2012-2013 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Occupational Safety and Health Management - Program Description
For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the College of Health Professions section in this catalog.
Director: Van Fleet; Professor: Van Fleet; Assistant Professor: Huizen, Wu.
Website: www.gvsu.edu/osh
Degree offered: Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety and Health Management.
The occupational safety and health management curriculum is designed to fulfill the undergraduate educational requirements of those wishing to enter the professional safety field. Considerable federal and state legislation enacted during the past half century has firmly established safety as a fundamental goal for improving the quality of work life in this country. These laws are extensive and profoundly affect every element of our society. The demand for competent, fully qualified safety professionals to assume positions within government, industry, and community agencies is increasing.
Grand Valley's B.S in occupational safety and health management degree is structured to provide students with the proper balance of safety management and scientific training required in the field. The program prepares graduates for careers in both the private and public sectors.
The B.S. in occupational safety and health management degree is a secondary admission program. To be admitted into the program, the student must have completed 45 semester hours of instruction and obtained an overall G.P.A. of 2.25. Additionally, the student must have completed one course in chemistry and be enrolled in or have completed PHY 200. Because many of the occupational safety and health courses serve students in other majors or minors (as elective credit) students wishing to take particular OSH courses should seek instructor approval. The following courses are not open to non-OSH majors: OSH 316, OSH 324, or OSH 495.
Career Opportunities
With increased emphasis on workplace safety, career opportunities for graduates with a B.S. in occupational safety and health management continue to be very good. Most employers with 200 or more employees have one or more full-time safety specialists working in the safety area. In addition, many smaller employers (those with fewer than 200 employees) also hire a full-time safety professional. Job opportunities exist in all occupational settings, to include: hospitals, municipalities, manufacturing, retail, wholesale, construction, transportation, consulting, and insurance, to name a few. Starting salaries for OSHM graduates are very competitive with the degree being recognized as counting for up to three years' worth of work experience.
For more information, please visit the degree requirements page here.
The following programs are available:
Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety and Health Management