Industrial Hygiene (IH)
Introduction to the Program
Gurumurthy Ramachandran, PhD, CIH, Program Director
The Industrial Hygiene (IH) program is concerned with the health and safety of people at work, and the community at large. Specific concerns are with the recognition, evaluation and control of potential workplace hazards, including chemical, physical and biological agents; and the potential health threats to the community and the environment.
The degree options for this program are a Master of Public Health (MPH), a Master of Science (MS), and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Health.
Hazardous Substances Academic Training (HSAT) is a sub-specialty within the IH track that trains master's level professionals with an emphasis in hazardous wastes and hazardous materials health and safety management.
Learn more about our HSAT sub-specialty
The Industrial Hygiene Master's (MPH and MS) programs are accredited (2008 to 2014) by the American Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET).
Degree Options
The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree is for students who plan to work as practitioners in industry or government agencies. This degree includes required management and behavioral sciences courses. Students are admitted to the School of Public Health's environmental health major. A full-time program of study takes two years, including course and project work, and practicum.
The Master of Science (MS) degree is designed for both practitioners and for those planning careers in research or academia. Course work is similar to the MPH degree with more emphasis placed on acquiring quantitative and research skills. Students are admitted to the Graduate School's program in environmental health. This option also requires two years to complete the degree requirements.
The primary objective of the PhD program is to bring students to a high level of academic competence through a combination of advanced course work and research. These students are expected to go on to provide leadership in the field of occupational health and hygiene in education, government and corporate spheres. Students develop their dissertation topics from a funded research project. Prospective doctoral students must have fulfilled the requirements of the master's program, or their equivalent, before admission to the program, or they may take additional courses to meet that level of knowledge once admitted.
The Industrial Hygiene Master's (MPH and MS) programs are accredited (2008 to 2014) by the American Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET).
Curriculum
The 2011-12 curriculum for the IH and HSAT MS and MPH specialty programs is available as a pdf download.
Careers
The importance of the field of Industrial Hygiene has grown rapidly in recent years as society increasingly recognizes the need to maintain healthy and safe working environments. This has produced a climate where exciting and valuable career opportunities exist for well-qualified practitioners and researchers in industry, government organizations, and academic and research institutions.
Read "What is an Industrial Hygienist" to learn more about working in the field of industrial hygiene.
View Alumni Profiles to read what our IH alumni have to say about their current careers and their educational experience at the University of Minnesota.
Common Job Titles:
Air Quality Specialist
Hazardous Materials Specialist
Industrial Hygienist
Professor
Types of Employers:
Local Health Departments
State Health Departments
Other State Agencies
Corporations
Colleges and Universities
Government Agencies
Salary Ranges:
Salary and Benefits Information (from aiha.org)
Faculty Information
Gurumurthy Ramachandran, PhD, CIH
IH Program Director, Professor
phone: 612-626-5428
ramac002@umn.edu
Research Interests: Occupational and ambient exposure assessment, Bayesian methods in retrospective exposure assessment, exposure modeling, inhalation dosimetry for mixed exposures, aerosol measurements, theoretical and experimental studies on design of aerosol samplers, and inversion methodology.
Lisa Brosseau, ScD, CIH
Associate Professor
phone: 612-624-3143
brosseau@umn.edu
Research Interests: Performance of respiratory protection devices; aerosol measurement; filtration; employee health and safety in small businesses, intervention effectiveness studies.
Peter Raynor, PhD
Associate Professor
phone: 612-625-7135
praynor@umn.edu
Research Interests: Air filtration; air pollution control; measurement of volatile aerosols; metalworking fluids; aerosol physics; biological aerosols; exposure assessment.
Additional Information and Resources
3M Company has established a paid internship program for industrial hygiene students, which will involve up to 899 hours of work conducting exposure assessments and similar activities at a variety of 3M locations. Students may use these internship experiences to fulfill their PUBH 7196 Field Experience requirements. Consultation with and approval from an academic advisor are required prior to using an internship appointment for the field experience requirement.
American Industrial Hygiene Association
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is a national organization for professionals working in the field of industrial hygiene or related fields. With approximately 15,000 members, this organization is based in Washington DC and carries out considerable lobbying and volunteer-based activities (through committees and other groups). Many states have one or more local sections of the AIHA, which are affiliated with the national association. Membership in the national organization (AIHA) is separate from membership in the local sections. The AIHA organizes and sponsors the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition each year (usually held in May or June). The organization publishes a long-standing industrial hygiene journal: AIHA Journal.
The Upper Midwest Section of the AIHA has members from North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This section has regular meetings during the year (September to June), usually at lunchtime on the third Thursdays of the month. The membership fee is very reasonable and the section will subsidize half the cost of meetings for students (luncheon meetings are usually about $15-20). It is highly recommended that you consider joining this group and participating in their meetings, which are an excellent way to meet alumni, many of who are familiar with internships and other opportunities in the Twin Cities. An additional perk is a regular annual membership directory.
American Board of Industrial Hygienists
The American Board of Industrial Hygienists is the certifying organization for the profession. Certification is an important step for most industrial hygienists-you are encouraged to review the educational, work and other requirements for obtaining and maintaining certification.
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) is a second important professional organization comprised of industrial hygienists in research, academia, and government organizations. Industrial hygienists who work for businesses may be affiliate members, but do not have voting privileges. As a student, you are eligible for a student membership with this organization.
The ACGIH has a number of technical committees, the foremost of which address Threshold Limit Values, Ventilation, Air Sampling Instruments, and Air Sampling Procedures. The organization also publishes a monthly journal: Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.
Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals
The Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals (AHMP) is a professional organization that focuses on hazardous materials management. It is comprised of 54 chapters with 7000 members; its headquarters are in Rockville MD. The Academy sponsors an annual conference.
The local North Star Chapter has a student membership fee (you can register on-line). This organization has regular meetings and a newsletter.
Institute of Hazardous Materials Management
The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM) is also located in Rockville MD. This organization manages the Certified Hazardous Materials Manger (CHMM) program, a certification in hazardous materials management based on work experience, education and a written test. This certification may be important for those industrial hygienists seeking professional work in the area of hazardous substances.
American Society of Safety Engineers
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) is a professional organization with 139 chapters and 54 student sections throughout the United States. The organization publishes the Professional Safety Journal and a newsletter and offers an annual conference. A membership application can be downloaded from the web site.
Contact
Faculty Program Director:
Gurumurthy Ramachandran, PhD, CIH
Director, Industrial Hygiene Program
Phone: 612-626-5428
Email: ramac002@umn.edu
Student Coordinator:
Khosi Nkosi, MEd, MA
Division of Environmental Sciences
Phone: 612-625-0622
Email: enhsss@umn.edu
Student Profiles
Jooyeon Hwang, MS, PhD Candidate
Jooyeon Hwang
Before getting into the IH program, I studied animal environmental sciences as a master student at Seoul National University, South Korea. I was focusing on bioaerosols and endotoxins in the atmosphere in livestock facilities for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In addition, my master’s project was on toxic air pollutants such as ammonia, sulfur oxides, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, etc., that cause adverse health effects on animals.
What made you interested in the field of Industrial Hygiene?
As I worked on my master’s project, I observed many workers who had been directly exposed to toxic gases from livestock as well as workers who were suffering from respiratory diseases. I became more interested in studying the effects of these toxins on people than their effects on livestock. I decided that I wanted to help people understand the effects of the environment on their health. I became especially interested in research in IH, including exposure assessment, hazard identification, engineering and administrative controls, and risk assessment because it seemed vital to assessing and solving contemporary environmental issues that confront us all. As I have dug deeper into IH, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the complexity of environmental issues, their universal importance, and the relevance of IH research in dealing with them.
What made you choose the University of Minnesota?
Departing from my country was the biggest challenge of my life, so I thoroughly researched my graduate school options before leaving. The University of Minnesota program’s great curriculum and esteemed faculty made me not hesitate to choose the University of Minnesota, and it has proven to be one of the best decisions I have made. The tight focus of each course on specific environmental issues has allowed me to go beyond the basics and develop a more sophisticated view of industrial hygiene, particularly air exposure assessment.
What type of job would you like to find upon completion of the program?
I would like to pursue an academic career in Environmental Health Sciences teaching and researching community-based and industrial-based environments.
What would you say to a student considering the program?
The opportunity for learning and networking in the IH program is amazing. Professors are open to answering questions for students, and lots of activities during the academic year are waiting for you, so you can get away from your textbooks for a while. A student who is seeking energy and enthusiasm will be happy to be here. The graduate students inspire each other, and field experiences will undoubtedly provide a student with the in-depth expertise necessary to achieve his or her goals in the real world.
Tracy Glenz (MS, 2008)
Tracy Glenz
BioWatch Program Coordinator
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (website)
University of Minnesota
Describe your job-what do you do, what is a typical day like?
I work as a contractor for the Department of Homeland Security’s BioWatch program, which is a nationwide bio-surveillance system designed to detect the intentional release of select aerosolized biological agents (i.e. a bioterrorism attack). 90% of my time is spent designing, conducting and evaluating exercises for cities involved in the program. I also provide expertise on environmental sampling and personal protective equipment for program guidance documents. A typical day is spent writing and coordinating various documents required for an exercise to be compliant with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program, and about seven times a year I hit the road with our exercise team to conduct and evaluate what are usually two-day exercises around the country.
What do you think is the most important part of your job?
I believe that the work that we are doing is helping to better prepare federal, state and local governments to respond to a biological agent release. If they are able to respond quickly and efficiently because of the exercises we have conducted or the guidance we have coordinated, the public’s health will be better protected.
What do you like about your job? What do you like least about your job?
I like that it is very rarely the same day twice. Because we are a small team we all have to pitch in to get the job done, so we do everything from mass printing of documents to editing presentations being given at workshops to creating elaborate scenarios for exercises. I also like we are a very professional team with no slackers, and that we have a very flexible work schedule that allows me to work from home three days a week. While I like to travel and enjoy the trips that we do, it is hard to be away from home what currently amounts to eight times a year and is probably going to increase.
What got you interested in this field?
Between getting my BS and MS I spent 7 years in the active duty Air Force as an industrial hygienist. A lot of my time was spent doing traditional IH stuff, but we also had a disaster response mission that I really enjoyed. My military background and degree in IH were what got me this job.
Where do you see yourself going in the future?
Honestly, my dream job is to be a full-time farmer. I own a 13-acre hobby farm (two horses and two cats) that I would love to turn into a business. But until that becomes a reality (several years from now) I plan to keep this job for as long as I can. I have also considered working as an IH consultant because I enjoy traditional IH work as well. I plan to take the CIH exam sometime in the next year.
What did you gain from your University of Minnesota educational experience?
I got a lot of on-the-job experience in the Air Force prior to coming to school at the U, but the classes I took reinforced what I had learned and also gave me more background on why industrial hygienists do things the way they do them.
What advice would you give someone just starting out in this field?
Get work in the field if you possibly can, either before or while you’re in school. So much of industrial hygiene (and hazardous substances work of any kind) is learned on the job, and you can’t get a feel for what we really do on a day-to-day basis from classes.