Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, MS

About the Program

Occupational and environmental health professionals protect individuals from possible health effects caused by workplace and environmental hazards, such as lead or air pollution. Purdue’s Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences (OEHS) graduate program, which specializes in industrial hygiene, offers both Master of Science and PhD degree programs.

The program’s mission is to advance professionals, leaders, and researchers in industrial hygiene and related fields. The program will prepare students with the knowledge and skills to be an outstanding scientist equipped to protect workers, families, and communities from hazardous environmental agents and workplace stressors.

The MS program is accredited by the Applied Science Accreditation Commission of ABET. For a complete description of our educational objectives, student outcomes, and enrollment and graduation data, visit the accreditation page. As of 2022, the MS program is ranked No. 2 among the top 25 master’s programs in occupational health and safety by Best Health Degrees.

The MS in OEHS is recognized as a Qualified Academic Program (QAP) by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), meeting the qualified credential requirement for the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification.

Master’s students can pursue a thesis or non-thesis option. See below for each set of requirements.

Program Website

Program Requirements - Thesis & Non-thesis

47 Credits Required

Concentrations

Interdisciplinary concentrations:

• Computational Life Sciences Concentration (GR)  
• Interdisciplinary Ergonomics
• Purdue University Interdisciplinary Life Science (PULSe), MS or PHD 
  • Biotechnology
  • Integrative Neuroscience
  • Molecular Signaling and Cancer Biology

Additional Information

A full-time student has a minimum of 8 credit hours each semester (6 in the summer); however, it is recommended to enroll in at least 12 credit hours per semester in order to achieve 47 credits.

GPA Requirements

Graduate courses taken while registered as a graduate student at Purdue University may be considered for fulfilling the plan of study requirements only if the student has received grades of C or better. For courses at the 300/400-level taken as a graduate student or courses that represent either undergraduate or graduate excess credit or transfer credit, grades of B or better are required for fulfilling plan of study requirements. No more than 6 credit hours of coursework at the 300/400-level is allowed to form part of the student’s plan of study.

Graduate Programs Disclaimer

• The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Students should consult with their advisor/department for more information.
• Not all graduate programs may be actively recruiting students and course modality availability may vary. 
• Please refer to the Explore Graduate Programs website for a list of currently available graduate programs.
• Transfer credit policy: Credits earned for graduate study at other universities (both domestic and international) may be applied toward an advanced degree. Only credit hours associated with graduate courses for which grades of B- or better were obtained will be eligible for transfer. Any additional conditions under which credit transfers may be made are determined by the various departments.
• Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.