What you will study
At the University of Central Missouri, you can enter one of two tracks to earn your
MS in Industrial Hygiene degree: Foundation and Professional Certification. In the
Foundation track, you’ll build your knowledge of industrial hygiene safety, with a
strong focus on research and lab work. The Professional Certification track will ensure
that you build the skills and qualifications you need to obtain professional industrial
hygiene certifications.
Regardless of the track you choose, you’ll study safety leadership, risk management,
toxicology, epidemiology and occupational health. You’ll also have opportunities to
apply your new skills immediately in a professional setting. Program courses you may
take include:
- Industrial Environmental Monitoring
- Industrial Toxicology
- Industrial Ventilation for Environmental Safety and Health
- Noise Measurements
- Occupational Hazard Management
- Organization, Administration and Supervision of Safety Programs
- Principles of Epidemiology
Graduate Safety Practitioner designation
When you graduate with your MS in Industrial Hygiene from UCM, you’ll be eligible
to apply for the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) designation. This respected title
is only available to students who complete programs that meet the requirements set
by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. Becoming a GSP can put you on the
path to becoming a Certified Safety Professional (CSP).
Excellence in Industrial Hygiene
- UCM's MS in Industrial Hygiene degree is part of the only graduate-level Industrial
Hygiene safety program in the state of Missouri accredited by ABET’s Applied and Natural
Science Accreditation Commission. It’s also one of only approximately 15 industrial
hygiene programs in the country and is now available completely online.
- Top 15.5%: Most Focused Colleges for Occupational Safety & Health Technology (College Factual,
2022)
- Top 12.5%: Most Popular Colleges for Occupational Safety & Health Technology (College Factual,
2022)
Unique learning opportunities in industrial hygiene
The University of Central Missouri enables you to take your learning outside the classroom
through exciting activities such as:
- Lab research: Practice using industry instrumentation in UCM’s industrial hygiene lab, one of the
best facilities of its kind among occupational hygiene academic programs in the country.
- Internships: Apply your graduate studies in an internship, where you can execute your knowledge
in real-world environments. Many UCM industrial hygiene internships lead to job offers
from participating companies after graduation.
- Career fairs: Participate virtually and in person at industrial hygiene safety career fairs, where
you can network with other professionals and learn about job opportunities.
What you can do with a degree in Industrial Hygiene degree from UCM?
Through courses and experiential learning focused on occupational safety and health,
you’ll develop and coordinate industrial hygiene programs for both large and small
organizations.
The University of Central Missouri’s MS in Industrial Hygiene degree is also a bridge
to a career in environmental hygiene, compliance, safety engineering, environmental
health and safety, corporate safety, construction supervision or consulting. Graduates
of UCM’s Industrial Hygiene safety program have been hired by public, private and
governmental organizations, including:
- Burns & McDonnell
- Children’s Mercy Hospital
- Kiewit
- Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
- Nissan Motor Company
- OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
- Pratt & Whitney
- U.S. Navy
- Vastek
UCM and the Safety Sciences programs have excellent placement rates. Our students
are extremely competitive in the job market and have earned excellent starting salaries.
Industrial hygiene safety jobs
Use the interactive tool below to discover career paths in industrial hygiene, salary
expectations, projected job growth and more.
Financial assistance options for your Industrial Hygiene degree
The University of Central Missouri offers a respected Industrial Hygiene degree at
an exceptional value. Tuition for UCM’s program is less than that of similar occupational
hygiene programs across the country.
To help you finance your graduate school education, we also offer a range of financial aid options, including university scholarships,
grants, tuition awards, loans and more. We even provide certain scholarships available
only to students in the Industrial Hygiene safety program:
- Alice Fayemi Olaiya Foundation Award
- Herbert H. Jones Industrial Hygiene Scholarship
You can learn more about program-specific scholarships at the UCM Scholarship Finder.
You can also apply for a variety of scholarships offered by related professional organizations,
including the American Industrial Hygiene Foundation, American Society of Safety Professionals,
Board of Certified Safety Professionals, International Safety Equipment Association
and Association for Iron and Steel Technology.
Meet Brandon J.
MS Industrial Hygiene ’04
“The UCM Safety Sciences programs really put opportunity in action by preparing students
to hit the ground running. Their programs give you hands-on experience. When you graduate
with a Safety and Health degree, the sky's the limit on what industry you can actually
go work for — from construction and manufacturing to health care or energy.”
