Safety sciences is a multi-billion dollar industry and represents a scientific field undergoing continuous adaptation to ensure the highest safety standards for consumers while allowing innovation. New products arising from novel nano-, bio- and other technologies are constantly challenging the way in which safety standards are set. Addressing these challenges requires specialists versed in traditional as well as innovative toxicity testing approaches. 

Regulatory agencies in both the United States and Europe are mobilizing to develop methods for incorporating traditional in vivo testing methodologies along with novel in vitro and in silico models to support human health risk assessments.

The Master of Science (MS) in Toxicology for Human Risk Assessment is the only program of its kind in the United States. Our innovative masters program equips graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to begin or advance their career as professionals in the evolving field of human health and environmental risk assessment. 

The full-time program consists of:

• Nine months of coursework of the fundamental concepts and testing approaches used in classic risk assessment processes, as well as those used in the new paradigm for toxicity in the 21st Century, and
• A seven- to twelve-month internship with a government agency, non-governmental organization, industry, or private sector group.

Students completing this program can also earn the Certificate in Risk Sciences and Public Policy.

Internships

Our students are mentored by scientists, toxicologists, and epidemiologists and have interned at governmental agencies such as:

• The United States Environmental Protection Agency
  • Integrated Risk Information System
  • Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP)
  • Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT)
  • Risk Assessment Division (RAD)
• The California Environmental Protection Agency
  • The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
  • Division of Scientific Programs

Graduates

Graduates of the MS program are equipped to play an essential scientific role in the evaluation of toxicity testing data and their utilization in the regulatory process at federal agencies and in the private and industrial sectors.

Alumni

The program gave me a solid background in both toxicology and risk assessment that I still rely on for my work today. The internship at IRIS assisted in my understanding of the role of risk assessment in a federal agency which is crucial for my role at SRC Inc.

 Sabah Tariq, Biologist at SRC

My work involves the exposure side of risk assessment. The program definitely helped with my career goals and provided opportunities for my future career. I really enjoyed the focus on both toxicology and risk assessment. 

Rachel O'Neal, Environmental Engineer at Versar