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BS, Safety Technology

Welcome

Virtually every organization today depends on safety experts to ensure a safe, smooth and effective operation. These professionals address their organization's immediate safety needs, which range from creating physically safer work places and modifying employee behaviors to implementing voluntary protection programs that go beyond legal standards. Safety professionals protect resources such as workers, buildings, equipment, intellectual capital and corporate reputations. There is growing industry demand for safety professionals who can assume leadership positions soon after entering the work force. If you see yourself working in the safety field, RIT can give you the skills you need to set yourself apart and accelerate your career.

RIT's safety programs were built by leading safety professionals and based on current and emerging strategies for managing safety aspects of an organization. In the safety technology BS program, you'll build on your foundation of science and math with specialized courses in a wide range of subjects, including occupational safety, fire protection, construction safety, incident investigation, human factors and more. The safety technology curriculum emphasizes creative problem solving through challenging application-based courses, and you'll have the opportunity to solve actual safety problems provided by the industry.
RIT is one of only a handful of universities that offer a bachelor's degree in safety. The curriculum was developed to satisfy the requirements for accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

At RIT, you'll learn from faculty members who have significant industry experience. They bring today's work place issues directly into the classroom and use real-world examples to illustrate key safety concepts. Your professors will be among your most important resources at RIT, sharing their expertise and insights with you and providing advice about careers. You'll benefit from the chance to know them as mentors, advisers and friends who are dedicated to helping you succeed.

Safety Technology, BS and Certificate

 

Mission:

The mission of the safety technology program is to provide an academically challenging program that prepares graduates with the skills and knowledge to address their organization's immediate and long term safety needs, including protection and preservation of workers, buildings, equipment and corporate reputations. This includes creating physically safer workplaces and modifying employee behaviors. This also may include implementing voluntary protection programs that go beyond legal and regulatory standards. This program will respond to the changing needs of society by being able to be completed through traditional or nontraditional (distance) means.

  

Program Educational Objectives:

 

The program will prepare graduate that are:

 

  1. qualified to practice as safety professionals in industry, government, or other related areas of employment;
  2. able to progress toward safety management (leadership) positions;
  3. able to pursue appropriate advanced education or certification as safety professionals.

TWO OPTIONS ENHANCE YOUR CAREER POTENTIAL

You may enter the upper-division safety technology BS program from a wide variety of associate degree programs or with two years of college, including appropriate courses in math, science and liberal arts. The certificate program is perfect for professionals already in possession of technical degrees who find themselves working in the safety arena or for safety professionals who wish to keep their credentials up-to-date. Both programs can be completed on a part-time basis.

 

A FAST TRACK TO PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

The hallmark of professional capability in the field of safety is the certified safety professional (CSP) designation. In order to sit for the two exams leading to the CSP, an individual must have academic preparation in addition to work experience in the safety field. All students completing RIT's safety technology bachelor's degree program will be eligible to take the associate safety professional examination upon graduation. Eligibility for the CSP examination occurs once the graduate has acquired enough appropriate work experience (usually four years). RIT has structured the safety technology BS program to be at the leading edge of this field, providing you with high-quality

academic preparation and relevant work experience.

INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS AND ADVICE

RIT's strong ties with government agencies, leading corporations, professional associations and other organizations in the environmental, safety and health industries have enabled us to shape our safety programs to the needs of today's marketplace. Our industry advisory committee consists of active and important members of the professional community. These advisers provide input on the direction of the industry and also serve as an excellent network of professional contacts and employment opportunities for students and graduates.

 

CO-OP GIVES YOU A COMPETITIVE EDGE

Today's employers are looking for ambitious graduates who have professional work experience in addition to a quality academic background. At RIT, you'll get both. Because the upper-division safety technology program requires a minimum of three quarters (nine months) of cooperative education (co-op), you'll get the chance to apply your skills in real-world situations before you graduate. RIT co-op students have worked for government agencies, nonprofit organizations, construction and manufacturing firms, and consulting companies in all areas of management, research, technology and operations.