SOEH is a multidisciplinary teaching and research unit whose mandate is to study exposures, health effects, and control strategies in occupational and community settings.

It offers masters and doctoral programs, a continuing education program, a seminar series open to the public (& available via webcast), and specialized laboratory and exposure measurement services.

It provides the only graduate program in western Canada that trains "occupational hygienists," the professionals who aim to reduce work exposures to chemical, physical and biological hazards.

Hygeia, Greek goddess of health, by Gustav Klimt

In 2007, SOEH changed its name from School of Occupational & Environmental Hygiene. This meaning of "hygiene" is not well known; it is the science that deals with the promotion and preservation of health.

SOEH is affiliated with:

The Bridge Program, a scholarship funding and research training program for excellent graduate students.

CHER, the Centre for Health and Environment Research, which provides research support for knowledge translation, media relations, laboratory methods, pilot work, and grant facilitation.

SOEH also has formal academic links to units in the Faculties of Applied Science, Commerce, Medicine, and Science, and the new College for Interdisciplinary Studies.