Occupational Hygiene

Academic Degree Programs | Practical Training | Program Director | Admissions Requirements

“Occupational hygiene” promotes the health and safety of workers. The two-year Master of Science in Occupational Hygiene program trains students to assess and control chemical, physical, and microbiological hazards in the workplace that may cause illness, injury, discomfort, or inefficiency among workers. Courses are structured to provide training at both the master and doctoral levels in evaluating occupational exposures, effectiveness of intervention strategies, controls, risk assessment, work processes, risk communication, leadership, and workplace environment redesign.

Video: American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)

Academic Degree Programs

In addition to School-required basic courses in biostatistics and epidemiology, students enroll in basic environmental science courses, which include:
  • Exposure Assessment
  • Occupational Health Policy and Administration
  • Occupational Epidemiology
  • Occupational Ergonomics
  • Healthy Buildings
  • Risk Assessment

Courses are designed to address core competencies defined by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

The Doctor of Philosophy program is structured to give students exposure to three crucial areas of the research process:

  • Study design and implementation
  • Exposure assessment and statistical analysis
  • Research presentation and translation

Normally, three to four years are required following a master’s program to complete the requirements for the award of the doctoral degree.

Students visiting the Harvard Blackstone Steam Power Plant

Behind the Scenes

Students take a tour of Harvard’s Blackstone Steam Power Plant.

Students touring the roof of the Harvard Business School building.

Environmental and Health Impacts

Students on the roof of Harvard Business School discussing renewable energy and buildings.

Close up Infrared Camera

Healthy Buildings Assessment

Infrared camera used by students for forensic assessment of building performance.

Heather Henriksen, Managing Director of the Harvard Office for Sustainability

Guest Lectures

Heather Henriksen, Managing Director of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability, presenting on healthier materials and worker health.

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Graduate Careers

Examples of what students are doing after graduating:

  • Life Scientist or Supervisory Industrial Hygienists at federal agencies
  • Director of the Occupational Health Surveillance Program at state public health department
  • Environmental Health and Safety Specialist at biomedical engineering firm
  • Research Associate or Professor at public health university
  • Research lead for architectural firm
Headshot, Anna Young,, ERC alum

“In the SM and PhD programs of the ERC, I learned how to identify hazards and forensically investigate ways to enhance our health in workplaces and beyond. Our work centers around how to drive solutions and real-world interventions to reduce indoor exposure and promote public health.”

Anna Young, PhD, ERC alum

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Faculty

Program Director

Joseph Allen, D.Sc
Deputy Director, Harvard Chan Education and Research Center in Occupational Health & Safety; Director, Healthy Buildings Program; Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Health.

Headshot, Joseph Allen, Program Director ERC

“We have a massive responsibility to improve occupational health in the work environment. The new way forward ensures that public health goals align with business strategies. The ERC can help launch a career where you can make a difference in the lives of millions of people through making workplaces healthy.”

Joseph Allen, Deputy Director of the Harvard Chan Education and Research Center in Occupational Health & Safety

Program Faculty

Louis DiBerardinis, MS, CIH
Instructor in Industrial Hygiene; Director of Environment, Health, and Safety at MIT.

Jack Price, PhD, CIH, CSP
Instructor in Industrial Hygiene; Retired Director of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety at Northeastern University.

Gary Adamkiewicz, PhD
Associate Professor of Environmental Health and Exposure Disparities.

Jaime Hart, SM, ScD
Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health.

David MacIntosh, ScD, CIH
Adjunct Associate Professor of Environmental Health.

Petros Koutrakis, MS, PhD
Professor of Environmental Sciences.

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Admissions Requirements

Candidates for the master’s program should have a bachelor’s or higher degree in engineering, chemistry, physics, mathematics, or biology, and should have completed courses in differential and integral calculus, general and organic chemistry, and physics (mechanics).

Applicants to the doctoral program may be expected to complete the master’s degree requirements before being granted admission to doctoral study. Preference is given to doctoral program applicants with research experience and scientific publications.

Application materials may be requested from the:

Harvard Chan School Admissions Office
158 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA  02115-5810
Phone: 617-432-1031
Fax: 617-432-7080
admissions@hsph.harvard.edu

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