B.S. 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. 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 390, OSH 416, OSH 440, OSH 490, or OSH 495.

Admission to major standing in the OSHM program requires approval of a secondary application. Applicants must meet at least the following: 

• GPA of 2.3 or above in the OSHM fundamentals courses listed below;
• Completion of each course in the OSHM fundamentals with a grade of C (2.0) or above with not more than one repeat. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Management Program is recognized as a Qualified Academic Program (QAP) by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), meeting the qualified credential requirement for the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification. The program is also accredited by the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Safety Program Criteria

B.S. Occupational Safety and Health Management (GVSU Course Catalog)

B.S. Occupational Safety and Health Management Academics Overview

Occupational Safety and Health Major Requirements

Occupational Safety and Health Minor Information

Admission to major standing in the OSHM program requires approval of a secondary application. Applicants must meet at least the following:

• GPA of 2.3 or above in the OSHM fundamentals courses listed below;
• Completion of each course in the OSHM fundamentals with a grade of C (2.0) or above with not more than one repeat.

The OSHM Fundamentals Courses, 33-38 credits, are as follows.

• BIO 105 - Environmental Science Credits: 3 OR 

BIO 104 - Biology for the 21st Century Credits: 4

•  OR

BIO 120 - General Biology I Credits: 4

• BMS 202 - Anatomy and Physiology Credits: 4 OR 

BMS 208 - Human Anatomy Credits: 3

• CHM 109 - Introductory Chemistry Credits: 4 OR 

CHM 115 - Principles of Chemistry I Credits: 4

• CHM 230 - Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry Credits: 4 OR 

CHM 232 - Biological Chemistry Credits: 4

• MTH 122 - College Algebra Credits: 3 OR 

MTH 125 - Survey of Calculus Credits: 3

•  OR 

MTH 201 - Calculus I Credits: 4

• OSH 300 - Introduction to Occupational Safety and Health Credits: 3
• PHY 200 - Physics for the Life Sciences Credits: 4 OR 

PHY 220 - General Physics I Credits: 5

•  OR 

PHY 230 - Principles of Physics I Credits: 5

• PSY 101 - Introductory Psychology Credits: 3
• STA 215 - Introductory Applied Statistics Credits: 3 OR 

STA 220 - Statistical Modeling for Engineers Credits: 2

• WRT 150 - Strategies in Writing Credits: 4

A minimum of thirty seven semester hours

• OSH 310 - Hazard Control Credits: 3
• OSH 316 - Health and Safety Techniques Credits: 3
• OSH 326 - Principles of Industrial Hygiene Credits: 3
• OSH 330 - Principles of Loss Control Credits: 3
• OSH 350 - Behavioral Aspects of Safety Credits: 3
• OSH 390 - OSH Internship Preparation Credits: 1
• OSH 400 - Critical Incident Analysis Credits: 3
• OSH 410 - Ergonomic Safety Engineering Credits: 3
• OSH 414 - Environmental Safety and Health Regulations Credits: 3
• OSH 424 - Fire Science Credits: 3
• OSH 440 - Safety and Health Program Development Credits: 3
• OSH 490 - Internship in Occupational Safety and Health Management Credits: 3 to 6
• OSH 495 - Safety and Health Administration Credits: 3

In addition to the preceding, students must take nine hours of electives from the following list.

• OSH 360 - Motor Fleet Safety Credits: 3
• OSH 370 - Product Safety and Liability Credits: 3
• OSH 416 - Advanced Industrial Hygiene Credits: 3
• OSH 420 - Health Care Facility Safety Credits: 3
• OSH 430 - Construction Safety Credits: 3
• OSH 460 - Environmental Compliance Applications. Credits: 3

A minor in Occupational Safety and Health consists of 21 credits chosen with the consent of the OSH Advisor. Please reach out to Dave Huizen, [email protected] for more information.

Note: 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 416, OSH 490, or OSH 495.