Occupational Health and

Safety Masters Program

Mala L. (Don) Beard, PhD, CIH

Middle Tennessee State University

Department of Engineering Technology and
Industrial Studies

http://mtsu32.mtsu.edu:11135/
Established 1911
First Graduating Class 1914
A TN Board of Reagents University
7 Colleges
9 Chairs of Excellence
22,000+ undergraduate students. It is
the fastest growing of Tennessee 4 year
Universities
 Department of Engineering
Technology & Industrial Studies
Academically located in the College of Basic
and Applied Sciences
Vocational Arts (Later ETIS present as a
department from the beginning)
16 Faculty Members
7 staff members
Physically Located in Vooheries Industrial
Studies Bldg and Midgett Business Building
 Department of Engineering
Technology & Industrial Studies

Undergraduate concentrations include:

Engineering Technology
 Computer Engineering Technology
 Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology
 Manufacturing Engineering Technology
 Concrete Industry Management
 Construction management Technology
 Department of Engineering
Technology & Industrial Studies
Undergraduate concentrations include:
Environmental Science and Technology
 Energy Resource Management
 Environmental Health and Safety
 Waste Management
 Environmental Planning
 Site Analysis
 Water Resources
Requirements for Admission to MTSU’s OHS
Program within ETIS
Bachelors Degree from an Accredited
College or University
Completion of the Graduate Record
Exam (GRE)
No absolute GRE score but is used in
conjunction with undergraduate Grade
and the grades of any preliminary
graduate course grades
Occupational Health and Safety
Concentration
Both Thesis (Plan A) or Non-thesis Options
(Plan B)
Thesis options requires the completion of 24
semester hours and a 6 hour credit thesis
approved by students committee and the
Department of Graduate Studies
Non-thesis requires the completion of 36
hours. For both plans 18 hrs must be in the
major. Student can elect to complete a minor
of 12 hours in certain programs.
 Requirements
For Plan A (thesis) 21 of the 30 course hours
must be at the 6,000 level.
For Plan B (non-thesis) 26 of the 36 course
hours must be at the 6,000 level
Either plan can include a cognate of 6
semester hours in management and
marketing, computer science, economics,
psychology or vocational-technical education.
 Graduation Requirements
Maintain a 3.0 (B) Average
Complete and Pass a Comprehensive Written
and Oral Defense of Exam and Thesis (Plan A)
prepared by a Faculty Committee of 3.
Complete either as an undergrad or graduate
student an approved research tool to include at
least one course in statistics with a grade of C
or better. Other research tool course include
foreign languages, computer programming or
computer applications courses.
Occupation Health and Safety
Concentration
Night Time Program (Earliest scheduled
class is industrial hygiene from 4:30-
7:30 once per week.
Most other Classes are 6-9 pm
15 week semester
Approximate 2/3 to ¾ of program
students are part –time students
working full time.
 Major Professor
Public Health Professional of 30 + years of
Experience
Certified Industrial Hygienist
BS Animal Science University of TN- 69
Masters in Public Health U of Oklahoma-74
Ph.D. Environmental Health (Conc. I.H.)-94)
Personal Philosophy of Teaching
Occupational Health and Safety
Safety is an applied discipline and
academic courses can only take you part
of the way to the goal of being an SHE
professional.
Life long learning on the job, professional
organizations, short courses, professional
conferences and professional interaction
must be practiced as well.
Personal Philosophy of Teaching
Occupational Health and Safety
Courses will include regular tests usually a
combination of short answer, multiple choice,
matching, discussion, calculations (IH) and
discussion.
Take home “discussion question exams”
Most Courses will involve writing such as a
technical paper, term paper, safety program
chapter, “Company” OEL justification etc.
An oral presentation (PowerPoint) on an
assigned topic is a usual requirement.
Personal Philosophy of Teaching
Occupational Health and Safety

