• Description of Program
• Admission
• Degree Requirements
• Special Opportunities
• Careers

Description of Program

The safety of communities, workplaces, and schools is a high priority in today’s society. The undergraduate major in safety prepares graduates for employment in the industrial, business, public, and non-profit sectors. Students gain skills in safety education and training, safety management, and risk assessment. Courses range from those addressing safety, environmental and health protection regulations to those focusing on safety behavior and emergency management.

Admission

Apply online for undergraduate admission to Indiana University at http://admissions.indiana.edu/.

A newly admitted freshman or transfer student, beginning in the fall 2020 semester, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science degree with a major in safety, will receive an offer of direct freshman admission to the this program if he or she meets both of the following criteria:

1. Entrance Test Scores: The applicant must have earned one of the following minimum standardized test scores:
   • a combined critical reading and math score on the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) of 1280. --or--
   • a composite score on the ACT (American College Test) of 27.
2. Academic Performance: The applicant must either:
   • possess a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.5. --or--
   • rank in the top 12 percent of his or her high school graduating class.

Before entering the School of Public Health - Bloomington as a safety major, all other students begin studies in the University Division, and then subsequently certify into this program as soon as they satisfy the following two admission criteria:

Students in the University Division must also declare their intention to major in safety to the University Division Records Office. If a student earns less than 2.0 semester GPA for the term before entering the School of Public Health-Bloomington, the student may be admitted on academic probation as long as the student has completed 30 credits and has at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA.

International applicants for admission to a second undergraduate degree program in the School of Public Health - Bloomington, whose primary language is not English, must satisfy one of the following criteria before being considered for admission directly into one the School's degree programs:

• submission of a minimum score on the Test Of English As a Foreign Language (TOEFL), of 550 on the paper-based test, or 213 on the computer-based test, or 80 on the Internet-based test.
• submission of a minimum score of 7 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
• proof of completing at least three full years of secondary school in a predominantly English speaking country.

For students from countries where the TOEFL and the IELTS are not available, other evidence of English proficiency may be considered.

All entering international students whose primary language is not English will be required to take a special examination in English with IU prior to registering. Prepared by IU and designed to test a student’s ability to use English in an academic setting, the exam consists of three parts: an essay on a general topic, a listening comprehension exercise, and a grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension section. There is little that one can do to prepare for this exam other than to continue using written and spoken English at every opportunity. Appropriate remedial English courses may be prescribed on the basis of the results of this test.

International students whose primary language is not English must agree to take any English language courses prescribed from the results of this examination. Fees for special part-time English courses are the same as for other courses; however, credits earned do not meet degree requirements. If the results of the proficiency examination indicate that full-time work in English is required, the student will be assigned to the Intensive English Program (IEP).  

Students enrolled in IEP do not take academic courses until they achieve adequate English proficiency. If a student has serious doubts about English ability and is not financially prepared to undertake the additional time and expense of an intensive English program here, the student should consider completing English study in the student’s home country. In addition, the student may consider delaying admission to a future session.

Degree Requirements

This is a four-year program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science degree with a major in safety.  A minimum of 30 successfully completed credit hours and a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) are required for admission to this program.  Graduation requirements include:

• completion of general education requirements.
• completion of safety program requirements.
• a minimum of 120 successfully completed credit hours which count toward the degree program.
• a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.
• a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in courses used to complete the portion of this degree entitled: safety and health courses.
• No Pass/Fail except for free electives.

General Education (20 – 39 credits)

All undergraduate students must complete the IU Bloomington campus-wide general education common ground requirements. Such students must visit the 2019-2020 General Education Bulletin to view these requirements.

Major (91 cr.)

