About Us

About Us

About the Program

 The program in Industrial Hygiene trains professionals and scientists committed to preventing job-related disease and injury. The program offers the breadth and expertise of the Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Division faculty in exposure assessment and control, risk assessment, toxiciology, epidemiology, green chemistry, and environmental stressors with the blend of classroom and practioner-based training. UC Berkeley is the only academic institiution in Northern California that offers a graduate degree in Industrial Hygiene. This small, focused program provides a thorough, solid theoretical framework complemented by practical application within classes, laboratories, field trips, a twelve-week internship, and a capstone project for MPH  students (or thesis project for MS students), with in-depth research immersion for doctoral students. While retaining the core education for Industrial Hygiene, the program is also responsive to changing needs, as evidenced by the introduction of courses in green chemistry and global occupational health. 

Goals of the Program

The goal of the Industrial Hygiene program is to educate committed and passionate Industrial Hygienists with a firm theoretical background to enable growth and flexability in our rapidly changing world and a good grasp of the practical aspects of the field to implement this knowledge as practioners and researchers. As the labor force is continuously growing and evolving, Industrial Hygiene services will increase. Graduate-level training is needed to perform the diverse technical duties required of Industrial Hygienists, and to successfully compete for available Industrial Hygienists positions in both the public and private sectors.

What is Industrial Hygiene?

Industrial hygiene is the science and art of recognizing, evaluating, and controlling exposure to harmful agents in the workplace. 

What do Industrial Hygienists do?

Industrial Hygienists are key members of a team thay consists of technical professionals and scientists committed to preventing job-related disease and injury. Specifically this team involves 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.