Health and Safety Code section 106635

(a)

The requirements for registration of environmental health specialists shall be a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a department-approved educational institution or an educational institution of collegiate grade listed in the directory of accredited institutions of postsecondary education compiled by the American Council on Education.

(b)

A transcript shall demonstrate both of the following:

(1)

Basic science coursework taken from a department-approved educational institution in accordance with Section 106640 or an educational institution of collegiate grade listed in the directory of accredited institutions of postsecondary education compiled by the American Council on Education.

(2)

Basic science coursework, as follows:
Basic Requirements
Experience
Training
I.
30 semester or 45 quarter basic science units.Three of the required basic science courses shall include a laboratory.
18 months
600 hrs.
General Chemistry
General Physics or Organic Chemistry
General Microbiology
General Biological Science
Calculus or College Algebra
II.
45 semester or 68 quarterbasic science units.Three of the required basic science courses shall include a laboratory.
one year
450 hrs.
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
General Physics
General Microbiology
General Biological Science
Calculus or College Algebra
III.
30 semester or 45 quarter
basic science units.Three of the required basic science courses shall include a laboratory.
9 months
300
hrs.
General Chemistry
General Physics or Organic Chemistry
General Microbiology
General Biological Science
Calculus or College Algebra
plus
Three semester or four quarter unit courses in each of the following:
Epidemiology
Statistics
Public Administration or Environmental Health Adminis–
tration and;
10 semester or 15 quarter units in environmental health
science, including one or more of the following:
water quality, waste management, food and consumer protection, housing and institution sanitation, vector control, recreational health, air quality, milk and dairy products, occupational health, electromagnetic radiation, noise control, toxicology, soil science, or land use development.
IV.
45 semester or 68
quarter
basic science units, including the following:
6 months
200
hrs.
Three of the following required basic science courses shall include a laboratory:
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
General Physics
General Microbiology
General Biological Science
Calculus or College Algebra
plus
Three semester or four quarter unit courses in each of the following:
Epidemiology
Statistics
Public Administration or Environmental Health Adminis–
tration and;
10 semester or 15 quarter units in
Environmental Health Science, including one or more of
the following:
water quality, waste management, food and consumer protection, housing and institution sanitation, vector control, recreational health, air quality, milk and dairy products, occupational health, electromagnetic radiation, noise control, toxicology, soil science, or land use development.
V.
Possess a minimum of
a bachelor’s degree
in environmental health from aNational Environmental Health Science & Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC) approved institution or an institution approved by the com­mittee, which includes:
One year of lecture and laboratory coursework in each of the following:
None
required
None
required
General Chemistry
General Physics
General Biological Science, and
One semester course in:
Calculus or College Algebra
Organic Chemistry
General Microbiology with Laboratory
Public Administration or Environmental Health Adminis–
tration
Epidemiology
Statistics
Field Orientation Course in Environmental Health
Fifteen semester units of environmental health science courses selected from: water quality, waste management, food and consumer protection, housing and institution sanitation, vector con­trol, recreational health, air quality, milk and dairy prod­ucts, occupational health, electromagnetic radiation, noise control, toxicology, soil science, or land use development.

(c)

(1)For purposes of this section, “basic sciences” include life sciences, natural sciences, physical sciences, and health sciences.

(2)

Social science courses, such as sociology or psychology, shall not count toward the basic science requirements.

Source: Section 106635, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=106635.­ (updated Jan. 1, 2026; accessed Dec. 15, 2025).

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Verified:
Dec. 15, 2025

§ 106635's source at ca​.gov