Occupational Safety and Health Major: What It Includes, Classes and Careers

An Occupational Safety and Health major teaches you to identify workplace hazards and protect workers from injury and illness. Occupational safety and health programs cover OSHA regulations, hazard recognition, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, fire protection, accident investigation and safety management systems.

An Occupational Safety and Health major includes coursework in OSHA standards and regulations, hazard recognition and control, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, and accident investigation and more. You build skills such as hazard assessment, safety inspections, training workers, and regulatory compliance. Typical degrees: certificate, associate, bachelor's and master's degrees.

Typical courses include OSHA standards and regulations, hazard recognition and control, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, accident investigation, and safety program management. Exact course names and requirements vary by college, and most degrees also include general education courses.

It depends on the level. Occupational Safety and Health is offered as certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s awards at U.S. colleges; certificates take from a few months to about two years, an associate degree usually takes about two years of full-time study, a bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study, and a master’s degree usually takes one to two years after a bachelor’s. Part-time study takes longer.

Certificate, associate, bachelor's and master's degrees. In the latest federal data, 44 colleges reported certificate awards, 29 colleges reported associate awards, 37 colleges reported bachelor’s awards, and 29 colleges reported master’s awards.

Career paths connected to occupational safety and health include occupational safety specialist, safety technician, safety engineer, hazardous materials technician, environmental health specialist, construction and building inspector, and fire inspector. Some roles need additional training, experience, certification or a license.

Examples include occupational safety specialist (typical training: 2–4 years), safety technician (typical training: 6–12 months), safety engineer (typical training: 4 years), hazardous materials technician (typical training: 1–4 weeks of required training), environmental health specialist (typical training: 4 years), and construction and building inspector (typical training: Several years of trade experience + certification).

Occupational Safety and Health majors build skills such as hazard assessment, safety inspections, training workers, regulatory compliance, and incident investigation.

Good pairings include Business (helps you make the business case for safety), Environmental Studies (connects worker safety to environmental compliance), and Construction Management (construction is a major employer of safety professionals).

It can be a good fit if you are interested in the work it leads to, such as occupational safety specialist, safety technician, and safety engineer, and enjoy subjects like OSHA standards and regulations and hazard recognition and control. No major guarantees a job, so compare the coursework, the careers and the education each career requires before deciding.

How hard it feels depends on your strengths. Core coursework includes OSHA standards and regulations, hazard recognition and control, and industrial hygiene; if those subjects interest you, the major is likely to feel more manageable. Reviewing a college’s course list and talking to current students helps you judge.

93 U.S. colleges reported awarding degrees or certificates in this field in the latest federal (IPEDS) data. Programs can have different names at different schools.

Texas (14), California (7), Kentucky (6), Pennsylvania (6), and Oklahoma (5), based on the colleges that reported awards in this field.

85 of the colleges that offer occupational safety and health also report offering at least one program entirely online, though not necessarily this one. Use the college search with this major and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with the school.

Occupational Safety and Health teaches you to identify workplace hazards and protect workers from injury and illness. Environmental Science and Sustainability studies the environment and how to protect natural resources and human health. Occupational Safety and Health leads to careers such as occupational safety specialist and safety technician, while Environmental Science and Sustainability leads to careers such as environmental technician and environmental health specialist.

Occupational Safety and Health teaches you to identify workplace hazards and protect workers from injury and illness. Renewable Energy Technology prepares you to install, maintain and manage solar, wind and other clean energy systems. Occupational Safety and Health leads to careers such as occupational safety specialist and safety technician, while Renewable Energy Technology leads to careers such as solar panel installer and wind turbine technician.

Yes. Short online career training can help you understand a specific job and build practical knowledge alongside your classes. It does not replace your degree or any required license.

No. Career Education Institute is not a college and does not award degrees. It offers short, non-credit online trainings about jobs connected to occupational safety and health, such as Occupational Safety Specialist Training.