Program Information
Students in biology, chemistry, engineering, entomology, microbiology, neurosciences, nutrition, physiology, veterinary medical sciences and other graduate programs at the University of Illinois may specialize in environmental toxicology. The program is rigorous, demanding that students fulfill the degree requirements of their own departments as well as the additional requirements of the program. The program includes course work in toxicology and an interdisciplinary seminar series that features guest speakers from academia, industry and government. The student’s independent thesis or dissertation research must address a toxicological problem.
For admittance into the program, students apply to a participating department and contact one of the program’s faculty about serving as a research advisor. Graduate students who believe their research will benefit from being associated with the program should discuss this possibility with their advisors, regardless of whether the advisor or department is associated with the program.
The Interdisciplinary Environmental Toxicology Program is a specialization for students accepted into a graduate-level departmental program at the University of Illinois. Students are required to demonstrate strong scholarship and to provide both a research plan and a statement of career goals that clearly demonstrate a link to environmental toxicology. Financial support for students who do not receive toxicology fellowships may be available through individual faculty or the student’s home department.
Applications for admission into the program as a Toxicology Scholar are available by clicking on the image or link below.
There is not currently an active call for Toxicology Scholar applications.
Illinois graduate admission forms are available through the University’s website at http://www.grad.illinois.edu/admissions
Core Course requirements for the Interdisciplinary Environmental Toxicology Program are flexible to accommodate the varied career goals of our students.
Three courses are required:
Interdisciplinary Toxicology Seminar CB 596
Systems Toxicology CB 554 – Offered in the Spring semester of odd years.
Ethics in Toxicology CB 552 – Offered in the Fall semester of even years.
Other strongly suggested courses include:
Biochemistry/Chemistry (6 hours or 2 units) Specific courses will depend on requirements of advisor’s home department.
Biostatistics (3 hours) Specific courses will depend on requirements of advisor’s home department.
Applied Epidemiology CHLH 578
Analytic Epidemiology CHLH 576
Reproductive & Developmental Toxicology CB 516
Ecotoxicology in the Northern Hemisphere CB 551
Environmental Health ENVS 469
Grantsmanship and Ethics NUTR 550
Health Disparities FSHN 595
Issues in Food Safety FSHN 575
Neurotoxicology CB/ENVS 514
Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health CHLH 572
Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology CB/ENVS 516
Scientific Writing MCB 529
Sustainability Experience ENVS 491
Toxicologic Pathology PATH 548
This is not an all inclusive list of courses offered in Toxicology. Please see the University of Illinois Academic Course Catalog for the current term, to locate courses which are currently offered:
Toxicology Scholars appointed to a 25% research assistantship award, at 50% of the National Institute of Health (NIH) predoc stipend rate for 11 months, which includes a tuition and fee waiver. The period of each year’s award runs from August 16th of the current year, to July 15th of the following year (9 months academic plus 2 summer months). The award carries with it a funding commitment in the second and third year at approximately 25% time. However, the second and third year are subject to availability of funds, as well as to satisfactory progress in the awardee’s research and academic program. This includes adherence to the core curriculum and enrollment in the Interdisciplinary Toxicology Seminar ENVS/CB/PATH 596.
A requirement for all persons who have been named as Environmental Toxicology Scholars is to submit an annual progress report in March of each year. These reports are examined by the Toxicology Steering Committee of the Interdisciplinary Environmental Toxicology Program. They provide the Committee with the ability to consider the merits of the program and its effectiveness. Also, they provide a basis for recommendations as to whether or not support for a student should continue for a second or third year as an Environmental Toxicology Scholar.