The graduate plan in Occupational Safety and Health leads to the Master of Science degree. The plan seeks, through an interdisciplinary and applied science approach, to prepare students for opportunities in government and the private sector. Graduates of the plan will also be prepared to pursue further academic training in occupational safety and industrial hygiene. Students must specialize in one of the following areas:
- Industrial Hygiene
- Occupational Safety and Health (Online)
- Process Safety Management
- Safety
All graduate students are required to produce a major paper and present a public seminar. Prior to enrolling in OSHE 5530 , students must have a faculty adviser and an approved research topic. Following completion of OSHE 5530 , the student will be advised into OSHE 6731 (seminar), OSHE 6838 (research project) or OSHE 6939 (thesis).
Students pursuing the seminar or research project options may be advised to complete hours in independent study, additional coursework related to the degree, or internship in addition to OSHE 6731 or OSHE 6838. Before enrolling in a thesis, students must have a faculty thesis adviser and an approved research proposal.
Degree Requirements
Occupational Safety and Health Basic Requirements
Students seeking a master’s degree must have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university or college and foundation course work preparation appropriate to the major. Candidates should have a B average (GPA) 3.0. All students applying for the graduate program are required to provide GRE scores, however, exceptions are provided. The college’s admissions committee will evaluate GRE scores according to the requirements below.
GRE Requirements for Admission:
- Recommended GRE Quantitative ≥ 150 and GRE Total ≥ 290
- GRE requirement will be waived if at least one of the following conditions is met:
- The applicant has a GPA of 3.25 or above.
- The applicant received his/her baccalaureate degree from an ABET- accredited or ACS- approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- The applicant has a minimum GPA of 3.0 and at least two years of full-time professional experience in occupational safety and health or a related field. (A resume and one recommendation letter from a supervisor or an employment verification letter is needed to verify the work experience).
- The applicant has another master’s degree or doctorate from a regionally accredited university.
The current university policy applies to admissions for international students requiring proof of English language proficiency.
Students are encouraged to submit a written statement to the College of Science and Engineering Academic Advising Office (cseadvising@uhcl.edu) specifying their educational goals and objectives as well as their intended area of specialization, i.e., Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Safety and Health (Online), Process Safety Management or Safety. Applicants are also encouraged to submit letter(s) of recommendation as supporting documents.
Required Foundation Courses
Required foundation courses for admission into the program do not count toward the degree. The following foundation courses must be completed prior to admission into the graduate plan:
- College Algebra or Pre-Calculus
- General Chemistry I and II with labs
- General Physics I and II with labs
The following foundation course must be completed prior to or within the first year of study:
The master’s degree requires completion of a minimum of 36 hours.
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