Mission Statement

Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences (OEHS) provides the highest quality education to students interested in careers as occupational and environmental health specialists; and conducts research and teaching activities that facilitate the transfer of new knowledge and technology to the local urban community. Such activities are directed towards improving the scientific basis for assessing and developing cost-effective management of the human health risks associated with occupational and environmental exposures, and so ensure health, safety, wellbeing and productivity of the population. Since the mid 1950's, OEHS has been a major educator of industrial hygienists, toxicologists and other occupational health professionals employed by industry, government and business in SE Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The program's industrial hygiene MS degree program is accredited by the Applied Sciences Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ASAC/ABET). Coursework follows the requirements of ABET and covers areas of study governed by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) practitioner certification. The MS degree curriculum in Occupational Medicine meets the didactic requirements leading to eligibility for board certification in occupational medicine. The advantages of taking OEHS graduate courses at Wayne State University include:

• As an evening program, the department offers an opportunity for mature career employees to develop further their scientific skills at the graduate level, and so improve their employment potential in a rapidly changing market. Such a program also permits younger students to further their education and develop new scientific skills, while obtaining the necessary practical professional experience in the workplace, that is essential for improvement of career opportunities.

• Since the fractional-time and part-time faculty members are working as full-time occupational and environmental health professionals, the content of coursework and laboratory experiences are current, relevant to major issues of local and national importance, and challenging. The students receive a unique perspective not so readily available at more traditional institutions. As a result, they are better prepared with a competitive edge in facing the challenges of tomorrow.

• As an academic program with a well-funded research program at one of the largest urban research universities located in a major industrial center, it is in a unique position to provide graduate education, research and outreach activities that are relevant to the needs of the local community.