Environmental Health Engineering is one of the educational courses in higher education aiming to train individuals capable of working with other relevant organizations in supplying drinking water (quantity and quality); collection, disposal and treatment of wastewater; collection, management and disposal of municipal, industrial, medical and particular wastes; control and management of air quality; controlling insects and vectors of water resources sanitation; improvement of public places; monitoring the production and distribution of food at the highest possible quality.

The mission of the Department of Environmental Health Engineering is to train students with the highest scientific quality and practical education and creation of knowledge through research, development and research activities and also providing services to society, country and environmental health experts in line with the above-mentioned goals.

It’s our aim to attain a privileged position and international standing in the northwest part of Iran for training human resources among the Middle Eastern countries, and production of specialized knowledge required for optimal enjoyment of the environment with an emphasis on reducing and managing health and environmental risks.

Currently, the department of Environmental Health Engineering is offering courses in undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD levels. The course of Environmental Health was made available for students for the first time in East Azerbaijan province in 1973 and classes were held at the School of Environmental Health. In 1987, the course was changed to an associate one and started at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. In 1995, bachelor’s degree was made available with the aim of training individuals capable of studying and investigating the area in specific fields such as: water supply, water treatment, wastewater collection, treatment and disposal of municipal and industrial wastewater, solid waste collection and disposal of municipal, industrial, hospital and particular wastes and air pollution control and proposing ways of resolving problems and participation in designing related systems. It should also be mentioned that the undergraduate level was adopted in 2008 and the associate courses were eliminated (students are only admitted in undergraduate level since 2008).

The department of Environmental Health has been admitting students into postgraduate level in Environmental Health Engineering since 2010. The department of Environmental Health Engineering of Health Faculty has been admitting students in HSE course in collaboration with the department of Occupational Health, in order to train graduates capable of improving HSE in various installations and industries, improving safety, health and environment nationwide. Moreover, the department has been admitting students in PhD course since 2016 to train expert human resources as teaching, research and administrative cadres required for higher education, research and executive institutions in various fields of environmental health such as management and control of water quality; water treatment; collection, disposal and treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater; collection, management and disposal of municipal solid wastes, industrial, medical and particular wastes and air pollution control .

Officers and Faculty Members of the Department of Environmental Health

Currently, the Department Environmental Health has got seven faculty members (including two professors, one associate professor, three assistant professors and one instructor). There are three people with a master’s degree in environmental health, one with a master’s degree in parasitology, and a bachelor of physics.

Courses of the Department of Environmental Health Engineering

ü  Environmental Health Engineering (Bachelor’s degree)

ü Environmental Health Engineering (Master’s degree)

ü  Health Health, Safety and Environment (Master’s degree)

ü Environmental Health Engineering (PhD)

Research, Administrative and Consultation Activities

In conjunction with industry and collaboration with various governmental organizations and the private sector, the department is mainly focused on the following areas:

1. Managing and controlling the quality of water resources
2. Water treatment
3. Collection, disposal and treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater
4. Collection, management and disposal of municipal solids, industrial, medical and particular wastes
5. Managing and controlling air pollution
6. Evaluating the impacts of development on health and environment issues
7. Environmental Epidemiology
8. Soil pollution
9. Food hygiene

Laboratory Services

The experienced staff and appropriate laboratory facilities of the department provide the following laboratory services:

1. Sampling and analysis of air pollutants
2. Sampling and quality analysis of physical, chemical and biological parameters of water
3. Sampling and quality analysis of physical, chemical and biological parameters of wastewater
4. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of municipal, industrial, medical and particular wastes
5. Monitoring various environmental contaminants in soil, air and water
6. Other related issues

Research Equipment & Facilities

Specialized Laboratories of the Department of Environmental Health Engineering