M.S. Risk Control & Safety Management

Are you interested in promoting occupational safety/health and preserving other organizational assets?
Degree Type Master of Science
Careers & Salaries Graduate Degree Outcomes
Delivery On Campus or Online

Master Risk Assessment & Safety Strategy. 

Elevate your career with UW-Stout's M.S. in Risk Control & Safety Management, a program designed for today's competitive economy. This degree primes you to become a pivotal asset in organizations, safeguarding human, property, financial, and environmental assets through risk control and safety management. Benefit from the flexibility of our 100% online option, accommodating your career and lifestyle.

UW-Stout's MS Risk Control and Safety Management program is recognized as a Qualified Academic Program by the BCSP.
The M.S. Risk Control & Safety Management program is recognized as a Qualified Academic Program (QAP) by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP). The QAP recognition permits the program’s graduates to earn the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) certification and eventually achieve the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation.

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100% of Graduates Are Employed or Continuing Education.

Discover the Core Advantages of Our Program.

  • Learn to identify and analyze operational risks in both manufacturing and service industries.
  • Personalized guidance and mentoring from experienced faculty.
  • Benefit from personalized mentorship focused on communication and management.
  • Engage in real-world, hands-on projects through partnerships with local employees.
  • Engage with professional-based associations to broaden understanding and network.
     
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Program Overview

View program plans, credit requirements and course descriptions.

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Program Areas of Emphasis

  • In-Depth Technical Insight. Gain a comprehensive understanding of employee safety, workplace design, and engineering concepts. Learn to navigate regulations and manage the financial implications of risk, all while protecting people, property, and the environment.
  • Managerial Acumen. Develop your leadership potential with a curriculum that emphasizes effective communication and teamwork, enabling you to drive organizational change and handle risks at all levels.

Navigate Safety Challenges with Expertise.

In the M.S. Risk Control & Safety Management program, you'll immerse yourself in a curriculum where advanced theory meets practical application. Benefit from state-of-the-art lab facilities and forge strong connections through our partnerships with industry leaders. Recognized nationally, our program cultivates critical skills in technology, management, and communication, preparing you for the rapid advancements in the safety field.

STEM OPT Extension Advantage for International Students.

International students STEM Opt Qualifying program.

Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the M.S. Risk Control & Safety Management.

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Total Asset Protection Focus

Total Asset Protection Focus

In the past 35-40 years, the nature of the profession has significantly changed in that the "risk manager" is now responsible for identifying, analyzing and guiding management’s control of risks that are a threat to all of an organization's assets. This total asset protection focus is reinforced through information and experiences that students receive through our program’s courses and parallels the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) certification through the American Institute for Charted Property Casualty Underwriters (AICPCU).  Below is the risk control model that is heavily reinforced throughout the M.S. Risk Control & Safety Management program:

Diagram of the risk control model

 

The above risk control model emphasizes:  

  1. The various assets that risk control/safety support personnel typically strive to protect. 
  2. How all of an organization's assets have money as the common denominator.
  3. Management's needs to consider how any given decision might impact (positively or negatively) all of their organization's assets.
  4. The various assets can be downgraded as a result of workplace accidents.
  5. The need for management to consider all of the organization’s assets when cost-justifying needed process changes.   

In a nutshell, an organization’s risk control/safety personnel serve as agents of change who help identify moderate to high-risk situations that place various assets at risk. Such personnel then work closely with the applicable management to identify as well as implement the necessary equipment and procedures to bring unacceptable risks down to a reasonable level. This type of organizational service is what UW-Stout’s M.S. Risk Control and Safety Management program strives to convey in all of the course objectives and associated classroom experiences.

Admission Requirements

General UW-Stout Graduate School Application

All prospective graduate students at UW-Stout must follow a standard application process through our Graduate Studies. Beyond that, each graduate program has specific requirements that must be met to be successfully admitted to the program.

Program-Specific Application Requirements

Please submit the following to apply to the M.S. Risk Control & Safety Management program:

  • Transcripts of all prior associate, undergraduate and graduate-level academic studies.
  • A professionally-written statement of intent within the UW System application which describes the candidate's academic as well as employment history, professional goals and personal development needs.

The M.S. Risk Control and Safety Management Program Selection Committee will favor applicants who possess a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 as well as academic and workplace experience that aligns with the broad demands of the risk control and safety management profession.

Curriculum

To earn an M.S. Risk Control and Safety Management degree, a student must complete a minimum of 30 graduate credits with an overall GPA of at least 3.0. A minimum of 15 credits must be completed in 700-level courses that are only available to graduate students. Students with limited risk control/safety work experience are highly advised to participate in an industry-based summer co-op position in conjunction with the structured Risk Control and Safety Management Co-Op course in order to graduate with a greater degree of professional competence.

