Master of Public Health in Occupational Safety and Health

The Rutgers School of Public Health’s Master of Public Health (MPH) in Occupational Safety and Health degree is dedicated to training professionals in the fundamentals of safety science, preparing graduates to mitigate workplace risks.

Program Overview
Curriculum Details

About the Program

Students will be trained to identify occupational safety and health issues in the workplace with specific coursework that will educate students on how to develop testable models to validate occupational exposures and adverse health outcomes and utilize their understanding of regulatory compliance standards to devise best-in-class solutions to ensure worker safety and health protection.

In addition to degree coursework, students have the opportunity to attend review courses offered by Rutgers NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education in preparation for the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or the Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) exams, which are separate from earning the graduate degree.

Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health Exam.

Request Info

Competencies

Each concentration identifies competencies for each degree offered. These competencies reflect the full range of knowledge, skills, and other attributes that a student will acquire as a result of completing the requirements for a particular degree.

Upon graduation, a student completing the MPH curriculum in Occupational Safety and Health will be able to:

MPH-OSH1: Identify occupational safety and health issues in the workplace;
MPH-OSH2: Explain basic mechanisms of toxicology and dose-response regarding toxicants;
MPH-OSH3: Apply federal and state regulatory standards which are related to worker (occupational) safety and health protection;
MPH-OSH4: Explain testable models for assessing occupational exposures (one or more agents) and their adverse health outcomes (causing injury, disability, or other morbidity or mortality); and
MPH-OSH5: Apply current quantitative risk assessment approaches and methods for specific occupational safety or other health hazards.

Program Format and Length

The MPH in Occupational Safety and Health degree is offered to students on a full-time or part-time basis. Courses are available in-person, remote, and/or online. Students will complete a total of 45 credits, including a practicum experience and capstone research project.

Students must complete 45 credits of academic work with a minimum GPA of least 3.0; earn no more than nine (9) credits bearing grades less than “B,” and complete the degree requirements within six years. Courses are three credit hours unless otherwise noted and semester when each course is typically offered is noted parentheses. Students should review the Forward Schedule for long-term course planning and the Schedule-At-A-Glance for each semester to determine when, where, and how a course is offered.

If completing the program as a full-time student (nine or more credits per semester), the degree requirements may be completed in as little as two years (four to five semesters). Part-time students taking at least six credits per semester may expect to finish within four years. Taking courses in the summer may help expedite part-time students’ timing.

Dual-degree options are available in partnership with other Rutgers University schools.

Students are also required to register for and complete an Interprofessional Education activity prior to graduation.

Students can earn a post-baccalaureate certificate alongside their degree with an additional 6-12 credits. Contact admissions for additional information at admissions@sph.rutgers.edu.

Application Deadlines and Requirements

Fall Semester Start Date
January 15 (priority)
May 1 (regular)

Spring Semester Start Date
October 15 (priority)
December 1 (regular)

A complete application includes:

Completion of the online application
Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
Statement of goals, one-to-three pages in length, which addresses:
- Interest in the program
- Preparedness for the program
- Goals and aspirations
Two letters of recommendation with at least one letter from an academic reference if you are currently enrolled in a degree program or have graduated within the last four years.
Resume or CV
GRE General Exam (optional)
TOEFL or IELTS score for applicants educated in a non-native English-speaking country

Applications are accepted on a rolling, space-available basis following the regular deadline.

Download MPH-Occupational Safety and Health Info. Sheet

Core Courses (18 credits)

PHCO 0501 - Health Systems and Policy
PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology
PHCO 0503 - Introduction to Environmental Health
PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
PHCO 0505 - Social and Behavioral Health Sciences in Public Health
PHCO 0513 - Leadership and Management Essentials for Public Health

Practicum (3 credits)

Note: Students should review the Practice Experience webpage for information about Practicum.