Meet Faculty Member Dr. Tsvetan Popov
Industrial Hygiene program coordinator and faculty member
Dr. Tsvetan Popov has extensive international experience and was part of the Nobel
Peace Prize-winning Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). He
specializes in the sampling and analysis of hazardous substances and evaluation of
the workplace environment.
Meet Our Faculty
Meet Faculty Member Dr. Georgi Popov
Award-winning industrial hygiene safety educator
Dr. Georgi Popov researches risk assessment, enterprise risk management, industrial
hygiene and ergonomics, among other aspects of occupational health and safety. In
2017, he was named an Outstanding Safety Educator by the American Society of Safety
Professionals for his impact on his students and the future of the profession.
Meet Our Faculty
Meet Rayna B.
MS Industrial Hygiene ’16
“I have successfully completed two degrees through Safety Sciences at UCM, both of
which prepared me for immediate job placement in my field of study. The department
is run by competent, certified professionals who are willing to accommodate their
students’ life circumstances. My experience was exceptionally positive and fruitful,
and I strongly recommend all of UCM’s programs.”
Industrial Hygiene Safety Program of Distinction
The only MS degree of its kind in Missouri
“It is to the credit of all who have been involved with the Safety and Industrial
Hygiene programs at UCM that they are accredited by ABET. Only a few such programs
are accredited.”
- Fred A. Manuele, PE, CSP
President, Hazards Limited
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What are the admissions requirements?
Students are admitted into one of two Areas based upon their education and professional
certification at the time of application. Once admitted into an Area, students may
not change Areas without applying for a change of degree program through the Graduate
School and obtaining approval from the Safety Sciences faculty.
All students seeking admission to the Industrial Hygiene program must have:
- A bachelor's degree from a Regionally Accredited University with a minimum cumulative
undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Course work that includes one semester of each of the following subjects with a grade
of C or better: organic chemistry, mammalian or human physiology, biology
Additional requirements by Area are as follows:
Professional Certification Area
Admission into this Area requires current possession of any of the following designations
or certifications in good standing: Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP), Associate
Safety Professional (ASP), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), or Certified Industrial
Hygienist (CIH).
Foundation Area
- One semester of each of the following subjects with a grade of C or better: chemistry,
physics, college algebra or higher-level math, and statistics
- Students must complete SAFE 5100** (taken before or concurrently with SAFE 5140).
All admissions requirements, as well as SAFE 5140, SAFE 5200**, and SAFE 5210** must
be completed before they may enroll in any 5000- or 6000-level required courses.
**(1 credit hour courses)
The department will consider applicants that do not meet all of the above criteria
on a case by case basis.
How do I apply?
Complete your application and be sure to provide the Graduate and International Student Services with official transcripts.
Those transcripts can be sent to:
University of Central Missouri
Graduate and International Student Services
Ward Edwards Building, Room 1800
Warrensburg, MO 64093
If you have any questions about applying, contact the Graduate and International Student Services at
660-543-4621 or 660-543-4092
FAX: 660-543-4778
Website: https://www.ucmo.edu/offices/
graduate-and-international-
student-services/index.php
Where can I find enrollment and graduation data?
The UCM Campus Data Hub allows you to access enrollment and graduation data for the
University and individual programs at:
https://www.ucmo.edu/
offices/university-analytics-
and-institutional-research/
campus-data/index.php Program Student Outcomes
The following Student Outcomes align with the required General Criteria of the Applied
and Natural Science Accreditation Commission of ABET and provide a foundation that
prepares graduates to attain the MS Industrial Hygiene Program Educational Objectives:
- An 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.
- An ability to formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet
desired needs.
- An ability to develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret
data and use scientific judgment to draw conclusions.
- An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- An ability to understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact
of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal
contexts.
- An ability to function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet
deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.
- An ability to develop a project or research activity resulting in a report that demonstrates
both the mastery of the subject matter and a high level of communication skills
Program Educational Objectives
The graduate with a Master of Science degree in Industrial Hygiene will use the knowledge
and skills obtained in the program to:
- Assess risks stemming from identified workplace hazards.
- Propose risk treatment solutions to achieve As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP)
risk levels.
- Design an industrial hygiene program that reduces chemical, biological, and physical
risks.
- Develop, coordinate, and/or participate in multidisciplinary teams, using professional
verbal and written communication skills, to protect people, property, and the environment.
- Demonstrate knowledge of professional integrity and ethical standards.
