Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Environmental Health and Safety, B.S.


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The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) degree within the Department of Public and Environmental Wellness provides a course-based and experiential education in environmental health, occupational safety and industrial hygiene concepts. This specialized discipline focuses on protecting people, property and the environment.

Students will develop expertise in identifying risks, evaluating and mitigating hazards before they cause damage or harm. Graduates of the program are prepared to become effective safety and health professionals.

The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health and Safety is accredited by the American Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Requirements for the B.S. degree with a major in Environmental Health and Safety


Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Environmental Health and Safety must complete a minimum of 120 credits, including the following requirements:

1. Meet the university general education requirements


In order to graduate on-schedule without taking additional courses, it is highly recommended that students meet with an Undergraduate Academic Adviser concerning the selection of all of their general education courses. 

Each candidate for an Oakland University baccalaureate will need to satisfactorily complete approved courses in each of the following areas: Foundation, Exploration, Integration, Writing, U.S. Diversity and Capstone. For details, refer to the General Education Requirements  section of the catalog.

2. Complete the Environmental Health and Safety required courses


  • BIO 1002 - Human Biology (4) or BIO 1200 - Biology I (4)
  • CHM 1040 - Introduction to Chemical Principles (4)
  • CHM 2010 - Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry (4)
  • EHS 1100 - Healthy Workplace: Protecting People and the Environment (3)*
  • EHS 2250 - Environmental Health and Safety Training Methods (3)
  • EHS 2350 - Occupational Safety and Health Standards (3)
  • EHS 2450 - Professional Practice and Leadership Development (3)
  • EHS 2550 - Basic Statistics for Health Sciences (3) * or STA 2220 - Introduction to Statistical Concepts and Reasoning (4) *
  • EHS 3300 - Safety and Health Administration and Programs (3)
  • EHS 3330 - Fire Prevention and Protection (3)
  • EHS 3380 - Environmental Health and Safety Engineering and Technology (3)
  • EHS 4100 - Fundamentals of Occupational Hygiene (3)
  • EHS 4200 - Applied Environmental and Occupational Hygiene (4)
  • EHS 4410 - Accident/Incident Investigation and Analysis (3)
  • EHS 4420 - Construction Safety (3)
  • EHS 4430 - Robotic and Automation System Safety Analysis (3)
  • EHS 4440 - Environmental Standards (3)
  • EHS 4450 - Ergonomics (3)
  • EHS 4460 - Industrial and Environmental Toxicology (3)
  • EHS 4550 - Environmental Pollution and Controls (3)
  • EHS 4950 - Environmental Health and Safety Capstone Course Internship (4)  (may only be taken with permission of the EHS program director)
  • HS 2000 - Introduction to Health and Health Behaviors (3)
  • PHY 1200 - The Physics of Everyday Life (4) * or  PHY 1010 - General Physics I (4) *
  • PSY 1000 - Introduction to Psychology (4) *
  • MGT 1100 - Contemporary World Business (4) *
  • WRT 3082 - Business Writing (4)
  • *In lieu of EHS 1100 (3), students may substitute EHS 1000 (1) and EHS 1150 (2)

Grade Point Policy


Environmental Health and Safety majors must achieve minimum course grades of C in all math and science courses. Environmental Health and Safety majors and minors must achieve minimum course grades of C+ in all required EHS courses. If a student earns a final course grade below the minimum, they should meet with their academic adviser and must repeat the course in which the unsatisfactory grade was earned.

Internship


EHS students must register for EHS 4950 - Environmental Health and Safety Capstone Course Internship (4). It is highly encouraged that students complete additional internships and they are not required to register for these as long as they have registered for EHS 4950 and completed at least one.  

Environmental Health and Safety, B.S. completion sequence for Certified Safety Professionals


The School of Health Sciences offers the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) an opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) through a CSP to BS EHS completion program.  The student outcomes and educational objectives established for the BS EHS program are the same for traditional and CSP students, including course objectives and teaching methodologies .  Students who have satisfactorily completed a regionally accredited associate or baccalaureate degree and who possess a valid, current CSP certification may apply for admission to the CSP to BS EHS degree completion program.  A cumulative GPA of C+ or better is required for admission to the CSP to BS EHS degree completion sequence. Certified safety professionals with a grade below C+ may be admitted to the University under pre-CSP EHS status and change to CSP BS EHS status upon completion of a minimum of 12 credits (applicable to the EHS program) at Oakland University with a minimum grade of C+. Certified safety professionals must complete all credits and/or courses required in the BS EHS degree program.  Completion may be achieved in the following manner:

1. Graduates from a regionally accredited associate or bachelor degree program


Twenty-two (22) Environmental Health and Safety credits will be granted through a course competency process. This process includes:

  • Successful completion of the CSP examination
  • Evidence of a valid, current CSP certification
  • Registration for competency credits as per the OU Undergraduate Catalog
  • Registration for approved competency credit courses to include EHS 1100, EHS 2250, EHS 2350, EHS 3300, EHS 3380, EHS 4410, and EHS 4420

2. Students seeking a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Environmental Health and Safety


Must complete a minimum of 120 credits as outlined in the official Oakland University catalog. The minimum required courses may be satisfied through a combination of credits delivered by Oakland University, transfer credits from regionally accredited institutions of higher education, and CSP competency credits. A minimum of 32 credits must be upper division credits from Oakland University.

Environmental Health and Safety, B.S. completion sequence for MIOSHA Training Institute Certificate holders


The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) and Oakland University formed a new alliance establishing the MIOSHA Training Institute (MTI) to Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health and Safety Degree Program. This new program is available to those students who have a valid MTI Level 2 Safety and Health Management Systems (SHMS) certificate. Students who have the aforementioned certificate from MTI are eligible to receive up to 12 credits toward the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health and Safety at Oakland University.

Students seeking a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) must complete a minimum of 120 credits as outlined above. The minimum required courses may be satisfied through a combination of credits delivered by Oakland University, transfer credits from regionally accredited institutions of higher education, and MTI competency credits. A minimum of 32 credits must be upper division credits from Oakland University.

In order to receive a B.S. in EHS degree, each student must meet all the requirements of the program published in this catalog.

Courses for which are eligible for competency credit through the MTI-OU program are:


Environmental Health and Safety, B.S. completion agreement for Trinidad State Junior College Associate Degree holders


The School of Health Sciences offers holders of an associate degree in Occupational Safety and Health from Trinidad State Junior College (TSJC) an opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) through an articulation agreement.  The student outcomes and educational objectives established for the BS EHS program are the same for traditional and TSJC students, including course objectives and teaching methodologies.

Students seeking a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) must complete a minimum of 120 credits as outlined above. The minimum required courses may be satisfied through a combination of credits delivered by Oakland University and up to 70 transfer credits fromTrinidad State Junior College. A minimum of 32 credits must be upper division credits from Oakland University.

Students who have satisfactorily completed an Associate Degree in Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) at TSJC may apply for admission to the BS EHS degree completion program at Oakland University.  These students will have the following benefits:

  1. PSY 1000 - Introduction to Psychology will count in Oakland University’s Social Science General Education category
  2. EHS 1100 - Healthy Workplaces: Protecting People and the Environment requirement will be satisfied
  3. HS 2000 - Introduction to Health and Health Behaviors will be satisfied

EHS elective credits requirement will be satisfied.

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