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What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Government and Public Administration cluster Regulation pathway.

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Usually, health inspectors must have a bachelor's degree in environmental health or in the physical or biological sciences. In most states, they're licensed by examining boards.

There is a national Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) exam. It's administered by the National Environmental Health Association.

"Not everybody requires that, but that is the national certification exam that people would look to as a standard," says Erin Reichert. She's an advisor for the environmental health program at Colorado State University.

"That test is on national standards, but each state has their own standards as far as, for example, food cooling temperatures," says Reichert.

Reichert says high school students should focus on chemistry and math.

"Everything in environmental health is pretty chemical based, and so having enough of the math to be able to understand the chemistry [is important]," says Reichert. "A little bit of exposure to biology and physics is also good. And public speaking -- any courses that will improve their public speaking skills will help."

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    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900
  • North Dakota Career Resource Network
    ndcrn@nd.gov | (701) 328-9733

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