Safety professionals have a new option for attaining a doctorate in safety.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors this month approved Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Doctor of Philosophy in Safety Sciences program.

“IUP’s program is unique in that it is designed to be a very comprehensive offering, not just focused on one or two aspects of the safety curriculum and not focused on an engineering curriculum,” Dr. Chris Janicak, IUP professor of safety sciences and coordinator of the safety sciences graduate program, said. “It also is unique in its delivery method.”

“This program will help to fill the need for safety educators, which is growing throughout the nation.”

The most current workforce projections by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2008-2018 estimate that employment in occupational safety will increase by about 11 percent.

“A recent study by the American Society of Safety Engineers identified the lack of a doctorate in safety or a safety-related field as the number one reason for safety programs not being able to fill faculty positions nationwide,” Janicak said.

Plans call for IUP’s program to begin in summer 2013.

“We have a goal of 20 in the first cohort of the program, and we have already had strong interest over the last several years in the program. It will be structured to allow students to take course work both online and on campus during the summer months, much like our current master’s program. We want to allow full-time working professionals to complete the degree without leaving their current jobs.”

The program is designed to prepare safety professionals with advanced skills in the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, control and prevention of safety, health and environmental hazards in the work environment.

Graduates from IUP’s doctoral program will be able to conduct independent research and understand state and federal policy that involves safety, health and environmental issues, Janicak said. They will be knowledgeable about and involved in appropriate professional associations, and they will be able to teach safety, health and environmental content to adult audiences in industry or education.

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