Safety and Health Courses (48 cr.)
A minimum grade of C– is required in each professional core course.
Complete each of the following courses:

• SPH-H 174 Prevention of Violence in American Society (3 cr.) +S&H or SPH-S 255 Threats, Violence, and Workplace Safety (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 101 Introduction to Safety (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 151 Legal Aspects of Safety (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 201 Introduction to Industrial Hygiene (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 210 General Industry Standards (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 214 OSHA Construction Standards (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 231 Safety Engineering and Technology (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 251 Incident Investigation and Analysis (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 332 Ergonomics and Human Factors (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 336 Emergency Management (3 cr.) or SPH-S 352 Safety System Analysis (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 345 Safety Program Management (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 410 Advanced Industrial Hygiene (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 411 Industrial Hygiene Sampling and Analysis (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 415 Safety Education and Training (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 496 Field Experience in Occupational Safety (6 cr.)

Additional Required Courses (28 cr.)
Complete one of the following 10 credit chemistry sequences:
Preferred:

• CHEM-C 103 Introduction to Chemical Principles (5 cr.) +N&M
• CHEM-C 117 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I (3 cr.) +N&M
• CHEM-C 127 Chemistry and Biochemistry Laboratory I (2 cr.) +N&M

Also acceptable:

• CHEM-C 101 Elementary Chemistry I (3 cr.) +N&M
• CHEM-C 121 Elementary Chemistry Laboratory I (2 cr.) +N&M
• CHEM-C 102 Elementary Chemistry II (3 cr.) +N&M
• CHEM-C 122 Elementary Chemistry Laboratory II (2 cr.) +N&M

Complete each of the following:

• ENG-W 231 Professional Writing Skills (3 cr.) or BUS-X 204 Business Communications (3 cr.)
• PSY-P 101 Introductory Psychology I (3 cr.) +N&M
• PSY-P 102 Introductory Psychology II (P: P 101 or P 151) (3 cr.) +S&H or SOC-S 100 Introduction to Sociology (3 cr.) +S&H
• SPH-B 150 Introduction to Public Health (3 cr.) +S&H
• SPH-K 205 Structural Kinesiology (3 cr.) or ANAT-A 215 Basic Human Anatomy (5 cr.) +N&M
• SPH-Q 381 (Formerly: SPH-H 381) Introduction to Biostatistics (3 cr.) or MATH-K 300 or PSY-K 300 Statistical Techniques (3 cr.)

Professional Electives (15 cr.)
Complete 15 credits from the list of safety professional electives.  A minimum of 12 of the 15 selected credits must be at the 300/400 level. A minimum grade of C- is required in each professional elective course.

+ Courses followed by a N&M notation apply toward completion of both the major requirement and the general education, natural and mathematic sciences requirement.

+ Courses followed by a S&H notation apply toward completion of both the major requirment and the general education, social and historical studies requirement.

Suggested Courses for the First-Year Safety Student
Fall Semester
ENG-W 131 Elementary Composition 1 (3 cr.) or equivalent
PSY-P 101 Introduction to Psychology I (3 cr.)
SPH-S 101 Introduction to Safety (3 cr.)
Arts and Humanities Elective (3 cr.)
Free Elective (3 cr.)

Spring Semester
MATH-M 118 Finite Mathematics (3 cr.)
PSY-P 102 Introduction to Psychology II (3 cr.)
SPH-H 174 Prevention of Violence in American Society (3 cr.)
SPH-S 151 Legal Aspects of Safety (3 cr.)
World Languages and Cultures Elective (3 cr.)

Special Opportunities

Students have the opportunity to participate in professional safety and health protection organizations including student chapters of Eta Sigma Gamma and the American Society of Safety Engineers. Safety management or emergency management public or private sector internships may be pursued by students as part of their educational experience.

Careers

Safety professionals pursue careers to enhance the protection of communities and reduce injuries/fatalities. Graduates serve as safety specialists, safety trainers, management consultants, safety inspectors, safety managers, safety educators, emergency planners, safety and HR directors and administrators. Other fields associated with health protection include industrial hygiene, ergonomics, fire protection, security, environmental science and engineering.