PRAC 0715 - Applied Practice Experience (0 credits) [Prerequisite: APE Learning Agreement and select PHCO and concentration courses]
PRAC 0716 - Practicum Capstone (3 credits) [Prerequisite: Completion of the APE and Practicum Capstone Learning Agreement]
Current students (enrolled prior to Summer 2022) who have not yet completed PRAC 0716 should complete PRAC 0717 and PRAC 0718; if these students complete PRAC 0716 with special permission, they are still expected to complete their Practicum Capstone over two semesters, unless they have special permission.
PRAC 0717 - Practicum Capstone-Two Semester (1.5 credits; taken in first semester of two semester capstone) [Prerequisite: Completion of the APE and Practicum Capstone Learning Agreement]
PRAC 0718 - Practicum Capstone-Two Semester (1.5 credits; taken in second semester of two semester capstone) [Prerequisite: Passing (P) Grade in PRAC 0717]
Students who enrolled prior to Summer 2022 are encouraged to complete PRAC 0717 and PRAC 0718; PRAC 0717 and PRAC 0718 are required for students who enroll Summer 2022 and after.

Review the School’s Registration Calendar for important MPH Practice Experience Registration dates specific to PRAC 0715, PRAC 0716, PRAC 0717 and PRAC 0718.

Concentration Courses (15 credits)

Note: Students should review the Course Descriptions in the School Catalog for specific information about prerequisites required for required courses and recommended electives.

ENOH 0654 - Occupational Safety and Workplace Risk Mitigation (Spring)
ENOH 0656 - Environmental Risk Assessment (Spring)
ENOH 0693 - Principles of Occupational and Environmental Health (Fall)
ENOH 0695 - Environmental Exposure Measurement and Assessment (Fall)
ENOH 0699 - Principles of Industrial Hygiene (Fall)

Other Requirements (0 credits)

PRAC 0621 - Interprofessional Education Experience (0 credits) [Fall/Spring]
Students are required to register for and complete an Interprofessional Education activity prior to graduation.
Complete Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online training on Human Subject Research Protections (For Students Enrolled Fall 2024 and After)

Recommended Elective Courses (9 credits)

Electives may be chosen from the below list of recommended courses; other courses offered across the School of Public Health, including the School’s global courses (INTL courses); or with approval of the academic advisor. An Independent Study may also be done for up to 3-credits, with approval of the academic advisor and an SPH faculty member. Students interested in taking a graduate course at another Rutgers school must consult with their academic advisor and complete appropriate cross-registration forms in advance of registration. When choosing electives, students should consider the prerequisite requirement(s) and the location or teaching modality of the course.

Advanced Electives in Occupational Safety and Health

ENOH 0657 - Managing Hazardous Energy (Fall)
ENOH 0644 - Indoor Air Quality (Fall/Even Years Only)

Advanced Electives in Environmental Health Sciences

ENOH 0560 - Public Health Biology and Physiology (Spring)
ENOH 0594 - Environmental and Occupational Toxicology (Spring)
ENOH 0596 - Environmental Justice: Historical Perspectives and Justice Initiatives (Fall)
ENOH 0620 - Climate Change: Planet & Human Health (Fall)
ENOH 0621 - Sustainability: Planet & Human Health (Fall)
ENOH 0653 - Biomarkers (Fall)

Electives to Supplement Your Occupational Safety and Health Training

EPID 0601 - Cancer Epidemiology (Spring)
EPID 0641 - GIS in Public Health (Spring)
EPID 0650 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (Spring)
EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Research Methods (Fall/Spring)
HBSP 0603 - Mental Health and Aging (Spring)
HBSP 0654 - Public Health Communication/Risk Communication (Spring)
UGPH 0621 - Public Health and Health Disparities (Fall)
UGPH 0642 - LGBTQ Health and Health Disparities (Spring)
UGPH 0680 - Urban Public Health (Spring)

Students thinking about pursuing a doctoral degree may want to consider taking additional quantitative data analysis and/or research methods courses as electives.