examination of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), provided they obtain West African School Certificate (WASC), National Examination Council (NECO) or the General Certificate of Education (SSCE/GCE) at a minimum of credit level in five subjects including English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Health Science taken and passed at not more than two sittings.

 (ii) Direct Entry

(a) In addition to the O’Level requirements stipulated above, applicants should possess at least two A’ Level papers in relevant subjects

(b) OND/HND in relevant discipline with at least upper credit grade in addition to the five credit passes as in 2.1 (a) above.

(c) A candidate who fulfills normal O’Level admission requirements and in addition holds an ND or HND certificates (minimum upper credit) in the Royal Society of Health Dip RSH or West Africa Health Examination Board (WAHEB) Diploma for Public Health Superintendents/Health Technologists, National Diploma (ND) (Upper Credit) in Environmental Health Sciences.

(d) Good pass (not less than 3.50 CGPA) in Environmental Health Science Diploma of Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

 

Professional Indexing:

All students admitted into the environmental health science programme shall be indexed by the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) before the first semester of their third (300 level) in the programme.

 

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

A career in Environmental Health is both rewarding and challenging. Thus graduates of the discipline will be very suitably equipped to take on gainful employment in the following areas.

  1. Public Health Departments and related Agencies and Environmental Sanitation Parastatals
  2. Pollution Monitoring and control outfits.
  3. Diseases surveillance units/Establishments
  4. Research Institutions and NGS/International Organizations involved in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
  5. Public Health Department of State and Federal Ministries of Health, Public utilities etc.
  6. Agencies concerned with food inspection, standard, disease control viz-a-viz: immunization programmes etc.
  7. Private Establishments and independently operated laboratories/and referrals unit for the analysis of environmental samples such as polluted water, food (cooked); confectionaries/bakery etc.
  8. Establish private outfits in different areas of Environmental Health management.
  9. The Armed forces, police, Immigration service, Correctional service
  10. Environmental units of secondary and tertiary health institutions and that of tertiary educational institution.