Requirements

Environmental health professional - requirements

As an environmental health professional, sometimes described as an officer or adviser, you’ll use your scientific and legal knowledge to make sure the environment is safe to live and work in. Learn more about the industry, the available opportunities and what you’ll need to study to succeed.

Know what you'll need to land a job below.

What qualifications do you need to be an environmental health professional?

A degree in environmental health at undergraduate or postgraduate level is the typical requirement for working in this area. You might build on an undergraduate qualification in a related subject, such as:

You’ll need to have at least a second-class degree if you want to do a master’s in environmental health. Completing a work placement and creating a portfolio is needed if you want to become a qualified practitioner through the CIEH.

Please note this is a beta version. We'll continue to improve our suggestions here so that we show you the most relevant subjects.

Do you need a postgraduate qualification to work as an environmental health professional?

You don’t need a postgraduate qualification to get chartered with CIEH if you already have an honours degree in environmental health, but it might improve your job prospects. You’ll need a master’s in environmental health if you’re transferring from a related subject.

Examples of taught research degrees at postgraduate level include:

Environmental health
Public health
Safety, health and environment

What skills do you need to be an environmental health professional?

Enjoying analytical thought, independent working and dealing with customers is key to success as an environmental health professional.

Hard skills usually include:

Knowledge of regulations and the law
Scientific or technical knowledge
Specialist equipment or software
A full UK driving licence

Soft skills include:

Analytical thinking and reasoning
Communication
Working under pressure
Decision making
Eye for detail
Independent

Do you need work experience to be an environmental health professional?

Work experience is a useful way to get to know the environmental health field before you start studying and decide if it’s for you. It’s also a great way to build experience during or after your studies, especially if you want to stand out to employers or specialise. Regulators and local authorities also often have partnerships with universities.