PHCG 4140 Children's Health and the Environment

This course will provide students with fundamental understanding of the powerful influence of the environment on health and disease in children. It will enable students to understand why children are uniquely sensitive to toxic chemicals and other environmental hazards and how toxic exposures in early life can influence risk of disease across the life span. It will familiarize students with the major environmental hazards of our time, including lead, mercury, pesticides, and air pollution as well as with the links between the built environment, climate change, and children's health. Using case studies, it will explore the linkages between children's environmental health and social justice. It will conclude with a discussion of options and strategies for translating science to public policy to prevent diseases of environmental origin in children.

Course overview

Department
Schiller Institute
School
Boston College
Credits
3
Level
Undergraduate
Offered
Every Spring

Catalog details

Prerequisites
Students should have taken either PHCG2120 or ENVS3345.

Catalog text is imported from the reviewed Boston College course snapshot. Confirm eligibility in EagleApps.

Requirements fulfilled

Requirement eligibility can vary by school, cohort, and section. Confirm the selected section in EagleApps or with an advisor.

Course evaluations

Response-weighted averages from Boston College’s official course evaluations (Avalanche/Blue).

Course rating
4.59 / 5 · Excellent
137 responses
Instructor rating
4.74 / 5 · Excellent
137 responses
Terms evaluated
5
Most recent: Spring 2026

Scales: overall ratings run from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent); agreement questions from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree); weekly effort from 1 (up to 1 hour) to 5 (10 or more hours).

Evaluations by term and instructor
TermInstructorCourse overallInstructor overallWell organizedClear learning objectivesIntellectually challengingHelpful assignmentsApplicable beyond courseAttendance necessaryWeekly effortResponses
Spring 2026Philip Landrigan4.44.64.74.74.14.54.64.21–3 hrs/week30 of 34
Spring 2025Philip Landrigan4.74.94.74.84.44.64.84.71–3 hrs/week28 of 30
Spring 2024Philip Landrigan4.84.94.94.94.84.84.94.81–3 hrs/week24 of 28
Spring 2023Philip Landrigan4.44.84.74.64.44.64.84.71–3 hrs/week28 of 32
Spring 2022Philip Landrigan4.64.54.74.64.34.64.84.61–3 hrs/week27 of 36

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-10-09. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

  • Philip Landrigan
    Spring 2027, Spring 2026, Spring 2025, Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 · Official rating 4.74/5

Sections

  • Section 01
    Spring 2027 · Philip Landrigan · Hayden Hall Room 230 Th 03:00PM-05:20PM · Offered