Overview

Occupational safety and health professionals who work in the oil and gas industry require a specific subset of knowledge and skills to keep their employees safe. Columbia Southern University’s B.S. in occupational safety and health with a concentration in oil and gas leverages the expertise of academic practitioners who have first-hand experience in this industry to build a curriculum that addresses the hazards found within this unique environment. This degree program has been granted the Graduate Safety Practitioner® Qualified Academic Program designation by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, allowing graduates to apply for the GSP® designation through the BCSP. This designation eliminates the need to sit for the Associate Safety Professional (ASP®) exam prior to taking the Certified Safety Professional (CSP®) exam.

CSU’s B.S. in occupational safety and health with a concentration in oil and gas meets the educational requirements mandated by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals for the ASP® and the CSP®. This degree program is also board-approved through the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM).

Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography and degree field, affect career outcomes. CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.

Program Description

The Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety and Health degree program provides students with a flexible, relevant, and current curriculum that includes opportunities for students to demonstrate a depth and breadth of knowledge in safety and health theory and technology necessary to function at the safety and health professional level in industry. This degree program has been identified as Qualified Academic Program (QAP) by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP). Individuals who graduate with a BS in the current program may apply to the BCSP for their Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) designation. This designation will allow graduates to obtain a waiver for the Associate Safety Professional (ASP) examination requirement in pursuit of their Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students should be able to do the following:

• Formulate solutions to control occupational hazards.
• Develop team-based approaches to minimize occupational hazards.
• Analyze workplaces to identify occupational hazards.
• Apply safety and health-related theory and technology.

Oil and Gas Concentration

Provides students with an opportunity to combine a general safety curriculum with an in-depth focus on safety and health in the oil and gas industry. This program of study prepares students to deal with the unique hazards commonly found in the oil and gas industry. The concentration is also beneficial for safety careers in the petro-chemical industry.

Concentration Outcomes

• Examine strategies to control hazards common to the oil and gas industry.
• Evaluate hazards commonly present at oil and gas sites and facilities.