Each day an average of 15 people die due to workplace hazards in the United States alone. UC Berkeley graduates in Exposure Assessment and Control are key members of a team of technical and clinical professionals committed to preventing job-related disease and injury. The specialization of recognizing, evaluating, and controlling exposure to harmful agents in the workplace is is called Industrial or Occupational Hygiene.
 
The Exposure Assessment and Control Program at Berkeley is part of the Environmental Health Sciences Division. It offers qualified candidates the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.), M.S., or Ph.D. degree through an innovative, flexible course of study. Graduates are uniquely prepared for a wide range of professional practice opportunities in occupational environments and beyond.
 
Agents that harm the body include:

• Toxic or carcinogenic chemicals
• Biological pathogens like anthrax
• Physical agents like radiation, noise, or excessive heat

When a hazard is present, the health risk to exposed people must be evaluated based on the intensity of the exposure. Exposure assessment is the specialized field that measures or estimates the degree of exposure to harmful agents. This sometimes involves direct measurements of exposure, for example amounts of a chemical agent in the air that an individual breathes, or study of body movement in cases of physical stressors. It can also involve estimation of exposure levels through modeling based on contaminant emission rates, atmospheric factors, and the location of the exposed population. If exposures approach or exceed acceptable levels, control strategies are devised and implemented to reduce them to safe levels. Controls can involve substituting a less toxic chemical, redesigning or enclosing a source or process to reduce emissions, or, as a last resort in the occupational setting, using personal protective equipment.

Under the Exposure Assesment and Control program students can earn a two-year Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) or Master of Science (M.S.) degree, or a Ph.D. degree, which generally takes four or more years.
 
M.S. students pursue a curriculum similar to that for the M.P.H., with the addition of an original research project. For further information, see the M.S. page.
 
Ph.D. Students design a course program geared toward their research topic. Students also take courses in two minor areas. For further information, see the Ph.D. page.

Industrial Hygienists generally work as part of a team involving physicians, nurses, safety professionals, toxicologists, epidemiologists, and engineers. The team integrates the expertise of these public health specialties to work effectively with exposed populations to prevent health damage. Graduates with the M.P.H. have a valuable skill set that is in steady demand for occupational and environmental safety and health positions. Often they have a career choice either to develop their technical skills or broaden into supervisor or management positions.
 
Private Employers
 
Graduates develop and implement company health and safety plans to protect employees and ensure compliance with OSHA and other regulations, including chemical safety and right-to-know programs that cover communities impacted by their operations. Some companies rely on private consultants for exposure assessment and design of controls; many alumni find exciting careers with these consulting firms.
 
Public Sector
 
At regulatory agencies (such as CalOSHA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) our alumni carry out a variety of activities, including on-site inspections to ensure compliance with standards, risk assessment, standards development, and providing consultation services.
 
Scientific agencies (such as the California Department of Health Services and the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) and universities hire graduates to conduct research or perform field studies involving exposure assessment and control.
 
Graduates work with large public agencies which have environmental and occupational safety and health staff to protect their employees and ensure compliance with regulations.
 
International Opportunities
 
As manufacturing and business become increasingly global, the demand for program graduates in international settings will also grow. U.S.-based multinational companies frequently have health and safety professionals in their major operating locations worldwide.
 
Salaries
 
Salaries for M.P.H. graduates vary by type of employer, level of responsibility and other factors. The job market has been robust for Berkeley graduates in Industrial Hygiene. According to a recent salary survey*:

• The median annual salary for professionals with less than five years of experience in the field is $67,000.
• The median annual salary for professionals with 10-15 years of experience is $83,000.

* Reported in a 2003 salary survey conducted by the American Industrial Hygiene Association

For the past 35 years we have supported our students through a training grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This support generally covers both years of the masters' programs. Ph.D. students combine a traineeship with research funding arranged in coordination with faculty.

For a list of course requirements, please consult the student handbook.

For more information about the Exposure Assessment and Control Program contact:
Professor Mark Nicas
mnicas@berkeley.edu
 
For general degree program information contact:
The EHS Graduate Assistant
ehs_div@berkeley.edu