The newest college or university EHS degree program to join ISHM’s Board Approved Degree Programs is the Bachelors of Science in Environmental Health and Safety from Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo.

To be approved for BS level credit, the major must have a minimum of 36 semester hours of safety specific courses and must include a minimum of nine semester hours of management-exclusive safety courses.

A student earning a BS in EHS from Missouri Southern is automatically qualified for the Associate Safety and Health Manager (ASHM) credential offered by Institute for Safety and Health Management (ISHM). If application is made within six months of graduation the application fee is waived. In addition, it fast-tracks the student toward becoming a Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM). Instead of the requirement for four years of experience, EHS professionals with a degree from an approved institution, such as MSSU, only have to demonstrate two years of experience in order to sit for the CSHM exam.

“We look forward to a partnership with MSSU that adds value for their students and results in better prepared, knowledgeable safety professionals as they begin their journey in this field,” said Larry Curtis, Executive Director of ISHM. MSSU’s EHS program is fully accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council.

“An added benefit for MSSU students is that the school’s EHS coursework is available as a distance learning track in addition to a campus track,” said Curtis. ISHM currently recognizes degree programs from 12 other higher education institutions in Alabama, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Texas. ISHM also accepts ABET-accredited EHS Programs, which currently includes more than 30 programs.

ASHM credentials help potential employers know that the individual has been formally educated to address safety and health issues and are ready to step into an entry level position. It is an important stepping stone to achieving accredited CSHM certification. This credential acknowledges that the individual has a broad understanding of business and financial principles, hazard analyses, accident investigation, environmental law and other safety principles, and can apply a variety of safety tools.

“Being able to provide an EHS degree plus the ISHM credential is exactly what we have been looking for,” said Dr. Mike Fletcher, REHS, Environmental Health & Safety Program Director for MSSU.

“Students that earn an EHS degree demonstrate their broad knowledge in the field. When a student can combine that with a third-party, accredited certification, it says to prospective employers that the student has met certain standards for a specific field.” Fletcher noted that the partnership with ISHM is a great marketing tool for University as well as for students, when they begin to seek a position in the workforce.

About ISHM

Institute for Safety and Health Management provides accredited certifications for Safety and Health Managers and Practitioners. It is the only HSE certification provider that focuses on the entire safety management process. It recognizes safety professionals for the education and experience they have gained and is widely accepted by Occupational Health and Safety Departments in General Industry, Construction, Oil and Gas, Utilities, Healthcare and Emergency Management markets.

Institutions interested in being considered for an ISHM Board Approved Program can download the application or call 877-201-4053.

It developed the Safety Management Professional of the Year award in 2011 to recognize safety managers who have had a significant impact on their company’s safety practices, policies and procedures, or who have demonstrated leadership and inspired others to lead. Past winners of the highly esteemed award have represented Border Security, Gaming, Aerospace, and Healthcare industries.

Nominations for the 2015 Safety Management Professional of the Year will be accepted beginning July 1, 2015. Download the form and email your nomination to manager@ishm.org.