The purpose of this program is to develop a bridge between the master's program in biological sciences at Clark Atlanta College (CAU) and the Ph.D. program in the Department of Environmental Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The Ph.D. program at UAB emphasizes research directed in the areas of environmental health, toxicology, hazardous substances management, and industrial hygiene. The applicants believe that their very successful transition programs from the baccalaureate degree to the Ph.D. degree, (presently in place) with a large number of historically Black colleges and Universities (HBCUs), will serve as the template for the development of this transition program. They further believe that it will take only minor modifications to their present program to make this adjustment, and that their experiences in developing their current transition program should allow them to develop this transition program from M.S. to Ph.D. rather quickly to maximize the training of the students while they are still in their master's program. This, they view, as a strong plus for the development of this program.
