2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Environmental Health and Safety Program
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Department Website: oakland.edu/shs/environmental-health-and-safety/undergraduate-study/
Director: Charles W. McGlothlin, Jr.
Assistant professor: Richard O. Olawoyin
Special instructor: Charles W. McGlothlin, Jr.
Full-time adjunct instructor: Patrick R. Frazee
Adjunct assistant professor: Thomas W. Schenk, Darryl C. Hill
Adjunct instructors: David N. Andrews, Malcom E. Dunbar
Environmental Health and Safety is a specified branch of the health engineering professions, focusing on the environmental protection and occupational safety. Protecting America’s workers, the environment and the general public from injury and illness in today’s age of technological advancement has become one of the most challenging and rewarding professions available. Environmental Health and Safety professionals strive to identify, evaluate and eliminate or control hazards which expose people, property or the environment to danger or harm. The EHS profession applies fundamental exposure assessment techniques (both qualitative and quantitative) for environmental health protection, particularly; the physiological and/or toxicological interactions of physical, chemical, biological, mechanical, electrical and ergonomic agents, factors, and/or stressors with the human body. EHS also aims to prevent occupational injuries, diseases or illnesses that may occur in the work environment. In addition, the EHS professional is involved in the prevention of accidents that could cause property or environmental damages.
The Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) program is multi-disciplinary in nature, providing students with relevant exposure to basic sciences and behavioral science subjects as well as a thorough introduction to environmental health, occupational safety and industrial hygiene concepts. A one-semester internship in the senior year of the program provides students with first-hand field experience in the practice of environmental health and safety. Internship placements are coordinated by the program director and include manufacturing, insurance, health care, energy and engineering, construction, service, consulting, labor, and government organizations.
Graduates of the program will find employment opportunities in a wide variety of occupations, including: health care facilities; industrial firms; petrochemical and energy; construction companies; insurance companies; professional associations; local, state, and federal government; and labor organizations. Oakland University’s proximity to many of the national’s leading industrial companies provides a wealth of experiential learning opportunities throughout the EHS curriculum, particularly for the internship placements. These world class companies also offer employment opportunities to the EHS graduate.
Program Educational Objectives
The Environmental Health and Safety program contributes to the institution’s mission by offering a high-quality baccalaureate degree that meets and exceeds the educational outcomes-based criteria established by the American Society of Safety Engineers for a B.S. degree in a safety-related career field. The educational objectives of the Environmental Health and Safety program are to prepare graduates to become effective safety and health professionals. During their first five years after graduation, graduates will demonstrate their ability to:
- anticipate, identify, evaluate, and control potentially hazardous agents, conditions and practices;
- develop effective safe operating procedures and comprehensive environmental health and safety programs to address identified hazards, conditions, and practices in a cost effective manner;
- support employees and managers in developing a positive organizational safety culture;
- work effectively with labor and management in an effort to address safety and health issues in the workplace;
- measure and evaluate environmental health and safety performance;
- conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner, and
- pursue life-long learning, including formal training and educational opportunities, to stay both current and proficient in the practice of safety sciences and in the business skills necessary to make the business case for needed safety and health interventions in a changing global economy.
Student Outcomes
Baccalaureate degree students graduating from the Environmental Health and Safety program at Oakland University will demonstrate the ability to:
- enter the environmental health and safety profession as a generalist with the skills necessary for success;
- use the techniques, skills, and modern scientific and technical tools necessary for professional practice;
- be proficient in written composition and oral communications;
- apply knowledge of mathematics and science to analyze and interpret data necessary to resolve safety and health related issues;
- anticipate, identify, and evaluate workplace hazardous conditions and practices;
- formulate hazard control designs, methods, procedures, and programs for environmental pollutions fundamentals and control technologies;
- function effectively on multi-disciplinary teams;
- recognize the impact of solutions within a global and societal context;
- understand ethical and professional responsibility;
- successfully pursue graduate study in environmental health and safety; and
- appreciate the need to continue professional development through graduate study, professional certification, and through becoming life-long learners.
Grade Point Policy
Environmental Health and Safety majors must achieve minimum course grades of 2.0 in all math and science courses. Environmental Health and Safety majors and minors must achieve minimum course grades of 2.5 in all required EHS courses. A final course grade below the required minimum places a student on probation, which requires a meeting with the program director or a designated representative to discuss a method of remediation. In most cases, the method of remediation involves repeating the course in which the unsatisfactory grade was earned. See repeating courses for additional information.
Schedule of classes
Specific offerings for each semester may be found in the Schedule of Classes: sail.oakland.edu.
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