Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety and Health - Safety, Health and Industrial Hygiene

Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety and Health

What is Occupational Safety and Health?

Montana Tech’s Safety, Health and Industrial Hygiene Department prepares students for successful safety and health careers. At Montana Tech, the Occupational Safety & Health degree (OSH) is an interdisciplinary major in health sciences and engineering that gives students an advantage of being highly skilled in a unique major that supports a variety of businesses. OSH students mimic real-world situations in the lab. An intern or graduate in the field might oversee an employer’s safety and health program, or train employees on safe practices, conduct audits of worksites, keep records, or learn how to communicate effectively across all levels of an organization. Nearly all graduates have rewarding careers as OSH professionals working in positions aimed at helping employees perform their work safely in a workplace free from recognized hazards.

Program Overview

Montana Tech’s program in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) leads to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Nearly all graduates have rewarding careers as OSH professionals working in positions aimed at helping employees perform their work safely in a workplace free from recognized hazards. Core functions for OSH professionals include developing, implementing, and evaluating health and safety programs.

Three national organizations recognize the quality of this degree program:

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  1. The OSH degree is accredited as a safety program by the Applied Science Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
  2. The Board of Certified Safety Professionals designates the OSH degree a Qualified Academic Program—a designation that qualifies graduates for a credential called Graduate Safety Practitioner.
  3. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recognizes the quality of the OSH program by providing funds for scholarships, travel, and faculty development through a Training Project Grant.
Safety, Health & Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Safety & Health

Many employers visit the campus to recruit students for internships and career positions. More than half of the graduates start their career in one of three industrial sectors: construction, mining, or oil and gas. Nearly all large industrial companies and governmental agencies have OSH programs with career ladders providing opportunities for promotions and increased salary.

The curriculum provides students a sound technical foundation with courses in mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics. Communication skills are strengthened through courses in writing and oral presentation. Of the 128 total required credit hours, 48 are in OSH. Most of these include experiences working in small groups, writing assignments, presentations, and problem solving. Students and their faculty advisor track progress using a curriculum form found in the applicable Montana Tech annual catalog. The catalog provides a suggested course sequence for completing a B.S. in OSH degree in four years.

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

 

During the first few years after graduating, OSH graduates are expected to attain the following:

  1. Establish a firm foundation for an OSH-related career during their first four years after graduating.
  2. Use their education to competently provide OSH services appropriate to their employment.
  3. Act professionally by engaging in career development, recognizing ethical responsibilities, supporting the profession, and being an informed and involved member of their community.
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 B.S. in Occupational Safety and Health degree program has adopted the following three PEOs:

  1. Graduates will establish a firm foundation for an OSH-relate career throughout the first four years after graduating.
  2. Graduates who follow an OSH-related career path will use their education to competently provide OSH services appropriate to their employment.
  3. Graduates will act professionally by engaging in career development, recognizing ethical responsibilities, supporting the profession, and being an informed and involved member of their community.

Student Outcomes

Student outcomes are statements of what each graduate of the program is expected to achieve at the time of graduation. The curriculum and the OSH course are structured so each student will have built the knowledge, understanding and skills in all 21 Student Outcomes.

The OSH degree is structured to produce graduates with the abilities to do the following:

  1. Apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and applied science.
  2. Design and conduct common experiments, and analyze and interpret data.
  3. Formulate or design a system or program to meet desired needs.
  4. Function effectively on multidisciplinary teams.
  5. Identify and solve applied science problems.
  6. Know and apply ethical standards applicable to the practice of occupational safety and health.
  7. Communicate effectively.
  8. Understand the impact of solutions in a global and societal context.
  9. Recognize the need for and have the ability to engage in life-long learning.
  10. Know contemporary issues.
  11. Use the techniques, skills, and modern scientific and technical tools necessary for the professional practice of OSH.
  12. Anticipate, recognize, evaluate, and develop control strategies for hazardous conditions and work practices.
  13. Apply business and risk management concepts.
  14. Understand industrial hygiene, environmental science, and hazardous materials management.
  15. Understand fundamentals of industrial safety, fire science, and emergency management.
  16. Understand occupational ergonomics.
  17. Design and evaluate programs applicable to industrial safety, health, and environment.
  18. Develop applicable employee training programs using adult learning theory and understanding of training methodology.
  19. Identify and apply applicable standards, regulations, and codes.
  20. Conduct investigations of harmful incidents, analyze causation, and identify appropriate system improvements.
  21. Apply principles of OSH in a non-academic setting through an internship or supervised experience.
Career Outcomes