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MSc/HDiploma Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety

Course Details

The MSc / Postgraduate Diploma programme is recognised by the Irish Health and Safety Authority and it satisfies the academic requirements for membership of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS). The postgraduate programmes are also recognised by An Bord Altranais.

Graduates of the programme are employed as health and safety professionals, health and safety managers and advisors, occupational hygienists, ergonomists, and health and safety engineers across a broad range of sectors including: Statutory Bodies, Local Authorities, Health Care, Medical Device, PharmaChem and Consultancy Companies. Graduates are employed in Ireland, UK, Australia, Canada and USA.

About the Programme

The Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety offers a taught programme of eight modules, delivered over two semesters to full-time students and over four semesters to part-time students. The MSc course incorporates the taught component of the Postgraduate Diploma programme together with a minor dissertation based on original research, which is undertaken over the summer months with a submission date in late August.

The postgraduate programmes are multi-disciplinary in nature, with contributions from multiple disciplines and schools within NUI Galway. Graduates of the programme receive a high quality qualification in occupational health and safety which enables them to take on responsibility for the management of these matters within industry. NUIG has been at the forefront of providing postgraduate education in Occupational Health and Safety since the early 1990s.

Objectives

These programmes are intended to provide graduates with a range of skills in the areas of Occupational Health, Occupational Hygiene, Safety & Risk Management, Ergonomics and Legal Studies which will qualify graduates as practitioners in these areas, enable them to take on managerial responsibilities within organisations, or to work with consultancy firms or regulatory agencies. Greater public concern, increased litigation for compensation and tougher legislation will require more persons with such abilities. The course emphasises the design and control of the ’total’ workplace. This will include the physical workspace, the work environment and the physiological and psychological wellbeing of the worker to ensure effective and safe work systems.

Course Content

The courses consist of three main elements: formal course work, laboratory practicals & continuous assessment and research.

Programme Delivery

The programme uses a wide variety of delivery approaches including: lectures, laboratory practicals, seminars with subject matter experts, small group teaching, group work and worksite visits. MSc Students are supported through the minor dissertation by a named supervisor who is a member of academic staff in either Health Promotion, Experimental Physics, Engineering or Law, depending on the thesis subject matter.