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 an active call for Toxicology Scholar applications with a due date of April 5th, 2024.
Illinois graduate admission forms are available through the University’s website at http://www.grad.illinois.edu/admissions
Course requirements for the Interdisciplinary Environmental Toxicology Program are flexible to accommodate the varied career goals of our students. Five courses are required:
Basic Toxicology- CB 449
Systems Toxicology- CB 554
Interdisciplinary Toxicology Seminar- CB 596
and two other toxicology courses. An example of some course selections:
Ethics in Toxicology- CB552
Environmental Health- ENVS 469
Environmental Toxicology- ENVS 431
Endocrinology- CB 512
Pesticide Toxicology- CB 434
Toxicologic Pathology- PATH 548
Concepts in Pathology- CB 516
Reproductive & Developmental
Toxicology- CB 516
Genetic Toxicology
Neurotoxicology- CB 514
Analytical Methods in Toxicology
Pharmacalogy- CB 564
Comparative Disposition of Xenobiotics
Ecotoxicology in the Northern Hempisphere- CB 551
This is not an all inclusive list of course 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.