To become an Environmental Health Officer, you usually have to study environmental health, environmental science, public health or environmental management at university. These areas of study may be undertaken within a science, health science, social science or natural science degree.
To be admitted into these courses, you usually need to gain your Senior Secondary Certificate of Education. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in one or more of English, mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics are normally required. Universities have different prerequisites, and some have flexible entry requirements or offer external study. Contact the institutions you are interested in for more information.
The first step is to find an accredited course. There are several applicable courses available with “Environmental” or “Public Health” in the title, but that does not mean they will give you the right qualifications to work as an Environmental Health Officer in Australia.
Below is a list of currently accredited courses. These vary from undergraduate to postgraduate courses, full time and part-time, on-campus and off-campus. There are many to choose from to suit your location and needs.
If you wish to work in Victoria, the right to work is covered under the Public Health & Wellbeing ACT 2008. Please click on the button for a list of the qualifications accepted under the Act to work in Victoria. Working In Victoria
Duties & Tasks of an Environmental Health Officer
Environmental health officers:
Personal requirements for an Environmental Health Officer
If you hold an international environmental health qualification that is not listed in the Victorian Government Gazette, your qualification must be assessed before you can work as an environmental health officer in Victoria.
The Chief Health Officer can assess international environmental health qualifications to determine if they are substantially equivalent to those listed in the Victoria Government Gazette.
For an assessment, you will need to provide details and proof of your qualification, including an academic transcript. Once your qualification has been assessed, you will receive a letter from the Chief Health Officer advising you of the outcome of the assessment.
Please email environmental.healthunit@dhhs.vic.gov.au or call 1300 761 874 for further information or to request an assessment of your qualification.
The main employers are local government and councils. Environmental Health Officers are also employed by the Australian Defence Force, state and territory health and environment departments and area health services, as well as major food corporations, international airlines and overseas aid organisations. There are growing opportunities elsewhere in the private sector. Employment can also be found at the Red Cross, and to a lesser extent Water authorities, and the Environment Protection Authority.
These positions are advertised on Local and State/Commonwealth Government jobsite pages, Defence Force Recruiting, Seek and other job websites and are also advertised by Recruitment agencies.
EHPA also provides a free Job Listing service for employers. JOB LISTING SUBMIT A JOB LISTING
State / Territory | University | Course | Accreditation Details |
---|---|---|---|
New South Wales | Western Sydney University | Bachelor of Natural Science (Environment and Health) | Full Accreditation |
Queensland | Central Queensland University | Bachelor of Public Health (Environmental Health) | Full Accreditation |
Queensland | Griffith University | Bachelor of Health Science (Environmental Health) | Full Accreditation |
Queensland | University of the Sunshine Coast | Bachelor of Health Science (Applied Environmental Health) | Full Accreditation |
Western Australia | Edith Cowan University | Bachelor of Health Science (Environmental Health) | Full Accreditation |
Western Australia | Edith Cowan University | Bachelor of Health Science (Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety) | Provisional Accreditation |
State | University | Course | Accreditation Details |
---|---|---|---|
Queensland | Queensland University of Technology | Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health | Full Accreditation |
South Australia | Flinders University | Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice | Full Accreditation |
Western Australia | Curtin University | Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health | Full Accreditation |
Victoria | Swinburne University of Technology | Graduate Diploma of Environmental Health Practice | Provisional Accreditation |
State | University | Course | Accreditation Details |
---|---|---|---|
South Australia | Flinders University | Master of Environmental Health | Full Accreditation |
State | University | Course |
---|---|---|
New South Wales | University of Western Sydney | Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Health) |
Queensland | Griffith University | Bachelor of Science (Environmental Health) Bachelor of Public Health (Environmental Health) |
Queensland | University of the Sunshine Coast | Bachelor of Science (Environment and Health) (Graduates from 2010) Bachelor of Environmental Health Science (Graduates from 2010 to 2018) |
Queensland | Queensland University of Technology | Bachelor of Health Science (Environmental Health) Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Health) |
South Australia | Flinders University | Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Health) |
Victoria | Swinburne University | Bachelor of Health Science (Public and Environmental Health) |
Victoria |
LaTrobe University | Bachelor of Public Health (Environmental Health) (Graduates to 2011) |
Victoria | LaTrobe University | Bachelor of Health Sciences (Environmental Health) (Graduates to 2014) |
Victoria |
LaTrobe University | Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health |
Western Australia |
Curtin University | Bachelor of Science (Environmental Health) Master of Environmental Health |
Northern Territory | Batchelor University | Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Health) |
Tasmania | TAFE Tasmania | Diploma of Applied Science (Environmental Health) Advanced Diploma of Applied Science (Environmental Health) |
Tasmania | University of Tasmania | Bachelor of Health Science (Environmental Health) |