Learn More About Our Degree
Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety and Health Management
We offer one of the few, four-year Occupational Safety and Health Management degrees on the West Coast. CWU is traditionally among the best higher-education values in the state of Washington, offering small class sizes, hands-on learning opportunities, high job-placement rates, and a welcoming culture that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and prioritizes student success.
The program enrolls around 20 students in each year's SHM cohort who will study the safety technical classes together over the next two years. Smaller class sizes, with a focus on “hands-on" labs, allow faculty to mentor students one on one and meet the needs of a diverse student population. Our program attracts learners from various backgrounds who are interested in gaining real-world experience and activity-based learning.
Learn more about how to join our program, student resources, and our mission, objectives, and outcomes below.
The CWU SHM Degree
The SHM degree is offered on our Ellensburg, WA campus and is often paired with the Risk Management or Construction minors. For information regarding admission requirements or required and elective courses, please reference the 2026-2027 Academic Catalog.
For additional insights on cost, visit the registrar.
If you are interested in the B.S. in Safety and Health Management, be sure to explore the resources available below.
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Mission, Objectives, and Outcomes
Mission Statement
The Safety and Health Management program mission is to prepare students to be excellent, industry-ready safety professionals who have the confidence and leadership capabilities to navigate the complex organizational and knowledge networks necessary to succeed in contemporary safety and health management.
SHM Core (Aspirational) Values
The SHM program is committed to achieving the following shared values:
- Excellence
- Professionalism
- Leadership
Program Educational Objectives for the B.S.in Safety and Health Management (SHM) Program
- Graduates will be employed in the safety and health discipline or a career of their choice upon graduation.
- Graduates will be prepared to develop,implement, and manage occupational safety and health programs within a diverse workplace.
- Graduates will continue their life-long learning through contribution to professional safety societies and organizations, professional activities and training, the pursuit of higher educational degrees, and individual professional development.
- Graduates will act in an inclusive,professional and ethical manner.
- Graduates will have good communication skills and are able to effectively work in teams.
SHM Student Outcomes for the B.S. in Safety and Health Management (SHM) Program
- Identify, formulate, and solve broadly defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
- Formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet desired needs.
- Develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data and use scientific judgment to draw conclusions.
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- Understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- Function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.
- Recognize the need to engage in life-long learning in a chosen professional career.
Enrollment and Graduation Data
The following list shows the recent enrollment and graduation figures for the Bachelor of Science degree program in Safety and Health Management.
Academic Year - Enrollment - BS Degrees Awarded
- 2024-2025 - 44 - 11
- 2023-2024 - 31 - 26
- 2022-2023 - 58 - 20
- 2021-2022 - 72 - 26
- 2020-2021 - 80 - 26
- 2019-2020 - 120 - 37
- 2018-2019 - 117 - 27
- 2017-2018 - 98 - 34
- 2016-2017 - 111 - 41
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SHM Curriculum
Our SHM curriculum was updated in 2020-21 through the joint efforts of the SHM program’s faculty and our industry advisory council’s curriculum committee. The new curriculum aligns with accreditation requirements, while meeting contemporary employment practices. The curriculum adds courses covering important topics, such as substance abuse in the workplace, business law, ergonomics, safety and health laboratory, and project management. Please refer the SHM policies and procedures handbook for information regarding admission into the SHM program.
B.S. in Safety and Health Management Curriculum
Foundation Courses Credits: 33-35
- BIOL 201 - Human Physiology Credits: (5)
- ECON 130 - Foundations for Business Analytics Credits: (5)
- MATH 153 - Pre-Calculus Mathematics I Credits: (5)
- PHYS 106 - Physics Inquiry Credits: (5)
- OR PHYS 111 - Introductory Physics I with Laboratory Credits: (5)
- PSY 101 - General Psychology Credits: (5)
Choose one of the following chemistry courses: (5)
- CHEM 101 - Chemistry and Planet Earth Credits: (5)
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OR CHEM 111 - Introduction to Chemistry Credits: (4)
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- CHEM 111LAB - Introductory Chemistry Laboratory Credits: (1)
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OR CHEM 181 - General Chemistry I Credits: (4)
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- CHEM 181LAB - General Chemistry Laboratory I Credits: (1)
Choose one of the following professional writing courses: (3-5)
- ENG 111 - Writing in the Sciences Credits: (5)
- ENG 310 - Technical Writing Credits: (4)
- ENG 311 - Business Writing Credits: (3)
Professional Management Courses Credits: 27-29
- BUS 241 - Legal Environment of Business Credits: (5)
- COM 345 - Business and Professional Speaking Credits: (4)
- HRM 381 - Management of Human Resources Credits: (5)
Choose one of the following statistics courses: (5)
