Environmental Technology (Environmental Science/Public Health Technology)

This Program provides an overview to the discipline of Environmental Science/Public Health Technology. Students will gain an understanding of the basic concepts and terminologies of environmental science and public health, including the history and accomplishments of public health officials and agencies.   The Program will also provide an overview of the functions of various public health/environmental science professions and institutions, and an in-depth examination of the core public health disciplines is covered. Topics of the Program discipline include the prevention and control of diseases in the community including the analysis of the social determinants of health and strategies for eliminating disease; introduction to the epidemiology of infectious and chronic disease; illness and health disparities among various populations; community organizing and health promotion programming; water and environmental health and safety; global health; and healthcare policy and management.

It is estimated that approximated 50 - 100 will earn a certificate or degree annually.

This Program is designed to provide career and technical training for the area of public health and environmental health and science.  This program provides students knowledge and background seeking employment as public heath specialists and environmental health specialists/technicians in the respective public health and environmental health and science fields.

The Associate of Science degree in Environmental Technology is designed to prepare students for careers in the environmental public health field.  This program is also designed to enable those already working in the field to upgrade their skills.  Subjects addressed include environmental health and safety regulations, environmental science, water quality, environmental management, and courses to prepare entry-level education for environmental engineering technologists and technicians; and environmental science and protection technicians, including health.

Upon successful completion of the requirements for this degree, students will be able to:

Analyze environment public health and safety regulations and standards established by the State of California, and counties to provide public health and safety and the environment.

Career Options

Examples of careers include the following:

• Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians
• Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

With a bachelor's degree:

• Environmental Science/Environmental Engineering
• Engineering Technologist

As a Business Career Education program, our plans and goals are informed annually by our Technical Advisory Committee and the input of its members, who are all professionals in the field of Public Health and Safety, Water and Wastewater Science, Public Works, and members of our local Orange County service area.  

Our faculty, both full time and adjunct, are active or retired professionals in this same industry, who also inform our planning efforts.  Our full-time faculty create, evaluate, and update our annual plan goals based upon the input of all of these professionals.

Program Requirements

Definition of Public Health

a. Distinction between personal, environmental, and public health

b. History and accomplishments of public health officials and agencies

c. Core values and functions of public health professions and institutions

d. Overview of the Public Health System

e. Healthcare Reform: The Affordable Care Act

f. Law, Government, and Non-government Agencies

Analytical Methods of Public Health

a. Epidemiology: the basic science of public health

b. Principles, methods and limitations

c. Statistics: making sense of uncertainty

d. The role of data in public health

The Biomedical Basis of Public Health

a. The conquest of infectious disease

b. New infectious disease

c. Chronic disease

d. Genetic disease

e. Community Organizing and Health Promotion Programming

f. Social and Behavioral Factors in Public Health

Social Behavioral Basis of Public Health

a. Education and socioeconomic status and health

b. Community concerns: including, but not limited to addiction, obesity, and violence

c. Maternal, infant and child, adolescent, adulthood and elder health

d. Environmental Issues in Public Health

1. Clean air

2. Clean water

3. Garbage

4. Food and drug safety

5. Population control

6. Injury prevention

7. Emergency Preparedness

Public Health Workforce and Careers

a. Workforce size and distribution

b. Careers in Public Health

c. Educational and certification requirements

d. Workplace settings and conditions

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
PBLC156	Public Health/Environmental Science and Health	3	S1
PBLC 150	Introduction to Public Administration	3	S1
PBLC 152	Preparing for Supervision	3	S1
PBLC 085	Code Enforcement Officer	3	S1
PBLC 155	The Art of Politics and Policy	3	S1

Business and Career Education - Public Works

No other college in the in the Orange County Region have this program

50-75