Occupational Health - Online

Course Outline

UCC’s MSc Occupational Health is a part-time programme delivered wholly online offering students a structured programme with a flexible mode of learning. The programme integrates occupational health and safety into a multidisciplinary perspective. It offers students the opportunity to study modern cutting-edge scientific concepts and research evidence on causation, prevention, and management of work-related accidents, injury, and disease. The programme incorporates the following subject areas which can be then applied to practice.



Public Health & Health Promotion

Psychology

Risk Assessment and Management

Ergonomics & Safety Science

Occupational Medicine and Hygiene

Law

Training and Development

Epidemiology & Environmental Health



The format of the teaching is conducive to student networking and the sharing of knowledge and practical experience. In several modules, students will work with practical case studies and engage in project work, reflective inquiry, and discussion.

This 90-credit MSc in Occupational Health online programme meets the needs of the busy professional, offering a flexible, yet structured, approach to learning. The programme is designed to allow people to undertake their studies while working simultaneously with the intention to meet work, personal and academic requirements. This programme consists of 90-credit modules, 70-credit of taught modules, and a 20-credit research dissertation module.



Students take modules to the value of 90 credits as follows:



Part I - Year 1



EH6107 Principles and Practices of Occupational Health and Safety (Online) (10 credits)

EH6109 Occupational Health and Safety Management in the Workplace (Online) (10 credits)

EH6153 Quantitative Research and Epidemiology (10 credits)

LW6109 Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Law (online) (10 credits)



Part I - Year 2



Core Modules

EH6110 Risk Assessment and Implementation of Health and Safety Management Programmes (10 credits)

EH6141 Psychosocial Epidemiology (online) (5 credits)

EH6142 Risk Assessment and Management of Psychosocial Risks (online) (5 credits)

AD6073 Training and Development Issues in Occupational Health (online) (5 credits)



Elective Modules (choose one module)

EH6000 Introduction to Implementation Research and Practice in Public Health (5 credits)

EH6130 Critical Appraisal of Publications for Research and Practice (5 credits)

EH6140 Environmental Health: Principal Aspects and Burden of Disease (5 credits)

EH6159 Health Promotion II (5 credits)



Part II

EH6114 Dissertation in Occupational Health, Safety, and Wellbeing (20 credits)

Candidates for the MSc programme in Occupational Health Online must meet one of the following criteria:



A Second Class Honours Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in a relevant area, for example, a health-related field (such as Public Health, Nursing, Medicine, Environmental Health, Psychology/Behavioural Science, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy); a business-related field (such as Human Resource Management, Management and Law), engineering-related (such as Ergonomics, Systems Engineering) or science-related (such as Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science). Relevant professional experience or work placement is desirable in an area relevant to occupational health, safety, welfare and well-being practice and/or research;

Or

A minimum of an NFQ Level 8 Diploma/Higher Diploma in Safety, Health and Welfare (minimum Second Class Honours, Grade 1), from UCC or an equivalent qualification² from another Institution (NFQ Level 8 Diploma, minimum Second Class Honours Grade I) AND a minimum of one year's professional work experience¹ in an area relevant to Occupational Health, Safety, Welfare and Wellbeing practice and/or research;

Or

Applicants with a minimum of three years of professional work experience and/or evidence of continuous professional development/ training in an associated area¹ of Occupational Health, Safety, Welfare and well-being may be invited for an interview to satisfy the selection committee of their suitability for the programme, under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).¹Areas of relevant professional work experience include, but are not limited to fields such as Health and Safety; Environmental Safety; Safety Engineering; Health Promotion; Work Psychology; Ergonomics; Human Resources; Training and Development; Occupational Health Nursing; Health Science.



²Level 8 examples: Diploma/Higher Diploma/International Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety; Diploma in Environment Management, Diploma in Health Promotion, Diploma in Learning, Development and Work-based Training.



Technical Requirements

To access and interact with the course content, assignments and assessments etc., students will require access to at least a PC/Laptop running current Windows or Mac operating systems. Students will need to have admin rights on their PC/laptop to download UCC-approved software. Common plug-ins will also be required. Students must have access to MS Office or an equivalent suite of applications. They must also have access to a modern standards-compliant web browser. UCC recommends either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.



To engage productively and successfully with the content, basic technical computer skills such as familiarity with word processing, web browsing and email are recommended.

Closing Date 31 July 2024

22 months part-time.

Start Date 21 August 2024

Skills and Careers Information

Graduates already working in OSH or Occupational Health can progress in their career and move to higher-level managerial positions (e.g. Health and Safety Manager, Health Promotion Manager, Occupational Health and Wellbeing Manager),



Graduates who changed their career can move into employed positions in different industries, common job titles: occupational health officer, safety officer, health & safety officer, health and safety coordinator, quality officer, occupational health promotion officer, occupational health and wellbeing officer, environmental health officer, health and safety adviser, environmental health officer and ergonomist. Some of these posts may require further qualifications,



Graduates can also apply for jobs in regulatory agencies, e.g. as a safety inspector,



Graduates can set up their own Health and Safety or Health Promotion Consultancy Business,



Others may stay in their current position (e.g. as an HR manager, safety engineer, occupational health nurse) and apply their broadened knowledge). The MSc in Occupational Health also offers the opportunity to further engage in research in this area and to pursue a PhD.