- BUS 221 - Introductory Business Statistics Credits: (5)
- MATH 211 - Statistical Concepts and Methods Credits: (5)
Choose one of the following management courses: (4-5)
- MGT 380 - Organizational Management Credits: (5)
- PSY 456 - Industrial and Organizational Psychology Credits: (4)
Choose one of the following project management courses: (4-5)
- ADMG 374 - Project Management Credits: (5)
- ETSC 455 - Engineering Project Management Credits: (4)
Technical Courses Credits: 67
- SHM 301 - Introduction to the Occupational Safety and Health Profession Credits: (2)
- SHM 302 - Total Worker Health Credits: (3)
- SHM 323 - Construction Safety and Health Credits: (3)
- SHM 325 - General Industry Safety and Health Credits: (3)
- SHM 351 - Incident Analysis and Learning Credits: (3)
- SHM 353 - Risk and Insurance Credits: (4)
- SHM 371 - Emergency Management, Planning and Preparedness Credits: (4)
- SHM 377 - Hazardous Materials Management Credits: (4)
- SHM 379 - Management of Facility Hazards and Fire Safety Credits: (4)
- SHM 454 - Risk Management Principles and Practices Credits: (4)
- SHM 470 - Safety in Complex Sociotechnical Systems Credits: (3)
- SHM 471 - Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene Credits: (4)
- SHM 472 - Ergonomics and Human Factors Credits: (4)
- SHM 474 - Advanced Safety and Health Management Systems Credits: (4)
- SHM 477 - Environmental Safety and Sustainability Program Management Credits: (4)
- SHM 481 - Evolving Issues in Safety and Health Management Credits: (2)
- SHM 485 - Safety and Health Management Capstone I Credits: (3)
- SHM 486 - Safety and Health Management Capstone II Credits: (2)
- SHM 490 - Cooperative Education Credits: (1-12) (Must be taken for at least 6 credits)
Total Credits: 127-131
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Course Fees
Please see the CWU course catalog to check if course fees apply to you.
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Program History
The roots of the BS-SHM degree can be tracked back to academic year 1974-75 when a 20 credit minor in OSH was first offered under the Safety Education (SED) Program. The SED program included two full-time tenure-track (TT) faculty members, Dr. Duane Patton and Dr. Ron Hales. On January 8, 1975, Dr. Patton submitted a proposal for a new Bachelor of Science in OSH to the CWU Faculty Senate, which was approved unanimously. The purpose of the integrated interdisciplinary OSH Major was to provide an education program for aspiring safety personnel in the region. Throughout name changes – to Loss Control Management and then Safety and Health Management – over the last 48 years, the program has graduated more than 750 OSH professionals. More than 80 percent of them are now employed in Washington, Oregon, and California, where the majority work in construction, insurance, and manufacturing.
Careers and Outcomes
Safety professionals save lives and increase organizational effectiveness everyday. Through hazard analysis and risk reduction, they create safe and healthy work settings in industries such as agriculture, petrochemical, government, construction, insurance, and many more. OS&H professionals use a variety of concepts and principles from diverse areas such as business administration, enforcement, engineering, health, risk management, and statistics to prevent harm to people, property, and the environment.
A degree in safety opens the door to incredibly diverse career options. OS&H professionals are essential members of every organization all across the world.
Our students have a near 100% job placement, with average entry-level salaries of $90,000 or more per year.
Industry Support
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Industry Advisory Council
About Our Industry Advisory Council
Our Industry Advisory Council (IAC) was re-established in March 2012 to help the program achieve accreditation and become nationally recognized; provide feedback on curriculum, facilities, and in meeting industry needs; assisting in resource development and job placement; and serve as program advocates. It meets twice a year.
We are privileged to have the following serve as council members and thank them for their time and efforts.
- Tony Campbell, Bechtel, Richland, WA
- Gavin Banks, Turner Construction Company, Anaheim, CA
- Brian Clarke ‛87 – G.E.W. LLC, Battle Ground, WA
- Doug Cooper '87 - Alaska National Insurance Company, Seattle, WA
- Kate Crawford – STACK Infrastructure, Denver (Chair)
- Shon Decries- Propel Insurance, Oregon
- Dan Donovan ‛01, – Qualtrics XM
- John Hogan – DPR Construction, Seattle, WA
- Mandi Kime ‛01, '21 – Associated General Contractors of WA, Seattle, WA
- Kristi May- Hensel Phelps, Washington
- Mary McCurdy '10, '21 – Lamb Weston, Richland, WA
- Bill Mitzel ‛86 – Compassion International, Issaquah, WA
- Chase Parmenter, Clearwater Paper Corporation
- Boyd Sylvester – STACK Infrastructure
- Pamela Walaski, Specialty Technical Consultants, Inc
- Gary Wilson ‛88 – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Ridgefield, WA
- Rick Zellen – Zurich Insurance, Denver, CO
Emeritus Members
- Jessica Richardson
- Jill Jones
- Stacia Rivera ‛00
- Craig Blackwood
- Jerry Shupe
- Jim Smoltz
- John Sinclair
- Leslie Weige
- Micheal Octave
- Mike Draper
- Mike Fallon
- Richard Andrews
- Roger Lis
- Rick Fineman
- Bill Yahn
- Ted Davis
- Clark Sumners
- Bill Hinton
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American Society of Safety Professionals Student Section
About
ASSP is a global association of occupational safety professionals representing more than 34,000 members worldwide. The Society is also a visible advocate for SH&E professionals through proactive government affairs at the federal and state levels, and in member-led relationships with key federal safety and health agencies.
