Occupational Safety and Health, B.S.

Occupational safety and health is a specified branch of the health professions focusing on the workplace environment and on the behavior of workers. Protecting America’s workers 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. Occupational safety and health professionals strive to identify, evaluate and eliminate or control hazards which expose people, property or the environment to danger or harm. This professional is concerned with prevention of injuries or occupational diseases that may occur with the interaction between the worker and the chemical, physical, biological, ergonomic, mechanical, electrical and other forces in the work environment. In addition, the safety professional is involved in the prevention of accidents that could cause property or environmental damage.

The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH ) 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 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 occupational safety and health. Internship placements are coordinated by the program director and  include manufacturing, insurance, construction, service, consulting, labor and government organizations.

Graduates of the program will find employment opportunities within a wide variety of occupations to include: health care facilities; industrial firms; construction companies; insurance companies; professional associations; local, state, and federal government; and labor organizations. Oakland’s proximity to many of the national’s leading industrial companies provides a wealth of experiential learning opportunities throughout the OSH curriculum, particularly for the internship placements. These world class companies also offer employment opportunities to the OSH graduate.

Program educational objectives

The Occupational Safety and Health 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. This degree program is accredited by the Applied Science Accreditation Commission of ABET. The educational objectives of the Occupational Safety and Health program are to prepare graduates to become effective safety and health professionals. During their first five years after graduate, graduates will demonstrate abilities to:

1. anticipate, identify, evaluate, and control workplace hazardous conditions and practices;
2. develop effective safe operating procedures and comprehensive safety and health programs to address identified hazards, conditions, and practices in a cost effective manner;
3. support employees and managers in developing a positive organizational safety culture;
4. work effectively with labor and management in an effort to address safety and health issues in the workplace;
5. measure and evaluate occupational safety and health performance;
6. conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner, and to
7. 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.

Program outcomes

Baccalaureate degree students graduating from the Occupational Safety and Health program at Oakland University will demonstrate ability to:

1. enter the occupational safety and health profession as a generalist with the skills necessary for success;
2. use the techniques, skills, and modern scientific and technical tolls necessary for professional practice;
3. be proficient in written composition and oral communications;
4. apply knowledge of mathematics and science to analyze and interpret data necessary to resolve safety and health related issues;
5. anticipate, identify, and evaluate workplace hazardous conditions and practices;
6. formulate hazard control designs, methods, procedures, and programs;
7. function effectively on multi-disciplinary teams;
8. recognize the impact of solutions within a global and societal context;
9. understand ethical and professional responsibility;
10. successfully pursue graduate study in safety and health; and
11. appreciate the need to continue professional development through graduate study, professional certification, and to become lifelong learners.