Safety Management (B.S.)

The University offers an online bachelor of science (B.S.) in safety management that provides the classroom knowledge and experience needed to be a safety specialist who is qualified to design, develop, and implement safety programs in business, industry, and government. Graduates are eligible for the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP®) designation through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP). The GSP program is an alternate path to the Certified Safety Professional (CSP®) certification. The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM) allows graduates to apply for the Associate Safety and Health Manager (ASHM®) credential which recognizes recent Bachelor’s degree graduates with a focus in health and safety-related fields. This credential puts the holder on the fast-track to the Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM®) credential.

Coursework in the major includes studies in the management, evaluation, and control of safety and health hazards associated with the workplace environment, including courses in the following areas:

• Accident prevention
• Administration of industrial health and safety programs
• Fire protection
• Hazardous substances and waste disposal
• Human factors and economics
• Industrial health and safety legislation
• Industrial hygiene
• System safety analysis

Coursework is offered online. However, students are required to complete a one-week residency on the Indiana State University campus during the summer of their junior or senior year.  The program can be completed in four years (full time) if the student follows the degree map. Students also have the option of part-time study. Previously earned college credit can be applied toward completion of the program per these transfer guidelines.

Optional minors are offered in construction management (available online or on campus), insurance and risk management (available online or on campus), and environmental science (only available on campus).

In addition to coursework, students complete an internship. The internship usually offers paid experiences at manufacturing, health care, power and energy, or refinery facilities, with insurance (loss control) companies, or with the government. Companies where students have interned include: Eli Lilly and Company; Pfizer, Inc.; Cargill; Alcoa; General Electric; Marathon Petroleum; and Toyota Motor Corporation, USA.

Relatively small class sizes allow students to receive individualized attention. Students may join the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) student section. This involvement enables students to qualify for scholarships worth thousands of dollars. In addition, ASSP and the National Safety Council (NSC) offer discounts on conference registration.

The Safety Management Program is open to eligible students in the U.S. (including the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories). The program also is open to students in Canada (all provinces). The program is closed to students residing in countries other than the U.S. and Canada except for U.S. military and State Department personnel and their family members with APO/FPO addresses.