MS Concentration in Industrial Hygiene
ANSAC-ABET Accredited
Intro
**Effective Fall 2026 the newly developed Industrial Hygiene MS program will offer industrial hygiene training ONLINE using primarily synchronous internet technology to create a virtual classroom experience during in early evenings.
The goal of industrial hygiene is to ensure workers can work in a safe and healthy environment. The Industrial Hygiene concentration aims to prepare students for careers assessing hazardous workplace exposures.
Industrial hygiene is the process of recognizing, evaluating, and preventing exposures in the workplace. Exposures may be chemical (e.g. carbon monoxide), biological (e.g. infectious disease), psychosocial (e.g. work stress), or physical (e.g. too loud) in nature. Our industrial hygiene concentration provides students from diverse backgrounds with the skills and knowledge necessary to assess hazardous workplace exposures. Industrial hygiene is a rapidly growing field and we prepare students for exposure science careers in a wide variety of sectors, including private industry, government, research and development.
Students who complete the Industrial Hygiene program reduce the requirements to be a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH ®) and are eligible to become a Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP ®) upon graduation ahead of Certified Safety Professionals (CSP ®) certification. The Applied and Natural Sciences Accreditation Commission of ABET accredits the Industrial Hygiene Program.
Students in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences may choose to pursue a formal concentration in Industrial Hygiene as part of the MS degree program by noting such in their application materials. Apply today!
At a Glance:
MS Degree Requirements
Concentration Requirements
Interested students can now enroll in our newly updated ONLINE, practice focused Master of Science (MS) program in industrial hygiene. Students will have the option to select a skills based selective course to enhance applied practice skills or laboratory skills to meet degree requirements. All students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to develop, manage, and evaluate industrial hygiene and health interventions.
Beginning in Fall 2026 students will complete the school-wide core requirements and a sufficient number of the following courses as part of their divisional and elective choices as necessary to attain 46 semester hours of credit for the Master of Science degree. In addition, students must adhere to the divisional requirements as stipulated for their individual program of study. Course content will offered in a online format with industrial hygiene courses being offered using primarily synchronous internet technology (Blackboard Collaborate) to create a virtual classroom experience during in early evenings.
Program Educational Objectives
- Recognize the importance of being life-long learners.
- Adapt to the changing nature of work and workplaces and the occupational health challenges these changes may produce.
- Approach their work globally in perspective, skills and knowledge.
- Participate in professional society activities.
- Work collaboratively in diverse and inclusive teams.
- Take on leadership opportunities.
- Seek professional recognition and certification.
- Conduct Industrial Hygiene (anticipation, recognition, evaluation, control) research to resolve occupational health problems.
- Demonstrate ethical responsibility and awareness of ethical principles, with particular attention to equity and justice.
- Demonstrate strong oral and written communication skills with a broad range of audiences.
Student Outcomes
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve broadly defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
- An ability to formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet desired needs.
- An ability to develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data nd use scientific judgment to draw conclusions.
- An ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with a range of audiences (e.g., management, other professionals/scientists, workers, community members).
- An ability to understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- An ability to function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.
- Demonstrate both the mastery of the subject matter and a high level of communication skills.
Program Educational Objectives & Student Outcomes for the MS Degree (an ABET-Accredited Program)
Program Educational Objectives
- Recognize the importance of being life-long learners.
- Adapt to the changing nature of work and workplaces and the occupational health challenges these changes may produce.
- Approach their work globally in perspective, skills and knowledge.
- Participate in professional society activities.
- Work collaboratively in diverse and inclusive teams.
- Take on leadership opportunities.
- Seek professional recognition and certification.
- Conduct Industrial Hygiene (anticipation, recognition, evaluation, control) research to resolve occupational health problems.
- Demonstrate ethical responsibility and awareness of ethical principles, with particular attention to equity and justice.
- Demonstrate strong oral and written communication skills with a broad range of audiences.
Student Outcomes
- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve broadly defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
- An ability to formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet desired needs.
- An ability to develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data nd use scientific judgment to draw conclusions.
- An ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with a range of audiences (e.g., management, other professionals/scientists, workers, community members).
- An ability to understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- An ability to function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.
- Demonstrate both the mastery of the subject matter and a high level of communication skills.
Funding & Traineeships
Each year the Great Lakes Center for Occupational Health and Safety in collaboration with NIOSH, funds an average of ten students as Industrial Hygiene trainees. Due to federal funding of the trainee program, only US Citizens and US Permanent Residents are eligible to be considered for these positions. These traineeships are awarded to MS and PhD students with US citizenship interested in pursuing an Industrial Hygiene curriculum.