According to the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the field of Industrial Hygiene (also known as Environmental Exposure Assessment and Control) is devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, control and prevention of environmental factors or stresses arising in or from the workplace which may cause sickness, impaired health and well being or significant discomfort among workers or citizens of the community.

If you pursue a career in Industrial Hygiene, you will be called upon to recognize, evaluate and control hazards – chemical, physical, biological or psychological. For example, you might have to manage the after-effects of a fire at a chemical plant. Or you could be hired to consult with a manufacturing company on how to prevent on-the-job violence. Another possible job may involve prevention and management of the spread of mold in the workplace.

Students who are successful in the Industrial Hygiene program typically have undergraduate degrees in one of the sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics), or Engineering.

Students in Industrial Hygiene will take courses on topics such as air quality, risk assessment and environmental health law. To facilitate their classroom knowledge, students will participate in a field experience. Students have the option to travel nationally or internationally for their field experience.

Our graduates work in a variety of job sites such as nuclear power plants, petroleum companies and even orange juice manufacturers. Some of our graduates opt to go to work for a branch of the military or for government agencies such as OSHA or the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Some go into consulting work, while others pursue academic careers.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, median annual earnings of occupational health and safety specialists were $51,570 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $39,580 and $65,370. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,590, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,530. Median annual earnings of occupational health and safety specialists in May 2004 were $48,710 in local government and $44,400 in State government.

Median annual earnings of occupational health and safety technicians were $42,130 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $29,900 and $56,640. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,860, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $70,460.

Follow this link to access application materials
http://publichealth.usf.edu/degreereqs.html

For more information on the MSPH and PhD in Industrial Hygiene, visit:
http://publichealth.usf.edu/eohindustrial.html
http://publichealth.usf.edu/eohphd.html