Industrial Hygiene

Industrial Hygiene, M.S. On Campus

Program Overview

Safety, Health & Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Safety & Health

Montana Tech's on-campus Industrial Hygiene graduate program provides an exceptional opportunity for advanced study in the field of occupational health. The overall goal of our Industrial Hygiene program is to provide individuals with the technical competence to anticipate, recognize, evaluate, and control occupational health hazards. This Industrial Hygiene degree program is accredited by the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

The 37-credit thesis research-based M.S. degree is structured to develop participative, collaborative, and applied problem-solving strategies to address modern day occupational health issues.

Program Manager, Dan Autenrieth, Ph.D., C.I.H., C.S.P.

Contact Dan Autenrieth

Courses and research in the M.S. Industrial Hygiene program are facilitated by world-class faculty whose advanced academic preparation and professional experience help integrate academic theory with current practical application. The curricula is designed to provide graduates with the academic preparation needed to pass the certification examination administered by the Board for Global EHS Credentialing (Formally ABIH).

Industrial hygienists play an important role in ensuring the workplace is as free from hazards as possible and that the workers and the community at large are protected from potential health threats. Moreover, industrial hygienists work with management to anticipate problems that could occur and take action to prevent them before they happen. Also, industrial hygienists play an important role in shaping and implementing government policy concerning worker health and safety.

Job diversity is a major benefit to consider when choosing a career in the health/environmental sciences. A wealth of unique employment opportunities exists for industrial hygienists. Unlike many other professions, industrial hygienists are not limited to one particular type of industry. They are employed in a variety of organizations such as public utilities, government, academia, research laboratories, hospitals, insurance companies, consulting firms, oil, chemical and manufacturing companies, and mining operations.

For information on enrollment levels and graduations during the past few years, visit the Montana Tech Institutional Research Office web page.


Requirements

Industrial hygiene is a science-based discipline. The Board of Global EHS Credentialing has defined several criteria to test an individual’s knowledge across the broad range of industrial hygiene subject areas. These subject areas include basic science and encompass chemistry, biology, anatomy & physiology, physics, and mathematics.

We have established admittance standards for the M.S. Industrial Hygiene program to ensure student success. Applicants are admitted on a basis of acceptable undergraduate academic preparation, personal statement, and reference recommendations. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university that included as a minimum 19 credits of college-level mathematics and science, (including first semester calculus and statistics), biology (including anatomy/physiology), chemistry (including organic chemistry), and physics. Prospective students who meet these requirements and who have at least two years of professional work experience in occupational health and safety may also wish to consider our online program in industrial hygiene.

The personal statement should be no more than a single page, written by you, explaining:

  1. Who you are and some of your major academic and professional achievements
  2. Why you are interested in studying industrial hygiene
  3. Why you feel you would be successful in the program
  4. What you hope to do with your degree

The priority application deadline for the M.S. Industrial Hygiene Program is:

  • March 1 for summer & fall semesters
  • October 1 for spring semester

These deadlines are also applicable to Montana Tech undergraduate students applying to the 5-year Master's Degree Program.

 

Program Educational Objectives

Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) are broad statements that describe what graduates are expected to attain within a few years after graduation. The M.S. in Industrial Hygiene degree program has adopted the following three PEOs:

  1. Graduates of the program will establish their IH-related careers within a few years after graduating.
  2. Graduates of the program will use their education to competently apply IH-related knowledge, skills, and abilities to benefit workers and employers.
  3. Graduates of the program will become stewards of the profession by engaging in career development, adhering to ethical standards, and supporting their professional community.

Student Outcomes

Student outcomes are statements of what each graduate of the program is expected to achieve at the time of graduation. The M.S. Industrial Hygiene curriculum is structured so each student will have obtained the knowledge, understanding and skills in all seven student outcomes.

  1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve broadly defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
  2. An ability to formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet desired needs.
  3. An ability to develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data and use scientific judgment to draw conclusions.
  4. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  5. An ability to understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
  6. An ability to function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.
  7. One year of study beyond the baccalaureate level and a project or research activity resulting in a report that demonstrates both the mastery of the subject matter and a high level of communication skills.

Career Outcomes

Visit The Outcomes Survey (TOS)® »