Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health

School of Public Health
2234 School of Public Health Building
gbhl@umd.edu 
https://sph.umd.edu/GEOH/ 

The mission of the Department of Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health (GEOH) is to promote and protect human health in the diverse communities across Maryland, the nation and the world through discovery, education, and innovative application of knowledge in the fields of global, environmental, and occupational health.

Our programs equip students to address current and future global health, environmental health, and occupational health issues through a multidisciplinary lens. In and out of the classroom, our faculty, students, and staff delve into today’s grand challenges, from airborne infectious disease transmission, food and waterborne disease and antibiotic resistance, to environmental justice,  and the impacts of climate change on human health. We also examine how digital health innovations are reshaping communities most affected by health disparities.

Chair: A.R. Sapkota (Professor)

Professors: D. Milton (Dist Univ Prof), R. Puett, H. Wipfli (Clark Leadership Chair), S. Wilson

Associate Professors: P. Turner (Associate Chair)

Assistant Professors: H. Amato, K. Coleman, R. Goldstein, J. Stowell, P. Wang

Associate Clinical Professor: H. Blake (Undergraduate Program Director), H. Scott

Clinical Professor: M. Haider

Assistant Research Professors: S. Chattopadhyay, B. Anderson-Coughlin

Associate Research Scientist: S. Tai

Associate Research Professor: L. Malayil, K. McPhaul, R. Murray (Graduate Director)

Lecturers: A. Wharton

Affiliated Faculty: N. Cousin-Gossett, B. Lushniak

Major

Academic advisors in the Department of Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health (GEOH) support students in the Global Health (GBHL) and Environmental Science and Policy major’s specialization in Environmental Justice (ENSP-EJ).

Advisors are available for drop-in advising or individual appointments. 

All students are encouraged to see an advisor at least once each semester to discuss academic plans and personal/professional goals.

Students pursuing a BS in Global Health are required to meet with an advisor during their first semester in the major, and again once they have 75 cumulative credits. Students in the ENSP-Environmental Justice major are required to meet with their advisor in GEOH each semester before they can register for classes. Student-athletes, and students on academic probation or dismissal meet with advisors in the SPH Center for Academic Success and Achievement (SPH CASA). 

Global Learning

Students have multiple ways to expand the borders of their education in global, environmental, and occupational health (GEOH) through courses, research, and other beyond the classroom experiences.

Global classroom courses connect students and faculty with peers in other countries to address international health issues through collaborative projects. Study abroad with a global health focus is possible during a semester or for shorter periods in summer and winter. GEOH faculty conduct research around the world and may have opportunities for undergraduate students.

Students enrolled in the Global Health Major are eligible to apply for the Peace Corps Prep program. Students can also take advantage of opportunities shared by the UMD SPH Global Health Initiative to engage in projects in Maryland and around the world, including with the Public Health Beyond Borders student organization.

Internships and Career Development

The University of Maryland’s location in the Washington, DC, metro area is ideal for students considering careers in global, environmental, or occupational health.

The GEOH Department offers a 1-credit GBHL210: Careers in Global Health course every fall and spring semester. This course prepares students in the Global Health major to identify and apply for internships, research and other experiential learning opportunities.

Students engage with and learn from researchers and policy makers in and beyond the classroom.  GEOH students interested in policy and public service are encouraged to consider applying for the UMD Fellows program. Fellows combine a fall seminar with a policy practitioner with a spring internship. 

The UMD Career Center at SPH collaborates with the department to offer networking events and prepare students to apply for internships in the public and private sectors. Those interested in careers in law and medicine also have career support on campus. Global Health majors are eligible to apply to the School of Public Health’s Accelerated BS+MPH Program. 

Undergraduate Research Experiences

Students can find research opportunities on campus through the ForagerOne portal, maintained by the UMD Office of Undergraduate Research. SPH students are encouraged to share their research at a number of annual showcase events, including Public Health Practice Day and UMD’s Undergraduate Research Day.

Undergraduate students may have the opportunity to participate in ongoing research within the following Centers, Labs and Programs, led by GEOH faculty, receiving academic credit (MIEH309 or GBHL389):

Student Organizations and Leadership

GEOH students can develop leadership and communication skills and build personal and professional connections through some of these opportunities: 

Awards, Scholarships and Financial Assistance

The School of Public Health provides some scholarships for undergraduate students in need, including the Jerry P. Wrenn Endowed Scholarship, the School of Public Health Student Emergency Scholarship, the SPH Scholarship Fund, and TerpStart Scholarships. Students planning global learning experiences are encouraged to seek additional funding through the Global Health Initiative and UMD Global, or the GEOH Student Travel Award. 

The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) administers all types of federal, state and institutional financial assistance programs and, in cooperation with other university offices, participates in the awarding of scholarships to deserving students. 

GEOH recognizes Dean's Outstanding Undergraduate Scholars and SPH scholarship recipients in the Global Health and ENSP-Environmental Justice majors at the annual SPH Celebration of Scholars and Student Awards.