Protecting People, Preserving Places
The Environmental Health & Safety Technology program trains students to anticipate, identify, and control hazards that threaten worker health and workplace environments. Through multidisciplinary coursework spanning biology, chemistry, physics, math, and safety regulation, the curriculum emphasizes real-world skills in accident prevention, hazard communication, confined space entry, and compliance with safety standards. Graduates are prepared to design and evaluate safety systems, manage risk, and support environmental protection efforts across industries.
Career Opportunities and Income
Visit sanjac.edu for information regarding career opportunities and potential earnings in the Greater Houston region.
Learning & Career Pathway
This learning pathway - a series of related and “stacked” certificates and degrees - includes the following awards. You can start at any point on the path and earn certificates on your way to completing the degree.
- Environmental Health & Safety, Level 2 Certificate (6 months)
- Environmental Health & Safety, Associate of Applied Science (2 years)
Learning Outcomes and Career Skills
A student completing the last award in the pathway will be able to:
- Identify and analyze accident and loss producing conditions utilizing state of the art technologies.
- Develop accident and loss control methods, procedures, and programs based on critical analysis of data.
- Empirically and quantitatively measure and evaluate the effectiveness of accident and loss control systems.
- Communicate health and safety procedures to employees and management in a clear and concise manner.
- Apply health and safety codes, standards, and regulations to specific industries.
- Recognize, evaluate, and control environmental, health, and safety hazards.
External Learning Experiences
This program includes external learning experiences outside of the classroom, e.g., an internship, externship, clinical, practicum, or cooperative learning experience. Those experiences are typically on-site at a business or organization.
All students participating in external learning experiences are required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the external learning sites. Some learning sites outside the college have their own vaccination requirements. These rules come from those facilities and are not mandated from the college. Failure to meet those immunization requirements may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the external learning site.
Locations
College Admission
San Jacinto College is an open admission institution. All students are welcome to apply and will be admitted to the College. You may begin the process on the College’s “How to Apply” webpage.
Program Admission
There are no additional admission requirements for the Environmental Health & Safety program; you only need to complete your application to the College, as noted in “College Admission” above, and follow the enrollment steps.
Plan of Study
3ENVR-HLTH
| First Term | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| EPCT 1307 | Introduction to Environmental Safety and Health | 3 |
| OSHT 1309 | Physical Hazards Control | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | 3 |
| MATH 1314 | College Algebra | 3 |
| CHEM 1311 & CHEM 1111 | General Chemistry I (lecture) and General Chemistry I (lab) | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Term | ||
| OSHT 1313 | Accident Prevention, Inspection and Investigation | 3 |
| OSHT 2320 | Safety Training Presentation Techniques | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Speech Communication | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Business and Professional Communication | ||
| Select one of the following: 1 | 4 | |
| General Chemistry II (lecture) and General Chemistry II (lab) | ||
| Biology for Science Majors I (lecture) and Biology for Science Majors I (lab) | ||
| Anatomy and Physiology I (Lecture) and Anatomy and Physiology I (Lab) | ||
| Credits | 13 | |
| Third Term | ||
| EPCT 1341 | Principles of Industrial Hygiene | 3 |
| OSHT 2305 | Ergonomics and Human Factors in Safety | 3 |
| OSHT 1307 | Construction Site Safety and Health | 3 |
| ENGL 2311 or ENGL 1302 | Technical and Business Writing or Composition II | 3 |
| Language, Philosophy, and Culture (Humanities) or Creative Arts (Fine Arts) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Term | ||
| EPCT 2333 | Environmental Toxicology | 3 |
| OSHT 2401 | OSHA Regulations-General Industry | 4 |
| OSHT 2309 | Safety Program Management | 3 |
| Approved Elective | 3 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences or Government/Political Science or American History | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
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Students desiring to obtain a baccalaureate degree should take CHEM 1312 General Chemistry II (lecture)/CHEM 1112 General Chemistry II (lab).
Capstone Experience: OSHT 2309 Safety Program Management
Approved Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EMSP 1160 & EMSP 1501 | Clinical-Emergency Medical Technician and Emergency Medical Technician 1 | 6 |
| EPCT 1301 | Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) Training and Related Topics | 3 |
| EPCT 1305 | Environmental Regulations Overview | 3 |
| EPCT 1311 | Introduction to Environmental Science | 3 |
| EPCT 1313 | Contingency Planning | 3 |
| OSHT 2380 | Cooperative Education-Occupational Safety and Health Technology | 3 |
- 1
Both courses required if used to satisfy the elective requirement for Environmental Health and Safety Technology and must be taken concurrently.