Department of Occupational and Environmental Health
Departmental Objectives
The environment encompasses not only the natural surroundings - the air, the water, the plants and animals used for food - but also shelter, modes of transportation and all other products of technology, including pollutants and waste materials; all of which interact to affect health. Environmental considerations become increasingly important during these times of changing emphasis in the fields of energy, economics, and technology.
The objective of the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health is to unite in an interdisciplinary training and research program, persons grounded in natural, physical, and health sciences in order to develop an understanding of human response to the environment as well as the response of the environment to the activities of humans. Toward this end, the department has developed flexible and diversified programs of graduate study, field training, and basic and applied research to accommodate students with a wide range of academic and occupational backgrounds. Most courses are offered in the late afternoon and evening format, for the convenience of practicing professionals. The graduate programs in occupational medicine for physicians and occupational health for physician assistants are broad-based and designed to prepare the physician and physician assistant to assume a responsible role in the care and management of occupationally-related diseases and injuries, and in the health maintenance of workers in the occupational environment.
ABET Industrial Hygiene and Environmental Management/Industrial Hygiene Program Accreditations
The Department of Occupational and Environmental Health has been recognized as a national leader in industrial hygiene education. The Related Accreditation Commission (RAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) has accredited both the Master of Science (MS) in Industrial Hygiene and the MS in Environmental Management/Industrial Hygiene interdisciplinary MS program. ABET accreditation is the only program accreditation recognized by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene, and is the hallmark of excellence for industrial hygiene education. The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is one of only twenty-nine universities nationwide to attain graduate industrial hygiene program accreditation, and is the only university with an ABET-accredited environmental management/industrial hygiene graduate program.
