College

Title

Public Health and Environmental Studies Department

Subtitle

Make a Positive Impact

Intro text

The need for graduates in the fields of public and environmental health, and with sustainability training has never been greater. Our academic programs provide students with dynamic experiences that go beyond the classroom. Our students and faculty make positive impacts in the environment, human health, and sustainability through collaborations with community partnerships and original research. Our Blugolds gain valuable real-world experience even before graduation.

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Intro Text

Academic Programs in Public Health and Environmental Studies

Choosing a program in public health and environmental studies empowers you to actively engage with critical issues affecting our communities here and around the world. Your newfound knowledge and skills equip you to drive transformative change, making a lasting impact on human and ecological well-being throughout your college experience and professional journey.

UW-Eau Claire students and faculty were among those working to preserve the biodiversity in Putnam Park.

Environment, Society, and Culture

Minor

Environmental Public Health

Major

A professor kneels down and pours sand into his hand while two students smile and observe

Environmental Science

Minor

Current and future Blugolds already are showing interest in UW-Eau Claire’s new public health major, available for the first time this fall.

Master of Public Health

Graduate Degree

Woman purchasing a bag of strawberries from a stand selling multiple fruits and vegetables

Public Health

Major | Minor

Public Health Graduate Certificate

Graduate Certificate

Student holds tray of green sprouting seedlings

Sustainability and Climate Action

Certificate

Meet the Faculty

Laura Suppes, Ph.D.

Public Health and Environmental Studies Department

Associate Professor

James E. Boulter, Ph.D.

Public Health and Environmental Studies Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry Department

Professor and Department Chairperson

Dr. Marilyn Gardner

Public Health and Environmental Studies Department

MPH Director

Professor of Public Health

Meet all the Public Health and Environmental Studies Department faculty

Hallmarks

three research ENPH students at Banbury project 2023

Community Partnerships

The Public Health and Environmental Studies Department works together with our partners in the community, including non-profits, businesses, foundations, and various community groups. These experiences may lead to internships, and even career opportunities after graduation.

Learn more about our community partnerships

Facts List

Just
the
facts

"Green" Job Skills in High Demand

The need for sustainability jobs currently exceeds the number of candidates with the right skillsets — making our grads highly desirable.

World Economic Forum

Silver Rating in Sustainability

The STARS global sustainability standard is measured by assessing sustainability practices in academics, engagement, operations, innovation, and leadership.

Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS)

Investing in the Health Sciences

UWEC was awarded $340.3 million to build a state-of-the-art Science and Health Sciences Building for students pursuing STEM careers.

Explore 230 Acres of Nature

Our lower campus is surrounded by Putnam Park, a peaceful natural area, just steps away from your classes and activities.

Ranked a Top Green College

UWEC is among the most environmentally responsible universities in the nation.

Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges 2025

Student Opportunities

Scholarships

We offer a variety of undergraduate scholarships to students enrolled in our programs, totaling over $10,000 annually!

Environmental Health Scholarship
John and Mary Gerberich Public Health Scholarship
Charles M. and Isabel Ihle Scholarship – Environmental Public Health
Amber Star Krenz Memorial Scholarship
ABC Pierce Environmental Public Health Scholarship
Tri-County Medical Alliance – ENPH
Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation – ENPH
Hugh Passow Sustainable Energy Scholarship
Bernard and Marianne Johnson Sustainability Scholarship

To learn more about these scholarships — any many others — apply on the Gold for Blugolds website.

Research

The Public Health and Environmental Studies Department provides exciting research opportunities for Blugolds. Our professors are committed to providing hands-on, practical research experiences. Students gain real-world knowledge and skills that go beyond what they learn in the classroom. They may share their research with the community, present at professional conferences around the country, and contribute to articles published in peer-reviewed journals.

Capstone Experience

The capstone experience is a culminating project that synthesizes knowledge from students’ coursework. These projects are typically interdisciplinary and involve in-depth research, problem-solving, and collaboration. Students work closely with faculty mentors, applying theoretical concepts to practical scenarios. Capstones often include presentations, papers, or creative works, and prepare students for their future careers.

All Public Health students complete a capstone experience.

Internships

Internships play a crucial role in a student’s education and career development. They provide practical, hands-on experience in a real-world setting, allowing students to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom. They offer opportunities to build professional networks, gain industry-specific skills, and explore potential career paths. They enhance resumes and make graduates more competitive in the job market, and prepare students for successful careers.

All students in the Public Health and Environmental Studies Department may complete an internship as part of their academic program. Undergraduate students in the environmental public health major each complete a paid internship.

Discuss internships opportunities with faculty from Public Health and Environmental Studies, or look for internship postings on Handshake.

Student Organizations

Get involved! Student organizations provide opportunities for professional development and community service, build leadership skills, and create lasting friendships. Many Public Health and Environmental Studies students are active in these student orgs:

To learn more about these — and other UWEC student organizations — visit Blugold Connect+.

Content Carousel

Blugold Stories

A picture of an individual participates in environmental conservation

Learning in Action

Help Save Our Planet

An excellent choice for those in the environmental public health program, the Student National Environmental Health Association connects you to field opportunities, mentorships, internships, and scholarships.

Learn more about student orgs at UWEC

Learning in Action

Group of people doing experiment in a lab

Find Your Flock

Join the Public Health Club

Join a campus community specifically designed for those studying public health. Participate in fun events, get to know your classmates, and learn about opportunities in the field.

Learn more about student orgs at UWEC

Find Your Flock

Blugold Proud

Group photo in front of Sonnentag with LEED sign

The Sonnentag earns gold-level green building rating

Prioritizing environmental sustainability in The Sonnentag complex has turned an emphasis on green into gold-level certification for the new UW-Eau Claire facility in the globally recognized LEED green building rating system.

Blugold Proud

Learning in Action

A male student wearing safety gear kneeling on a metal rooftop checking some measurement instruments

UW-Eau Claire partners with city to assess public health risk

During summer and fall 2023, students in UW-Eau Claire's environmental public health program took part in a study to help the city of Eau Claire address noise and odor complaints believed to be coming from an area business. Find out what they discovered.

Learning in Action

Events List