Environmental toxicology

Environmental toxicology

There are more than 100 000 chemicals on the European market. Are you interested in how chemicals may affect humans and wildlife and how chemical hazards and risks are identified? If so, this is the right specialisation for you.

After your master education you can either work as an environmental toxicologist in a company or in an authority at the governmental, county or municipal level. You may also continue with doctoral studies in toxicology/ecotoxicology.

For this specialisation we recommend good knowledge in chemistry and animal physiology.

Information about the specialisation

he specialisation normally starts with the course Toxicology D, but students who already have a strong background in toxicology may instead choose Limnology D or Ecology D. The starting course also contains a general introduction to the master program.

The next course, Ecotoxicology, deals with chemicals in the environment – e.g. their origin, fate, distribution and effects. Within this course, short projects each lasting two to four days and focusing on current ecotoxicological problems will give you an idea about the job assignments of professional ecotoxicologists. Two of these projects are about environmental risk assessment.

During the first period of the spring semester, Swedish students have the opportunity to take the course Miljö- och förvaltningsrätt för naturvetare, which is included in this specialisation because there is a need of this competence when working with risk assessment and management students who want a deeper molecular and/or physiological understanding and those aiming for PhD studies are advised to take a course within the areas molecular biology, neuroscience or immunology.

The final course of the second semester, Toxicology and Risk Assessment, will increase your knowledge in toxicology and give practical experience in human health risk assessment. This kind of competence is requested if you plan to work in authorities or in the chemical/pharmaceutical industry.

During the second year you can choose additional courses or combine a research training period and a degree project of 30 or 45 hp credit points.

Career opportunities

Studying this specialisation in environmental toxicology, you will aquire knowledge and skills that are requested in the society. Most likely the need of ecotoxicologists in private companies and in public institutions will increase in the near future due to the new chemical legislation within EU (REACH). Already today you can find ecotoxicologists at public institutions (e.g. Medical Product Agency, National Food Administration, Swedish Chemicals Agency, Environmental Protection Agency) and private companies within the environmental protection sector (e.g. IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, SWECO, Golder Associates)