Master of Science in
Occupational Safety Management

The Master of Science in Occupational Safety Management (MSOSM) provides students the theoretical foundation, research and application skills required to effectively anticipate, recognize, evaluate, prevent and control workplace safety, health and environmental hazards, as well as manage comprehensive occupational safety and health programs.

The students at our Daytona Beach Campus benefit from access to real-world aviation and safety operations, plus the added flexibility of completing some courses online.

The program is made up of nine courses, which encompass safety-related topics, research and statistics course work. They address:

• occupational safety and health management
• hazard controls
• environmental protection
• industrial hygiene and toxicology
• human factors and ergonomics
• fire safety management
• disaster preparedness and emergency response
• systems safety and legislation
• litigation and compliance operations

These courses provide our graduate students with the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to succeed as a safety and health manager and professional.

Students can round out their program by choosing to do a thesis, a graduate capstone or participating in an internship. 36 credits are required for students completing a thesis, and 33 credits are required for those completing the capstone.

The Master of Science in Occupational Safety Management is designated as a BCSP Qualified Academic Program, and graduates are eligible to apply for the BCSP Graduate Safety Practitioner® (GSP) designation. The GSP designation is an alternate path to the Certified Safety Professional® (CSP), waiving the requirement to sit for the ASP exam. For information on the GSP go to https://www.bcsp.org/GSP.

Embry-Riddle Worldwide’s Master of Science in Occupational Safety Management (MSOSM) is offered 100% online and can be completed from anywhere with internet access. Courses are taught over a nine-week term. For the MSOSM, these are primarily offered during the five major terms that begin in August, October, January, March and May. Courses are asynchronous, meaning that the students and instructors do not have to be present within the course at the same time. The online delivery provides flexibility for students to complete the work on their own schedule. However, courses are not self-paced. Each class has a set weekly structure and schedule for the assignments.

Worldwide students are a part of the Embry-Riddle family, which means they learn from distinguished faculty members whose professional experience complements their academic backgrounds. The master’s degree program in Occupational Safety Management, in particular, is led by faculty members who have proven expertise in safety or related fields, including industrial hygiene, environmental science/engineering, ergonomics/human factors and systems safety. Some are also highly credentialed in their specific fields — Certified Safety Professionals (CSPs), Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIHs) and other applicable certifications, such as QEP, CHMM and CPEA.

Program Student Outcomes

Upon graduation, students in the Master of Science in Occupational Safety Management program will have the ability to:

• Identify, formulate, and solve broadly-defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
• Formulate or design a system, process, procedure, or program to meet desired needs.
• Function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.
• Anticipate, recognize, evaluate, prevent, and control workplace safety and occupational health hazards within numerous industries to protect people, property, the environment, and organizational operations.
• Effectively manage occupational safety and health function within a variety of industries.
• Justify occupational safety and health programs, initiatives, and control efforts through the use of business and risk management metrics, by maintaining compliance with applicable standards and regulations or through scientific evaluation of outcomes.
• Effectively communicate and interact with persons at all levels within an organization and externally about occupational safety, health, and environmental management.
• Practice and perform in an ethical, moral, responsible, and accountable manner in all aspects, but especially in the practice of safety, understanding the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
• Identify an occupational safety and health research problem; complete a thorough review of the scholarly literature; formulate and test hypotheses or research questions; collect and appropriately analyze qualitative or quantitative data; and interpret and report research findings using scientific judgment to improve the field of occupational safety and health or to provide solutions to occupational safety and health problem.

Upon completing the program, these focused skills and specialized degrees will distinguish graduates as astute and knowledgeable safety management professionals. With this distinction, graduates will be ready to take on occupational safety and health leadership positions – including director of safety, safety manager, safety consultant, compliance officer, and loss-control manager – in virtually every professional setting.

Educational Objectives

Program Educational Objectives are "broad statements that describe the career and professional accomplishments that the program is preparing graduates to achieve." Graduates from the Master of Science in Occupational Safety Management program can:

• Apply a broad educational background combined with strong critical thinking, analytical, and time management skills to lead, influence, and achieve the OSH goals and objectives of their employers.
• Effectively communicate, collaborate, and manage a diverse work environment.
• Manage and lead OSH organizations ethically and professionally. 
• Engage in professional development and mentor others to demonstrate competency; ensure relevancy in knowledge, skills, and new technologies; and maintain currency in changing industry trends. 
• Anticipate, recognize, evaluate, prevent, and control hazards to better ensure safe workplaces and develop best practices.