The Occupation Health and Safety

Program at MTSU must be a generalist
program. It is not designed to be either
a pure Safety or Industrial Hygiene
program but is a blend of both with a
minor amount of Environmental
considerations.
MTSU Occupational Health and
Safety and Industry Interactions
In order to force more “real world”
experience into our courses there is
usually one industry component to each
course.
Safety Hazard Assessments, JSA or JHAs,
Industrial Hygiene Assessments and
Sampling, producing with policies on
various topic are typical assignments
Industries that have Assisted with
Student projects
Saturn Corp.
Bridgestone-Firestone
Calsonic
Eaton
Paulo
Goodrich Landing Gear Co
Numerous others independent studies by
student/employees
 Courses in OH&S - Major
Safety Planning (ETIS 6010): The human
Side of Safety includes discussion into history of
safety movement, accident causation theory,
safety motivation techniques, Worker Comp, EAP
Programs, Accident Investigation & Reporting,
ADA, FMLA, Workplace Violence Programs,
Safety Committees, Worker Stress & Psychology
Human Resource Management, Environmental
and Quality Management Programs related to
safety ISO 9000, ISO14,000, OHSA 18,000,
Training Methods and Techniques
Courses in Occupational Health and
Safety Major
Safety Technology & Engineering (ETIS 6020)
More Technical Areas
Topics: Risk Analysis, Data and Information Sources,
OSHA programs
Machine Guarding, LOTO, Machine Guarding, Electrical
Safety, Fire Prevent and Control, Waling & Working
Surface Hazards, Fall Protection Hazards, PPE, Haz.
Comm., Chemical Hygiene and Process Safety
Management, Metal Working Hazards
Transportation Safety
Excavation and Trenching
Course is my advanced version of
OSHA 501 course – OSHA 30 hour card
 Courses in OH&S - Major

Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (ETIS

6040)
A projects based Course that has three
components:
Environmental Assessment either ISO 14,000
or Phase I Site Assessment Exercise
Indoor Air Quality Assessment (CO2, CO, Mold,
Humidity)
Ventilation System Assessment (Exhaust
Ventilation and General Dilution Ventilation
measurement and written assessment.
Courses in OH&S - Major
Industry Hygiene ET-4540/5450: History
of IH, Respiratory System, Occupational
Disease, Sampling Gases, Vapors and
Particulates, Calculations,
Noise Assessment, Hearing Conservation, and
Noise Control
Heat Stress, Non-Ionizing Radiation, Laser
Safety
Incorporates 3 sampling “Lab” experiences.
 Courses in OH&S - Major

ETIS 6070: Anthropometric Factors in

Accident Prevention: An introduction to
ergonomic factors in injury and accident
prevention
 Courses in OH&S - Major

Air, Noise and Hazardous Waste

(EST-4780/4780):
Course examine Air Pollution,
Environmental Noise and Hazardous
Materials Response and Incorporates a
24 hour Hazardous Materials Response
Course into the course. A separate
certificate is give for the 24 hour HazMat
Response portion of the Course.
 Courses in OH&S - Major

Industrial Safety ET 4420/5420: Required

of all departmental majors. Basic OSHA
Programs Text is “Safety for Supervisors”
Fire Safety ET 4440/5440: Fire Hazards,
Prevention Techniques and Systems ,
Fire Prevention and Inspection
techniques.
Courses in OH&S - Major
Thesis Research (ETIS 6640)
Methods of Research (ETIS 6620)
Independent Study Courses
 ETIS 6510/6520: Problems in Industrial
Studies
 ETIS 6910/6920: Problems in Engineering
Technology
 Summary
Strong Points of The MTSU OHS Program:
 Easy Commuting Distance from majority of
Middle Tennessee
 Night program geared toward the part-time
student
 A Generalist Program that provides entry level
experience and training in Occupational Health
and Safety. Teaches information gather
techniques and OSH program building techniques
and sources
 Program Flexibility to tailor the program to
interest of the student