Goal and Mission

Oakland University has a three-fold mission. It offers instructional programs of high quality that lead to degrees at the baccalaureate, master's and doctoral levels as well as programs in continuing education; it advances knowledge and promotes the arts through research, scholarship and creative activity; and it renders significant public service. In all its activities, the university strives to exemplify educational leadership.

The Occupational Safety and Health program contributes to the institution’s mission by offering a high-quality baccalaureate degree that meets and exceeds the educational outcomes-based criteria established by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) for a BS degree in a safety-related career field. The educational objectives of the Occupational Safety and Health program prepare students to:

• enter the industrial health and safety profession as a generalist with the skills necessary for success;
• use the techniques, skills and modern scientific and technical tools necessary for professional practice;
• become proficient in written composition and oral communications;
• apply knowledge of mathematics and science to analyze and interpret data necessary to resolve safety and health related issues;
• anticipate, identify and evaluate hazardous conditions and practices;
• formulate hazard control designs, methods, procedures and programs;
• function on multidisciplinary teams;
• recognize the impact of solutions within a global and societal context;
• understand ethical and professional responsibility;
• pursue successfully graduate study in health and safety; and
• appreciate the need to continue professional development through graduate study, professional certification and to become lifelong learners.

In addition to providing a high-quality educational experience, the Occupational Safety and Health program renders significant service to employers in southeast Michigan through cooperative education programs, internships and other experiential learning activities that enhance student learning and support area employers’ needs for health and safety services. The students in OU's OSH program have chartered a Student Section of the Greater Detroit Chapter of the ASSE and carry out community and campus safety-related public service projects as a regular part of their ASSE Student Section activities.