Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Toxicology
[edit] Description
For a brief description of the program, application requirements and contact information, view the graduate program summary.
Center Director: Dr. Ercole Cavalieri
Graduate Committee: Professor Stergiou (UNO) (Chair); Professors Kolok (UNO); Lockridge (UNMC); Siegfried (UNL); Associate Professors Stentz (UNL); Wyatt (UNMC).
The Center for Environmental Toxicology provides masters and doctoral degree programs in various multidisciplinary aspects of environmental toxicology. Research opportunities within the program include mechanisms of carcinogenesis, mechanisms of alcohol toxicity and metal toxicity, mechanisms of DNA damage, human molecular genetics, environment-gene interactions, bioinformatics, immunotoxicology, ecological toxicology, argochemicals in soil and water, food toxins, ultratrace determination of biological compounds, and synthetic and mechanistic bio-organic chemistry.
Masters Degree
There are two options:
Track 1 involves research for those who choose to continue their study and pursue their PhD. Students committed to Track 1 do not have the option of changing to Track 2. This option requires a minimum of 30 credit hours: 20-24 hours of course work and 6-10 hours of thesis. Half of the total credit hours, including thesis, must be in the major.
Track 2 is for non-research (non-PhD) students. It must be declared upon entry into the program. Students may move up from this track to the PhD track. Track 2 requires a minimum of 36 credit hours with a minimum of 18 hours in the major, or two minors of 9 hours with 15 hours in the major. At least 12 credit hours must be in exclusive upper level (800/900) courses. No thesis is required. Students should complete this program option in three years.
MS students must identify an adviser and have an Advisory Committee in place by the end of their first year. The Advisory Committee is composed of the adviser and faculty, with at least one person from an outside discipline. The Graduate Committee has final approval over the composition of all Advisory Committees.
Doctoral Degree
In addition to the required course, at least two elective 800/900-level courses must be taken. Each doctoral student must identify an adviser and have a Supervisory Committee in place by the end of their first year. The Supervisory Committee is composed of the adviser and four other faculty members; three of the five must be Center faculty with four holding graduate faculty appointments and at least one person must be from an outside discipline. There will not be a written comprehensive exam due to the variability of each participants’ training. During their second or third year in the program, students are expected to complete a grant proposal on a subject related to toxicology, yet outside of their immediate area of dissertation research. The proposal must conform to the guidelines of an appropriate federal agency (NIH, EPA, USDA, etc.). After review by the Supervisory Committee and selected outside reviewers, an oral defense of the grant proposal and related subject material will be held. All students are also required to submit at least one scientific article for publication. Finally, a dissertation with an oral defense must be presented.
All students (MS and PhD) are required to successfully complete two semesters of biochemistry, a semester of statistics, and two semesters of toxicology. Biochemistry I and II are available at UNMC (BIOC 820/822) and UNL (BIOC 831/832). Students may take Biostatistics I at UNMC (PSM 806) or Statistical Methods in Research at UNL (STAT 801). Basic Toxicology (TOXI 888) and Advanced Toxicology (TOXI 950) will be provided to students at both campuses. All students must participate in the Center seminar series. The detailed document A Guideline for the Graduate Program Leading to the MS and PhD Degrees in Environmental Toxicology containing detailed information, including a list of the elective courses appropriate for toxicology graduate students, is available from the Center.