Professional Foundation Courses

The credit distribution includes 12 credits of coursework that provide both a managerial and research orientation to the risk control and safety management field. These courses include:

  • Environmental Protection and Sustainability Management
  • Risk Management Applications
  • Risk Control Systems
  • Risk Control Pre-Capstone
  • Risk Control Capstone

Required Technical Courses

A minimum of 18 technical course credits are required and the program director may tailor such for each student, based his/her level of academic preparation, work experience and career goals. These courses include:

  • Occupational Safety and Health Standards
  • Human Factors Engineering / Ergonomics
  • Emergency Preparedness and Response
  • Process Hazard Management
  • Industrial Hygiene Instrumentation
  • Industrial Hygiene
Program Objectives
  1. Collect and evaluate relevant data to reduce the risk profile of an organization.
  2. Analyze internal and external performance measurements for effectiveness and continuous process improvement.
  3. Develop and deliver effective employee and/or management training programs.
  4. Articulate the business importance of implementing responsible practices to interested parties.
  5. Apply appropriate administrative and engineering-based risk control techniques.
  6. Integrate the concepts of risk analysis and responsible business practices.
  7. Integrate financial justifications into the development of policies, procedures and systems which align with the organization’s strategic plans.
  8. Apply credible research or evidence-based information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, support decision-making activities and mitigate risk.
  9. Evaluate and demonstrate the role of management and leadership in a risk control context.
  10. Evaluate the legal, moral and sustainability principles which are relevant to the risk control / occupational safety and health (OSH) profession.
Program Advisory Committee

Advisory Committee Members

Victorio Angulo-EscuderoSafety Engineer3M
DavidBartkoSr. Consultant, Casualty Risk Aon Risk Solutions, Aon Global Risk Consulting, Casualty Risk Control 
Mary BauerOSHA Compliance OfficerDOL-OSHA
KenChristensonSenior Safety Engineer3M
DavidDingAssociate Dean - CSTEMMUW-Stout
MichelleDingwallSr. Gift OfficerStout University Foundation 
John DzissahDepartment Chair Operations & ManagementOperations & Management; UW-Stout
Brian FinderMS RCSM Program DirectorSchool of Management; UW-Stout
SteveGaugerSr. EHS SpecialistAbbott
Justin GilletteVice PresidentHays Companies of Minnesota
CoryGoldschmidtCorporate Safety DirectorBassett Mechanical
Rene HilgemannDirectorAon Risk Solutions, Aon Global Risk Consulting, Casualty Risk Control 
Matt JonesWarehouse Assoicate, MS RCSM Graduate Student; 2021 Construction GraduateAnderson Windows
GindyNeidermyerCSTEMM Interim DeanUW-Stout
ChadStuartRisk & Safety SpecialistCobb-Strecker
JimUhlirExecutive Director, Health & SafetyUW-Stout
Ben WoodSafety Investigator/Guidance Leader OSHA; MN Department of Labor & Industry/Governors Executive Orders
SteveSenorLecturer, Operations & ManagementUW-Stout
Lyle KoernerLecturer, Operations & ManagementUW-Stout
Dale A.KrageschmidtLecturer, Operations & ManagementViterbo University
Slick (Glenn - Garry)KroftLecturer, Operations & ManagementUW-Stout

Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) QAP Webinar on Benefits of Safety Careers

The Value of Professional Certification Webinar: Part 1

Explore a safety career, certification benefits, and its rewarding aspects in this webinar.

The Value of Professional Certification Webinar: Part 2

Explore a safety career, certification benefits, and its rewarding aspects in this webinar.

From Dishwasher to Safety Manager: A Tale of Ambition and Achievement.

Alumna Ashley Neby's UW-Stout Success Story

"Upon graduation from the Risk Control program, I accepted a position at the Rockwell Automation Ladysmith, Wisconsin facility. I am currently the Environmental, Health, Safety and Security Manager for the plant and in addition, recently took on a new role as the Rockwell Production System and Productivity Manager. I absolutely love problem-solving, working in manufacturing, and seeing the cultural impact of our work throughout the years. 

When I was in high school, I was employed by the UW-Stout Dining Service. After graduation, I continued my work while pursuing a Bachelor's in Hospitality Management and enlisted in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. To this day, working for the dining service was my favorite job and UW-Stout inspired a long-lasting passion for my career. In 2009, my unit deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and I returned with a new sense of appreciation for occupational safety. Once again, UW-Stout was there to excel my knowledge and experiences in the field. Obtaining my Master's Degree in Risk Control is one of my proudest moments. From dish-washer to safety professional, UW-Stout truly changed my life."

Ashley Neby


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