ASSP members create safer work environments by preventing workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses. Besides recording less lost time and lower workers’ compensation costs, organizations with strong safety performance enjoy increased productivity, a better reputation and higher employee satisfaction.
CWU is proud to host the only student section of ASSP in Washington State. The student section works with our parent chapter, industry leaders, and alumni to create engaging experiences for our members and networking opportunities for our students. To get involved with the student section, please contact the student section faculty advisor.
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Donors
CWU’s SHM Program produces the best, brightest, and most highly sought-after future safety professionals in the nation. This is in large part due to the generous support it receives through your donations of money, equipment, and time. From recruiting quality students, to exceptional faculty instruction, to a state-of-the-art learning environment, your investment in SHM continues to support student success, resulting in direct and positive impacts on the safety profession. We want to thank the following SHM donors. We sincerely appreciate your generosity.
Alumni and Friends
- Brian A. Clarke
- Lori J. Ballard
- Michael J. Fallon
- Kathryn W. Hales
- Lee C. Haslam
- Janelle M. Heflen
- Wendy L. Hogan
- Anthony Howard
- Jill K. Jones
- Amanda R. Kime
- Daniel C. Lemiere
- James E. Lindsey
- Bill D. Mitzel
- Sean W. Norman
- Bradley J. Pettit
- Michael Octave
- Brian D. Patton
- Robert R. Rosales
- William R. Smith
- Susan A. Wood
- Jerry Shupe
- Steven J. Tusa
- William A. Yahn
Corporations and Other Organizations
- Brian and Elizabeth Clarke ASSP Student Section Endowment
- American Society of Safety Professionals
- Construction Safety Summit
- G.E.W. LLC Solutions In Safety
- Heill Safety Solutions LLC
- Marion Construction Company
- Mortenson Construction
- Swinerton Builders
- The Boeing Company
- The Swinerton Foundation
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Alumni Network
Safety and Health Management Alumni
Share Your News!
We want to include news and updates of what our alumni are doing on our alumni Spotlight posts on our LinkedIn page. Send us your latest news (within six months), such as awards and recognitions, for inclusion in our next post to our Program Student Assistant. Please include the following information:
Name, Mailing, and E-mail Address
Company Name and Address
Work and Cell Phone Numbers
Year of Graduation and your NewsGet Involved
We need your support to build our program’s alumni network. Alumni participation is critical to our continued success. Please talk to program graduates in your network, and encourage them to get involved. Ways to participate include:
• Attend program social events
• Share your success stories in the program newsletter
• Serve as a guest speakers in various SHM classes
• Hold safety certification (OSHA 10, etc.) workshops for the students
• Encourage your employer to hire interns and graduates from the program
• Become member of the Industry Advisory Council
• Encourage your employer to financially support the program
• Commit to making a program suggested minimum annual donation of $50 to the program. -
Add Your Support
We need your support to build our program!
Ways to participate include:
• Attend program social events
• Share your success stories in the program newsletter
• Serve as a guest speakers in various SHM classes
• Hold safety certification (OSHA 10, etc.) workshops for the students
• Encourage your employer to hire interns and graduates from the program
• Become member of the Industry Advisory Council
• Encourage your employer to financially support the program
• Commit to making a program suggested minimum annual donation of $50 to the program.Give to OSHM
Your contribution to the SHM program is needed to help us achieve an even higher level of excellence, as we produce the best, brightest, and most highly sought-after future safety professionals. There are many ways to give, such as general SHM support, faculty development, laboratory/equipment purchases, student scholarships, and ASSE student chapter support.
Thank you for supporting SHM program's commitment to excellence.
Interested in giving?
You can do so through thte CWU Foundation office
Our main priorities are to fund the Dr. Patton Scholarship Endowment, and the SHM Program Support Fund, which will be utilized towards recruitment efforts to increase student diversity. For more information regarding making a gift, contact Julia Sager.
CWU Foundation, 400 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7507
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