Associate Professor, Environmental Health Sciences; Associate Director, Global Public Health; Professor, Global Public Health
Environmental Hazards and Global Public Health
What You'll Learn
- Explore environmental hazards and how they impact your health.
- Explore urban and global health, and the influence of the built environment on human health.
4 Modules
16 Hours
4 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Environmental Hazards and Global Public Health
The second course of the Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health specialization will explore a number of different environmental hazards. These are: air pollution, water pollution, solid and hazardous waste, and two physical hazards (radon and noise). These hazards each have the potential to harm human health, and we will explore how you may come into contact with these hazards and how they may harm you, as well as what we can do to minimize these exposures and health impacts. We will also explore two additional key topics: urban and global health, and the influence of the built environment on human health.
Skills You'll Gain
- Environmental Health
- Environmental Health Management
- Public Health
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Environmental Hazards and Global Public Health, an online course that examines how environmental exposures shape health outcomes across communities and populations worldwide. You will explore air and water pollution, physical hazards, waste management, urbanization, and the built environment through real-world global and U.S. examples. By the end of the course, which is part of the Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health series, you will better understand how environmental risks influence public health and policy decisions.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Air and Water Pollution
- Video: Environmental Hazards and Global Public Health
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Reading: Community Engagement
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself
- Reading: Help Us Learn More About You!
- Reading: Health Effects of Ambient Air Pollution in Developing Countries
- Reading: Optional: What US Cities Looked Like Before EPA Regulated Pollution
- Video: Introduction to Air Pollution
- Video: Key Concepts in Air Pollution
- Video: Controlling Air Pollution
- Video: Criteria Air Pollutants
- Video: Challenges in Air Pollution
- Graded Assignment: Sources of Exposure Data Practice Quiz
- Reading: Assessing Exposure and Health Consequences of Chemicals in Drinking Water
- Video: Introduction to Water Pollution
- Video: Key Concepts in Water Pollution
- Video: Controlling Water Pollution
- Video: Key Water Pollutants
Module 2: Physical Hazards (Noise and Radon) and Solid Waste
- Video: Radon
- Graded Assignment: Personal Radiation Exposure Calculator Practice Quiz
- Video: Noise
- Graded Assignment: Personal Noise Calculator Practice Quiz
- Video: Introduction to Solid Waste
- Video: Solid Waste Disposal Methods
- Video: Solid Waste - How Does the U.S. Compare?
- Reading: Impact of Poor Solid Waste Management on Health in Developing Countries
- Discussion Prompt: Policy Impacts on Solid Waste Hazards Discussion
- Video: Introduction to Hazardous Waste
- Video: A Foundational Hazardous Waste Event
- Video: Hazardous Waste Disposal Methods
- Graded Assignment: Household Hazardous Waste Inventory Practice Quiz
- Discussion Prompt: Superfund Sites
Module 3: Urbanization and Global Health
- Video: Introduction to Urbanization
- Video: Introduction to Urban Health
- Video: Introduction to Population Pressure
- Reading: Urban and transport planning, environmental exposures and health-new concepts, methods and tools to improve health in cities
- Video: Introduction to Global Health
- Video: Demographic and Epidemiologic Transitions
- Reading: Health Consequences of Environmental Exposures
Module 4: Built Environment
- Video: Introduction to Built Environment
- Video: Levels of Built Environment to Consider
- Graded Assignment: Neighborhood Built Environment Issues Practice Quiz
- Reading: Public Health and the Built Environment: Historical, Empirical, and Theoretical Foundations for an Expanded Role
- Video: Community Design
- Video: Active Transportation
- Reading: Impact of policy and built environment changes on obesity-related outcomes
- Video: Recap on Environmental Hazards and Global Public Health
- Reading: Post-Course Survey
Grading Policy
Course materials and assignments are available for self-paced learning. To pass the course and earn a certificate, learners must achieve an overall grade of 80% or higher. The final grade is based on cumulative performance across course assessments, including three quizzes worth 20% each, and a peer-graded assignment worth 40%.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
