From IUP Safety Career Fair To Career
“I interviewed for an internship with Trumbull at the annual IUP Safety Career Fair. I asked to job shadow there during winter break, did a paid internship there in the summer, and was hired before I graduated. I worked part-time on days I didn't have classes and started full-time after graduation.”
Jessie Cunkelman '13, Site Safety Manager, Trumbull Corporation, based out of West Virginia
Be Prepared to Protect the Safety, Health, and Welfare of the Workplace
Protecting the safety, health, and welfare of those in the workplace is a huge responsibility. More and more companies recognize that, beyond OSHA laws, they have a moral obligation to make sure they offer the highest degree of safety for their workers. Such an obligation requires employers to hire individuals with the fundamental knowledge in safety, health, and environmental (SHE) applied sciences to manage their SHE risks. This acknowledgment along with an aging SHE professional workforce has created a tremendous need for SHE professionals.
As a BS in safety, health, and environmental applied sciences major, you'll graduate with real-world experience gained from your internship as well as participation in the summer cooperative education program. This experience will give you the opportunity to apply the fundamental knowledge you've learned in the classroom and laboratories and also gain valuable insight into engineering, systems analysis, management, human relations, and communications.
The BS in Environmental Engineering program prepares you to deal with the future of environmental challenges, enhancing the quality of your life and the lives of others. Students in this major enjoy a diverse educational experience that draws from mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, safety sciences, and geosciences. The broad curriculum keeps you engaged and interested throughout your studies.
Environmental engineering majors can expand their understanding of environmental issues by adding our Sustainability Studies minor. This interdisciplinary program focuses on the health and integrity of human societies and the natural world. With this minor, you'll investigate issues, problems, and possible solutions in many areas, including human institutions, ethics, and cultures, as well as technologies and natural sciences.
The minor in Safety, Health, and Environmental Applied Sciences is recommended for students majoring in related disciplines such as environmental geoscience, human resources management, criminology, and international business.
The Spanish for Safety Sciences Certificate prepares you to work with Spanish speakers in safety, health, and environmental applied sciences.
Why Safety Sciences?
Accidents, fires, explosions, and health-threatening conditions are extremely costly for individuals, organizations, and the entire nation. The good news is that, according to OSHA, workplace fatalities and occupational injuries have declined dramatically since 1970. The bad news is that we still average over 4,500 workplace fatalities a year. These numbers, combined with an increasing awareness of environmental hazards, are why corporations recognize the value that SHE professionals bring to their organizations.
The World Needs Safety Sciences Majors
The Department of Safety Sciences and Environmental Engineering has been in the forefront of safety education since its establishment in 1971, and has seen an explosion (the good kind!) in the need for SHE professionals.
With a BS in safety, health, and environmental applied sciences, you become a specialist that advises management on the recognition, evaluation and control of hazards. The primary focus is to prevent harm to people, property, and the environment.
You'll be prepared for a safety career in industries such as oil and gas, chemicals, energy, construction, government, healthcare, consulting, distribution, and insurance. Hands-on training labs will develop your skills in industrial hygiene, fall protection, ergonomics, fire safety, and more.
Expected Outcomes With a Bachelor's Degree in Safety Sciences
In the past 40 years, more than 3,000 men and women have graduated from the Safety Sciences and Environmental Engineering Department. Their careers cover a variety of industries, such as chemicals, construction, steel, consulting, insurance, and manufacturing. Employment placement rates range from 75 to 90 percent. Here's why our placement rate is so high:
Experienced Professionals Make Great Teachers
“Professor Laura Rhodes is very hands-on and easy to talk to. She has her own consulting firm, Safety Geeks, and she's very knowledgeable about insurance loss control and OSHA. She's also the sponsor for our Ladies of Safety student organization.”
Mariah Hays, Class of 2016, BS in Safety, Health, and Environmental Applied Sciences major
- You'll be well prepared to recognize fundamental aspects of SHE; anticipate, identify, and evaluate potentially hazardous agents, conditions, and practices so you can develop control designs and procedures; and more.
- You'll work in the field, both through your internship and through the co-op education program to gain real-world experience.
- You'll attend a dedicated Career Fair at IUP that is exclusively for safety sciences students. This fair averages over 75 employers, with many students receiving internship, coop, and full-time job offers following the event.
The IUP difference
Safety Sciences faculty. Our faculty bring a broad range of experience in industries such as insurance, manufacturing, oil and gas, consulting, construction, healthcare, and government. With real-world experience, along with SHE professional certifications, our faculty create a tremendous learning environment for our students.
Curriculum. The Safety Sciences and Environmental Engineering curriculum is rigorous, with a strong background required in math and sciences as well as the SHE disciplines. The SHE applied sciences curriculum has five classes that include laboratories providing students with hands-on experience. The program also requires an intense internship program, which enables the student to apply fundamental SHE knowledge.
Accreditation. The Bachelor of Science degree program in Safety, Health, and Environmental Applied Sciences is accredited by the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission (ANSAC) of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
Safety Science facilities. Our facilities include labs or rooms for industrial hygiene, construction, ergonomics, and fire safety.
PA OSHA Consultation Program. Since 1983, the Safety Sciences and Environmental Engineering Department has been the officially designated agency in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for providing occupational and health consultative services made available through federal regulations. This program helps private-sector employers in the commonwealth to understand and voluntarily comply with applicable safety/health regulations enforced by OSHA.