There is a growing demand for Environmental Safety and Health (ESH) professionals as businesses and organizations respond to heightened market and societal expectations regarding the consequences of business activities. The Master of Science in Environmental Safety and Health program prepares graduates for advanced roles in either the public or private sector. Above and beyond regulatory compliance, the curriculum examines risk management, environmental stewardship, economic impact, and other critical issues.
The MS ESH program is offered 100 percent online and uses an innovative part-time model. Most courses are delivered in sequential 8-week class sessions. Students typically complete their studies in about two years. The program requires a total of 30 or 36 credits of coursework, depending on the program option selected. See Degree Requirements tab for more information.
Our MS ESH has been reviewed by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals and approved as a GSP® Qualified Academic Program. This ensures the curriculum is a substantial match for the Associate Safety Professional® exam blueprint, and graduates can apply to receive the GSP designation. You will learn from full-time, Ph.D. faculty with advanced degrees, industry certifications, and extensive experience in industry, government, and academia. Furthermore, the college's reputation and regional accreditation are acknowledged by employers and other higher education institutions.
The Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is committed to providing a high quality, collaborative and fully online Master of Science in Environmental Safety and Health to working professionals around the world. The goal of the MS ESH program is to deliver an interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates previous and new learning experiences, which enhances the student's intellect, scientific expertise and professional integrity. Our academically and professionally qualified faculty is dedicated to the advancement of the Environmental Safety and Health field, and assisting students to achieve their personal learning goals.
Admission to the Master of Science in Environmental Safety and Health requires:
Exceptions to the admission requirements may be made on a case-by-case basis. Due to competitive enrollments, admission may be limited despite fulfillment of the entrance requirements shown here. Please email or call us at (262) 472-1945 to see if you could be admitted on a conditional basis.
Candidates who do not qualify for admission can consider the Master of Business Administration with Environmental Health and Safety emphasis as an alternative.
*Individuals who do not have the required one year of full-time professional experience in environmental safety and health can be enrolled in the program with prerequisite requirements. These prerequisites can be viewed in the Graduate Catalog under the heading ESH Common Body of Knowledge.
Apply online today. Review the application process and deadlines.
The Master of Science in Environmental Health and Safety degree requires 30 or 36 credits of coursework, depending on the program option selected. Most MS ESH courses are delivered in sequential 8-week class sessions. Students completing all courses in a timely fashion should be able to conclude their studies in about two years.
View course information in the Graduate Catalog for more details as well as the most current course list.
View course information in the Graduate Catalog for more details and the most current course list.
MS ESH students pursuing the 36-credit coursework option must complete at least 6 of the 12 credits of electives from SAFETY. Up to six credits may be completed from the MBA emphasis courses.
Individuals who do not have the required one year of full-time professional experience in environmental safety and health can be enrolled in the program with prerequisite requirements. These prerequisites can be viewed in the Graduate Catalog under the heading ESH Common Body of Knowledge.
The Master of Science in Environmental Safety and Health degree program's instructional body is made up of professionals with advanced degrees in engineering and science, and with wide experience in industry, government and academia. All faculty teaching in the MS ESH program hold doctoral degrees. Members of the faculty hold at least one professional certification and many hold multiple ones, including: Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE), Professional Engineer (PE), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Registered Health Specialist/Sanitarian, and Registered Environmental Manager (REM). An overview of key faculty's experience and qualifications is provided below. You may also view a complete list of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health faculty for both bachelor's and master's programs in the College Business and Economics.
Dr. Ahn has extensive experience in teaching, research, and services in occupational and environmental hygiene and environmental sciences. Before he came to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, he taught at the University of Michigan and at Hunter College of The City University of New York. He also worked at the Environment, Health, and Safety Office of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at the Department of Environment, Health and Safety of the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill as an industrial hygienist. His research interests include ventilation applications in laboratory and industry environments, exposure assessment methods and controls for airborne hazards, internationally common urban environmental health & safety issues, and occupational & environmental noise exposure assessment.
Tracy Buchman is an Assistant Professor in the Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health Department at UW-Whitewater. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in fire protection/prevention, industrial accident prevention and disaster planning. Tracy received her Doctorate in Health Administration (DHA) at the University of Phoenix. She has over twenty-five years of professional practice, research and teaching in the fields of Safety, Security and Emergency Management, and has held several consultant and advisory positions with the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) and National Hospital Incident Command System (HICS). Tracy has made numerous presentations at national and international conferences. She is a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Healthcare Practice Specialty and the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS).
Dr. Choi is a nationally and internationally recognized scholar with extensive knowledge and experience in the occupational ergonomics and industrial safety fields. He has produced more than one hundred publications and has been invited multiple times to be as the keynote speaker at prestigious national and international conferences. Dr. Choi is a strong proponent of efforts to integrate research into the ESH practice and is dedicated to bridging the gap between academia and the ESH profession. He is an OSHA-approved outreach instructor for construction and industrial safety. He is a professional member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), National Safety Council (NSC), and Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES). Dr. Choi is also serving as the Editor for the American Society of Safety Engineer's Journal of Safety, Health, and Environmental Research.
Dr. Loushine has over 15 years of field experience from Minnesota OSHA, Workplace Safety Consultation, Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, UW-Madison, and private consulting/expert witness opportunities. Dr. Loushine is a professional member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), and currently participates on the editorial review board for the Professional Safety Journal. His areas of specialty include: Job and work system analysis, workforce perception surveys, identification of critical system and policy incongruencies, integration of safety and quality management, re-engineering for optimal safety, ergonomics, and performance.
Dr. Taveira has over twenty years of professional practice in the fields of Human Factors/Ergonomics and Safety as a college professor, researcher, and consultant. His experience includes projects in multiple work environments including agriculture, steel production, mining, railroading, retailing and office settings projects, and in the consumer products area as well. Professor Taveira has over 60 peer-reviewed publications and has made multiple presentations at national and international conferences. His academic experience comprises teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in Human Factors/Ergonomics, Behavioral Aspects of Accident Prevention, Product Safety, and in a number of safety-related courses. He is a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), and of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
Dr. Vosburgh is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Sanitarian and has worked as a Public Health Sanitarian for non-community public water supplies in Minnesota. She is a member of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), Wisconsin American Industrial Hygiene Association, and the National Environmental Health Association.
Environmental Safety and Health professionals with advanced credentials are in high demand. Based on a 2018 survey by the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP),1 the median base salary for full-time professionals is $97,000 and 22 percent of respondents earn $125,000 or more. ESH professionals with a master's degree earn an average of $9,000 more per year than those with a bachelor's degree, and those with an industry-specific licensure/certification such as CSP can earn $20,000 more per year than those without. Information from surveyed UW-Whitewater graduates is shared below, along with the industry-reported salary data.
100%
AECOM, Alliant Energy, ConAgra Foods, First in Rescue Safety & Training, Gundersen Health System, M3 Insurance, Oshkosh Corporation, Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Corporate Safety Officer, EHS Specialist, Liability Claims Specialist, Safety Director, Worker's Compensation Specialist
$97,000
1 BCSP SH&E Industry Salary Survey, 2018
2 Self-reported data from graduate survey respondents