• Description of Program
• 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. The IU Industrial Hygiene and Safety Laboratory provides special learning opportunities for students. The Laboratory enables student research using a variety of equipment designed to provide data on industrial contaminants that may be harmful to workers. Students work to support the laboratory’s mission to contribute to a safer and healthier workplace and community through applied research, teaching, and service. The Safety undergraduate degree programs on both the Indiana University Bloomington and Indiana University Southeast campuses are approved Qualified Academic Programs by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP). This designation confers on our graduates the certification of Graduate Safety Professionals (GSP). 

Degree Requirements

This is a four-year program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science with a major in Safety. Graduation requirements include:

• completion of general education requirements.
• completion of safety program requirements.
• a minimum of 120 successfully completed credit hours that count toward the degree program.
• a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.
• No pass/fail except for free electives.

General Education (20–39 credits)

All undergraduate students must complete the IU Bloomington General Education Common Ground Requirements.

Major (91 cr.)

Safety and Health Courses (48 cr.)
A minimum grade of C- is required in each course.
A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required in this category of courses.
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 OSHA General Industry Standards (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 214 OSHA Construction Standards (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 231 Safety Engineering & Technology (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 251 Incident Investigation & 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.) (P: Safety major -and- SPH-S 201 -and- CHEM-C 102)
• SPH-S 411 Industrial Hygiene Sampling & Analysis (3 cr.) (P: Safety major -and- SPH-S 410)
• SPH-S 415 Safety Education & Training (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 496 Field Experience in Occupational Safety (6 cr.) (P: Safety major -and- Department consent)

Foundational Chemistry (5-10 cr.)
A minimum grade of D- is required in each course below.
Complete one of the following chemistry sequences:

OPTION 1: Complete the following chemistry sequence

• 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 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I Laboratory (2 cr.) +N&M

OPTION 2: Complete the following chemistry sequence

• CHEM-C 101 Elementary Chemistry 1 (3 cr.) +N&M
• CHEM-C 121 Elementary Chemistry Lab 1 (2 cr.) +N&M
• CHEM-C 102 Elementary Chemistry 2 (3 cr.) +N&M
• CHEM-C 122 Elementary Chemistry Lab 2 (2 cr.) +N&M

Additional Required Courses (18-20 cr.)
A minimum grade of D- is required in each course below.
Complete the following courses:

• ENG-W 231 Professional Writing Skills (3 cr.) (P: IUB GenEd English Composition) -or- SPH-H 360 Writing in Public Health -or- BUS-C 204 Business Writing (3 cr.) (P: IUB GenEd English Composition -and- Kelley majors only)
• PSY-P 101 Introductory Psychology 1 (3 cr.) +N&M
• PSY-P 102 Introductory Psychology 2 (3 cr.) +S&H (P: PSY-P 101) -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.) +N&M -or- ANAT-A 225 Human Anatomy (5 cr.) +N&M
• SPH-Q 381 Introduction to Biostatistics (3 cr.) -or- equivalent statistics course

Professional Electives (15 cr.)

• Complete 15 credits from the list of safety professional electives.
• At least 12 credits must be at the 300- or 400-level.
• A minimum grade of C- is required in each professional elective course.
• First aid certification is a requirement for safety professionals. If you are not certified in first aid through an agency outside IU, you must include SPH-H 160 First Aid and Emergency Care in your professional electives.
• You may structure your professional electives to earn a minor in Environmental Management (O'Neill), Business (Kelley), or Psychology (College).

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

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

Suggested Courses for the First-Year Safety Student
Fall Semester
ENG-W 131 Elementary Composition 1 (change name) (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 or equivalent  (3 cr.)
PSY-P 102 Introduction to Psychology II or Sociology (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 the American Society of Safety Professionals Student Section. ASSP student sections exist at select colleges and universities. They are designed for student members pursuing careers in the occupational safety and health (OSH) field. They provide additional opportunities for students to learn more about their chosen areas of study, promote interaction between students and safety professionals, and offer excellent, resume-building leadership opportunities for student section officers. Students may pursue occupational safety and health internships in the private or public sector as part of their educational experience. Students will have access to safety and industrial hygiene technical equipment through the IU Safety & Industrial Hygiene Laboratory.

The B.S.A.H.S. in Safety Program is considered a Qualified Academic Program (QAP) by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, which means it is an academic degree program in safety, health, and/or environmental practices that meets BCSP standards and whose curriculum shows a substantial match with the Associate Safety Professional (ASP) examination blueprint. As a result, upon graduation, students can apply for and receive the Graduate Safety Professional Designation (GSP) through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.

Careers

Our graduates protect people and communities from injuries, illness, or unexpected death arising from hazardous conditions, materials, and practices. Careers vary widely in manufacturing, construction, insurance, aviation, and healthcare industries, and include safety specialists, managers, directors, and consultants. Fields closely associated with safety management include industrial hygiene, ergonomics, loss control, fire protection, security, environmental science, and engineering. The demand for safety professionals remains strong, and new opportunities in healthcare and community public health continue to expand.