2023-2024 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Occupational Safety and Health Management
For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the Seymour and Esther Padnos College of Engineering and Computing section in this catalog.
Website: gvsu.edu/osh
Degree Offered
Bachelor of Science in occupational safety and health management
The occupational safety and health management (OSHM) curriculum is designed to fulfill the undergraduate educational requirements of those wishing to enter the professional safety and environmental health field. Considerable federal and state legislation enacted during the past half-century has firmly established safety and environmental protection as a fundamental goal for improving the quality of work life in this country. Occupationally related injuries and illnesses as well as environmental pollution are extensive and profoundly affect every element of our society. The demand for competent, fully qualified safety and environmental health professionals to assume positions within government, industry, and community agencies is increasing.
Grand Valley's B.S. in OSHM is structured to provide students with the proper balance of safety, health and environmental 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 OSHM 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. A student who has declared an OSH major is assigned an academic advisor from the professional advising staff in student services for the first two years and then from the faculty of the OSH Department after secondary admission.
Program Educational Objectives
Graduates of the occupational safety and health program are expected within a few years of graduation to:
- apply a broad educational background to effectively lead, influence, and achieve the OSH goals and objectives of their employers;
- effectively communicate and collaborate inside a diverse work environment;
- work in an ethical and professional manner; and
- engage in professional development to continue to grow throughout their careers.
Student Outcomes
Graduates will have the ability to
- apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and occupational safety and health;
- design and conduct experiments/investigations, as well as to analyze and interpret data in the field of occupational safety and health;
- design a system, process, or program to meet occupational safety and health needs;
- function on multidisciplinary teams;
- identify and solve occupational safety and health problems;
- understand professional and ethical responsibility in occupational safety and health;
- communicate effectively in a professional environment;
- understand the impact of occupational safety and health solutions in a global and societal context;
- recognize the need for and an ability to engage in professional development in pursuit of life-long learning;
- demonstrate knowledge of the contemporary issues surrounding occupational safety and health; and
- use techniques, skills, and modern scientific and technical tools necessary for professional practice of occupational safety and health.
Grand Valley's OSHM degree program has a firm foundation of industrial support. Michigan and local industries are sought out to contribute to the development of the OSH curriculum by providing both financial support and opportunities for internships and other experiential learning opportunities for students. The OSH program is served by an Industrial Advisory Board composed of OSH professionals from various industries in the local community.
Accreditation
The occupational safety and health management major is accredited under the General Criteria and Safety Criteria by the Applied and Natural Sciences Accreditation Commission of ABET, 415 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Telephone (410) 347-7700, abet.org.
OSH Certifications Available Upon Graduation
The Board of Certified Safety Professionals has deemed the OSHM degree program a Qualified Academic Program. This allows OSHM program graduates to receive, upon application, the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) designation. Graduates obtaining the GSP designation will be recognized for being in a path toward the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification, recognized for the level of preparation for professional safety practice, and be granted a waiver of the ASP examination requirements for CSP eligibility.
The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management has approved the OSHM degree program as a qualified program. Graduates of the OSHM program can receive, upon application, the Associate of Safety and Health Management designation. This designation will put students on a path to obtain the Certified Safety and Health Manager certification.
Program Requirements
The following programs are available: