MASTER OF SCIENCE IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DEGREE REQUIREMENTS Accreditation Program Program Educational Objectives T he Master of Science in Occupational Health degree/ Industrial Hygiene program (MSOH/IH) focuses on prevention of exposure or occurrence and mitigation of factors and agents that contribute to worker harm and work-related illnesses and injuries. The curriculum consists of lecture, laboratory, and field experiences designed to prepare and qualify students for positions as industrial hygienists at government agencies, manufacturing and service industries, consulting firms, insurance agencies, healthcare and labor organizations, academic institutions, and elsewhere. The MSOH/IH program is accredited by the Applied Science Accreditation Commission (ASAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). More information can be found on the website www.abet.org. Also, the program is funded as a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Training program grant. The total credit requirements are 40 credits of study, consisting of course work and a thesis or scholarly project. Courses are offered evenings and weekends to meet the needs of the part-time, adult student who is employed full-time, to pursue advanced study. The program also accommodates students desiring full-time study. Students without applicable experience complete an internship. According to ABET, "Program Educational Objectives" are statements that describe the expected accomplishments of graduates during the first few years after graduation... "that all graduates are expected to accomplish and those that some, but not all, graduates are expected to accomplish." The program educational objectives for the MSOH degree program are as follows: All graduates are expected to be qualified to practice "comprehensive industrial hygiene Most graduates are expected to practice in the field of Industrial Hygiene or related areas of Environmental and/or Occupational Health and Safety and to meet the relevant and appropriate needs of their employers 102
When eligible, most graduates who pursue applicable certification in health and safety (i.e., CIH; CSP; CHMM) will pass Program-Specific Outcomes The MSOH/IH program is designed to prepare graduates with necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to competently and ethically implement and practice applicable scientific, technical, and regulatory aspects of Industrial Hygiene. To this end, the curriculum is designed so that graduates will be prepared to anticipate, recognize, evaluate, and control exposures of workers and others to physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial factors, agents, and/or stressors that can potentially cause related diseases and/or dysfunctions. More specifically, graduates must be prepared to: identify agents, factors, and stressors generated by and/or associated with defined sources, unit operations, and/or processes describe qualitative and quantitative aspects of generation of agents, factors, and stressors understand physiological and/or toxicological interactions of physical, chemical, biological, and ergonomic agents, factors, and/or stressors with the human body assess qualitative and quantitative aspects of exposure assessment, dose-response, and risk characterization based on applicable pathways and modes of entry calculate, interpret, and apply statistical and epidemiological data recommend and evaluate engineering, administrative, and personal protective equipment controls and/or other interventions to reduce or eliminate hazards demonstrate the importance of appropriate ethical performance and practice demonstrate an understanding of applicable business and managerial practices interpret and apply applicable occupational and environmental regulations participate in the development and implementation of applicable industrial hygiene-related programs generate, review and interpret data, whether from original research or other published sources prepare scientific and technical summaries and reports 103
understand fundamental aspects of safety and environmental health understand the necessity of teamwork among management, industrial hygienists, safety specialists, environmental specialists, engineers, and clinicians (i.e., occupational health physicians and nurses) attain recognized professional certification Admission Requirements Students admitted into the MSOH program must, at a minimum, have completed a baccalaureate from an accredited college or university. The baccalaureate curriculum must contain foundation courses in specified areas of basic and applied math, biology, chemistry, physics, social science, and language/communication. Admission Criteria Baccalaureate required. Applicants are evaluated for admission based on their baccalaureate major (or advanced degree), foundation courses completed, grade point average (GPA), optional composite Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score for those applicants with a baccalaureate granted from an accredited U.S. institution, short essay, and references. Applications for admission are accepted before or during the semester prior to the desired term of matriculation. All applications are submitted electronically, with a non-refundable $45 fee sent directly to the College of Graduate Studies on the Health Science Campus at UT. Applicants meeting all the criteria are admitted with regular status. Applicants with a deficiency relative to an admission requirement, such as a GPA greater than 2.5 and less than 3.0/4.0 scale or a need to complete a foundation course, may be admitted with conditional status. Students with conditional status due to GPA must maintain an average of 3.0 or better during a probationary period of 12 semester credits. Conditional status students who need to complete an undergraduate foundation course must do so within the first year of matriculation or prior to or concurrent with a graduate course where the undergraduate foundation is required. Required GPA: >3.0/4.0 for regular status; >2.5/4.0 for conditional status. 104
Required college-level foundation courses or equivalent: calculus, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, biology, psychology, English/writing. GRE scores are optional for applicants with a baccalaureate granted from an accredited U.S. institution. Applicants whose primary language is not English must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and receive a minimum of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computerbased) on the exam. Applicants must have official transcripts from institutions where undergraduate and advanced studies were completed submitted to the Health Science Campus College of Graduate Studies of the University of Toledo. An applicant may apply and begin studies during fall, spring or summer semester. Typically, application materials must be received at least 1 month prior to the anticipated semester of enrollment. Applicants must submit three completed Recommendation forms from former and/or current professors, instructors, supervisors, or those familiar with the applicants academic characteristics. At least two references should hold an advanced degree. Applicant must also submit a current resume. An applicant must write and submit a concise Letter of Interest addressed to the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies at the University of Toledo Health Science Campus stating why he/she wants to pursue the Master of Science in Occupational Health (MSOH) degree/industrial Hygiene program. Technical Standards for Admission Our objective is to increase opportunities for persons with disabilities, while maintaining the expectation that all students achieve the goals of our programs. The technical standards for admission establish the expectations and abilities considered essential for students admitted to the Masters of Science in Occupational 105
Health program in order to achieve the level of competency required for graduation. Successful candidates for the MSOH degree must possess abilities and skills categorized as observational, communicative, motor function, intellectual-conceptual, behavioral and social and ethical. Observational: Candidates must be able to acquire a defined level of information presented through demonstrations and experiences. This may include information from written documents, visual information from sampling, analytical computer and other equipment, and instruments. Such observation and information acquisition necessitates the use of visual, auditory and tactile sensation. Communicative: Candidates must be able to communicate effectively with others in verbal and written form. Communication includes the ability to speak, hear, read and write. Motor Function: Candidates must possess motor skills necessary to learn and implement the technical skills of an environmental and/or occupational health professional. This includes the ability to perform basic field and laboratory exercises, and evaluate various environmental settings. Candidates having fieldwork experiences off campus are responsible for transportation and independent mobility on campus and at fieldwork. Intellectual-Conceptual (Integrative and Quantitative): Candidates must have problem-solving skills and be critical thinkers. More specifically, the candidate must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate and synthesize qualitative and quantitative information associated with recognition, evaluation and control of agents or factors that may cause adverse impact or illness to humans in occupational and/or non-occupational settings. Behavioral and Social: Candidates must possess good emotional health to permit full utilization of their intellectual abilities, be able to exercise good judgement, function effectively under stress, display flexibility, and be able to complete responsibilities promptly and interact with people of all races, religions and socioeconomic status. 106
Ethical: Candidates must demonstrate professional behavior and must perform in an ethical manner. They must exhibit a respect for truth and commitment to honesty and integrity in basic and applied scientific and technical processes. In addition, they must be able to follow the ethical guidelines established by the respective and applicable national organizations and government bodies. Candidates are urged to ask questions about the program s technical standards for clarification and to determine whether they can meet the requirements. Questions may be directed to the program director. Revealing a disability is voluntary; however, such disclosure is necessary before any accommodations may be considered in the learning environment or in the program s procedures. Information about disabilities is handled in a confidential manner. Reasonable accommodations will be made to qualified applicants with a disability in such circumstances and on such terms as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable accommodations require program and institutional approval. Requests for accommodations must be submitted in writing, allowing sufficient time prior to matriculation for action on these requests, pursuant to Policy 01-061 Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability, Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance. Plan of Study The Plan of Study is a defined agreement of minimums that is contracted between the student and the institution. Students may make arrangements with either UT or BGSU for elective courses in designing the Plan of Study (refer to BGSU/UT Cooperative Registration.) Content of transfer, substitute, and/or elective courses is determined on a review of the course descriptions appearing in the official graduate catalog of the institution where the course was completed and must be attached to a Plan of Study form. Ideally, a course syllabus also is utilized when available. Courses approved for transfer, substitution, and/or electives must be applicable to the MSOH degree/industrial Hygiene program, must be completed at an accredited graduate institution, and must be approved by the department chairperson/program director. 107
Curriculum Semester Course Credits Course Title Fall OCCH502 3 Occupational Health Science, Regulations and Management OCCH506 3 Occupational Safety Science, Regulations and Management OCCH526 3 Hazardous Materials and Emergency Response OCCH531 3 Chemical Agents - Toxicity, Evaluation and Control OCCH600 3 Public Health Statistics 15 Spring OCCH516 3 Environmental Health Science, Regulations and Management OCCH541 3 Air Contaminant Modeling, Ventilation and Respiratory Protection OCCH562 3 Physical Agents - Effects, Evaluation and Control OCCH601 3 Public Health Epidemiology 12 Summer OCCH552 3 Biological Agents - Pathogenicity, Evaluation and Control OCCH570 3 Risk Assessment and Management 6 Fall, Spring or Summer OCCH673 1-3 Research in Occupational Health OCCH689 1-3 Independent Study in Occupational Health OCCH696 1-3 Internship in Occupational Health OCCH697 1-4 Scholarly Project in Occupational Health (4 credits required) OCCH699 1-8 Thesis Research (4 credits required) 0-3 Electives 7 (Minimum for degree) 40 TOTAL CREDITS Summary of Requirements for Graduation Completion of 40 semester credits Completion of the program within 6 calendar years Maintenance of a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA. A maximum of 6 credits of C or lower may be earned by the candidate. Grades below C are considered not passing. 108
An approved and presented Scholarly Project; or approved presentation and successful defense of an acceptable thesis that is a contribution to new knowledge based on research and follows the College of Graduate Studies format and style guidelines Registration for at least one credit per semester while actively working on the thesis or scholarly project, including the semester in which defended/presented. It is ultimately the responsibility of the student to assure that all academic, as well as administrative, requirements have been met. Certificate in Occupational Health (COH) Program Requirements The Certificate in Occupational Health (COH) Industrial Hygiene program features a flexible evening and weekend 15 credit curriculum consisting of lecture, laboratory, and field experiences designed to increase students understanding of Industrial Hygiene. The Certificate program is for students who desire to augment their existing education and training via academic courses. The comprehensive and flexible curriculum provides a basic foundation of information for students with limited or no background in this area, while simultaneously offering students with professional experience the opportunity to expand their scope of knowledge and skills. The program offers classes during evenings and weekends to facilitate graduate study for those engaged in full-time daily employment. Evening courses meet just once per week for 15 week semesters, and weekend courses meet on alternating weeks for eight Saturdays per semester. The curriculum may also benefit those with applicable education and experience that intend to eventually take the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) examination. Curriculum Industrial Hygiene Certificate Program The curriculum incorporates the general areas of science, technology, management and communication within the context of the courses. The curriculum allows enough flexibility to assure that students may select courses that best meet their professional needs. The 15 credit curriculum for the COH - Industrial Hygiene program consists of the following: 109
Industrial Hygiene Program (15 Credits Required) Course Course Title Credits Core Course OCCH502 Occupational Health Science, Regulations and Management 3 Specialty Courses (9 Credits Required) OCCH541 Air Contaminant Modeling, Ventilation 3 And Respiratory Protection OCCH562 Physical Agents - Effects, Evaluation and Control 3 OCCH531 Chemical Agent Toxicity, Evaluation and Control 3 Elective Course (3 Credits Required) OCCH506 Occupational Safety Science, Regulations and Management 3 OCCH516 Environmental Health Science, Regulations and Management 3 OCCH526 Hazardous Materials and Emergency Response 3 OCCH552 Biological Agents, Pathogenicity, 3 Evaluation and Control OCCH570 Risk Assessment and Management 3 OCCH600 Public Health Statistics 3 OCCH601 Public Health Epidemiology 2 Admission Criteria Criteria for regular admission are listed below. Applicants not meeting all of these criteria (e.g., GPA <3.0; deficient foundation courses) may be eligible for conditional admission. Students can be admitted fall, spring and summer semester. Application materials are due on or before August 1 (fall), December 1 (spring), and May 1 (summer). Baccalaureate required. Required GPA: >3.0/4.0 for regular status; >2.5/4.0 for conditional status. Required college-level foundation courses or equivalent: calculus, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, biology, psychology, English/writing. 110
GRE scores are optional for applicants with a baccalaureate granted from an accredited U.S. institution. Applicants whose primary language is not English must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and receive a minimum of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computerbased) on the exam. Applicants must have official transcripts from institutions where undergraduate and advanced studies were completed submitted to the Health Science Campus College of Graduate Studies of the University of Toledo. An applicant may apply and begin studies during fall, spring or summer semester. Typically, application materials must be received at least 1 month prior to the anticipated semester of enrollment. Applicants must submit two completed Recommendation forms from former and/or current professors, instructors, supervisors, or those familiar with the applicants academic characteristics. At least two references should hold an advanced degree. Applicant must also submit a current resume. An applicant must write and submit a concise Letter of Interest addressed to the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies at the University of Toledo Health Science Campus stating why he/she wants to pursue the Certificate in Occupational Health. It is ultimately the responsibility of the student to assure that all academic, as well as administrative, requirements have been met. 111