Advanced Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health
The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Advanced Certificate focuses on strengthening the pool of qualified OSH professionals in New York State. The program aims to meet industry needs by providing multidisciplinary training that includes coursework, projects, and research in safety, ergonomics, industrial hygiene, and epidemiology.
This program offers individuals within our region the opportunity to pursue a graduate certificate that offers formal education and training concentrated in OSH without having to leave Western New York.
Who Should Apply
The training program offers a multi-disciplinary training experience to students who want to gain the required depth and breadth of knowledge across key OSH disciplines, including safety, ergonomics, industrial hygiene, and epidemiology to be successful as OSH practitioners.
Program Requirements
The Occupational Safety and Health Advanced Certificate is a total of 13 credit hours. This in-person program can be taken full-time or part-time and typically takes only 1 year to complete.
Required Courses
- Fall 1: IE 536: Work Physiology - 3 credits
- Spring 1: MT 600: Industial Hygiene - 4 credits
- Fall 2: IE 541: Human Factors in Safety - 3 credits
- Spring 2: EEH 500: Principles of Epidemiology - 3 credits
Admission Requirements
All students who are currently enrolled in a master's or PhD program in ISE or MAE, and are in good standing, can apply for admission to this certificate program.
All other applicants (e.g., applicants who wish to earn the advanced certificate without enrolling one of the related graduate degree programs or applicants from other departments) must meet the following admission requirements:
- A baccalaureate degree in engineering or a related technical field.
- A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) for all undergraduate work undertaken during the last two years of the applicant's studies.
How to Apply
Prospective students who want to pursue this certificate (e.g., are not currently enrolled in or applying to another SEAS graduate program at UB) should provide transcripts from all prior institutions, along with a personal statement, resume, and one letter of recommendation. GRE scores are not required.
Current ISE and MAE students should attach a current transcript but do not need to submit letters of recommendation, personal statements, or GRE scores.
Other current SEAS graduate students should provide a personal statement relevant to this certificate program and copies of their current transcript and transcripts from previous institutions including their bachelor’s institution. Recommendation letters and GRE scores are not required.
Prospective graduate students applying to other UB graduate programs may also apply to this certificate program. Students should complete a separate application in addition to the primary degree application, and provide a personal statement relevant to this certificate program and indicate the primary degree program in the statement. No additional documents (letters, GRE scores, transcripts) are required to apply.
Application Materials
Required application materials vary depending on what type of applicant you are. See above for specific requirements. In general, the following materials may be needed:
Students can apply online. New applicants must create an account. If you have applied in the past, you will be asked to log in to your existing account to start a new application.
The application includes sections that will ask you to provide us with personal/biographical information, contact information, citizenship details, your past or current college/university, and degree details. You will be able to enter the names and contact information of your recommenders and upload supporting materials to your application. You may upload supporting documents while completing the application form or after you have submitted your application in your Application Status Portal.
You do not need official transcripts or test scores to apply. Unofficial copies are sufficient for application review, but students are encouraged to provide official copies if they have them.
A non-refundable fee of $100 is required to apply for Spring 2025 or later terms. The application fee for Fall 2024 is $85. After you submit your application form, you can pay the application fee online in your Application Status Portal with a credit card or e-check.
Please upload a brief personal statement describing your educational objectives, your academic experience, and why you're interested in the program. There is no required length or word limit for the statement.
Copies of transcript(s) for all post-secondary schoolwork must be uploaded with your application for initial review. Upon an offer of admission, accepted applicants will be required to submit official transcripts and proof of degree(s).
International applicants are required to provide proof of English proficiency. The chart below outlines acceptable test types and the university's minimum score required for admission. All applicants whose native language is not English will be required to provide proof of English proficiency.
Copies may be submitted for initial review. Official scores must be sent directly to UB from the testing agency.
| Test Type | University Minimum Score | To Order... |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL (IBT) (including MyBest scores) TOEFL Home Edition | 79 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| TOEFL Essentials | 8.5 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| TOEFL ITP Plus | 550 | Use Institution Code 2925 |
| IELTS and IELTS Indicator | 6.5 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| 55 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE) | 185 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) | 185 | Select "University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)" |
| Duolingo English Test (DET) | 120 | ADA Department of Testing will report your official scores to central application services |
Exam results must be dated within two years from your proposed date of admission and remain valid upon entering the term for which you applied.
It is strongly recommended to make test arrangements early in the year so sufficient time can be allowed for the results to be reported before application deadlines.
Exemptions to English Language Proficiency requirements can be found on The Graduate School website.
For prospective students applying as a stand-alone certificate, one letter of recommendation is required. Current UB students are not required to provide letters of recommendation.
Letters are automatically requested when you enter recommenders' names and email addresses in your application. While we will accept letters from professional sources, we strongly prefer letters from professors acquainted with your academic interests, achievements, and abilities.
For questions about your application or admissions requirements, contact gradeng@buffalo.edu.