Certificate Program FAQ's

Most certificates have no required order for enrolling in courses. For students new to safety, we recommend taking OSHA 510 or OSHA 511 first as a good introduction to OSHA standards. Trainer courses have prerequisites (i.e., OSHA 510 must be taken prior to taking OSHA 500).

Courses that have been taken up to four years prior to your date of application can be counted toward a certificate.

Yes. Up to two OSHA-numbered courses from other OSHA Education Centers can be applied to your certificate. 

No, we do not generally allow substitutions for the required courses.

Yes. Courses that are required for more than one certificate program do not need to be repeated. 

No. If you are enrolled in multiple certificate programs and you complete a course that is an elective for multiple certificates, the course will be counted toward the first certificate for which you have not yet fulfilled the elective requirement(s), based on the certificate enrollment date. Courses that have been taken as part of a certificate program cannot be counted as an elective in another program, unless all other options have been exhausted.

The University of Washington does not offer college credit for OSHA courses.

The Continuing Education program maintains comprehensive transcripts in your student account.

Yes, ABIH Certification Maintenance and Certified Safety Professional Refresher Points can be obtained for many of our courses. Please view ABIH and/or BCSP websites for credit criteria.

Yes, veterans who reside in Washington state who are eligible for VA education benefits can use their benefits while pursuing certificate programs from the Pacific Northwest OSHA Education Center. Please contact the UW Veterans Education Benefits Office to set up your benefits before you enroll in a certificate program or register for courses. Additional information can be found at veteran.uw.edu.