This department prepares students for rewarding careers protecting America's work force, the public and the natural environment from harm in today's age of rapid technological and scientific development. The Occupational and Environmental Safety & Health (OESH) professional is concerned with the interaction between people and the physical, chemical, biological, and psychological factors which affect their safety, health and productivity. Coursework covers a wide range of subjects including accident prevention, ergonomics, construction safety, environmental protection, and regulatory compliance. The students are provided with essential skills that enable them to evaluate, devise, and implement methods to control hazards. OESH majors are provided with a number of practical worksite activities, culminating in a full semester internship with a practicing OESH professional. In addition to a general track, majors can select from two different emphases: Construction Safety and Environmental Management. The Department also offers two minor programs which provide a basic foundation in Occupational Safety or in Environmental Management for students majoring in other fields.
Majors/Emphases
To obtain an internship and graduate the Occupational Safety student must have a minimum 2.50 GPA in the major.
Construction Safety: the construction safety emphasis provides students with a comprehensive background in worksite hazard assessment, safety and health program development, and risk management as it applies to the construction industry.
Environmental Management: OESH professionals are often expected to manage environmental hazards created by operational and procedural processes at industrial and manufacturing facilities. This emphasis introduces environmental management concepts to students and prepares them to address environmental concerns at their job sites.
Writing Proficiency Requirement - BEINDP 290 or PWP 372