Public Health - Safety Health & Wellbeing at Work

HDip Safety, Health and Well-Being at Work
UG Certificates & Diplomas (level 8 nfq)
With society's focus intensifying on health, including workers' health, the Centre for Safety and Health at Work (CSHW) continues to meet the needs of industry using blended online platforms and flexible teaching programmes to cover key contemporary issues.

The Higher Diploma in Safety, Health and Wellbeing at Work is especially suitable for persons with a professional interest in, and responsibility for, safety and health in the workplace. These include safety advisors, managers, engineers, occupational hygienists, physicians and nurses. The Higher Diploma is recognised by the UK Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) as an academic qualification for granting Chartered Membership of the Institution. See the IOSH website for further information.

The Higher Diploma programme is designed to be completed over two full years (6 trimesters), September to Mid July each year.

Lectures will normally be held on Fridays (9 am – 5 pm) in Year 1 and on Tuesdays (9 am – 5 pm) in Year 2.

Programme assessment strategies are normally work-related and include continuous assessment, assignments, projects and examinations. Assignments, project work and self-directed learning will be required during the summer trimester. between the two academic years of study and in the final summer trimester at the end of the programme.

You must pass Stage 1 before you can progress to Stage 2.

Vision and Values Statement
The purpose of the UCD Higher Diploma in Safety, Health and Wellbeing at Work Programme is to provide the best educational experience for OSH practitioners in Ireland through a programme that aims to fulfil the academic competencies of Irish OSH legislation. The ultimate aim is to produce high calibre, inquisitive and dynamic OSH professionals for the Irish and international workforce. Learning takes place in a class-room environment in UCD, with some online-learning interaction, through live face-to-face engagement with peers and leading experts, including academics, regulatory authorities and multidisciplinary industry experts. For working students, experiential learning and application of learning also takes place at work. Teaching methods include face-to-face lectures, student class participation exercises, small-group classes and group work. Continuous assessment (formative and summative) is solution-focused and evidence-based, and end-of-module examinations are also held. This high-quality programme is based on the values of student-support, adult-friendliness, work-relatedness, and professional relevance.

This programme aims to fulfil the academic competency requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. Accordingly all students, upon completion of the programme, will:

Have a general understanding of the issues; can apply knowledge in practical situations;

Know when to call in specialist expertise;

Be able to identify and evaluate occupational health and safety hazards, carry out risk assessments, and develop and implement risk control measures;

Be able to advise management on, develop and implement safety management systems and policy;

Have the necessary skills to develop, implement and advise on safety, health and welfare procedures;

Be conversant in the identification, retrieval, management and communication of relevant information;

Be capable of coping with prevailing workplace hazards and providing effective solutions to protect workers' health and safety; and

Have developed transferable skills, which permit them to become lifelong learners.

Professional Accreditation
The UCD Higher Diploma in Safety, Health and Wellbeing at Work is accredited by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) as the academic requirement for graduate membership. Subject to experience and other entry requirements, diplomates may become a chartered member of the Institute (CMIOSH) and use the title Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner. There is also an opportunity to apply for IOSH student membership. The Higher Diploma was most recently accredited by IOSH in 2019 and is due for reaccreditation in 2024.

Modules include:

OSH Professional Skills 1
Safety and Health Legislation
Health and Safety Management
Occupational Health
Occupational Hygiene
OSH Literature Review
Statistics in Health and Safety
Human and Organisational Behaviour at Work
OSH Professional Skills 2
Chemical Safety and Toxicology
Safety Technology
Occupational Safety and Health Project

Applicants must be at least 23 years of age and have as a minimum 3 years work experience at the time of application.

Priority is given to those active in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH).

You should have educational qualifications of at least matriculation standard (Leaving Certificate with two honours, or equivalent) including demonstrable knowledge of Physics, Chemistry or Biology.

In exceptional cases, applicants who do not meet the matriculation requirements, but who have relevant work experience, may be considered on mature grounds. Such candidates will be asked to include a mature applicant portfolio to support their application. A portfolio would normally include evidence of successful completion of a course, which may approximate matriculation, and/or experience and training in OSH, and evidence of a good understanding of the basic sciences.

Applicants applying on mature grounds must be working in the area of Occupational Safety and Health. If you are considering submitting a portfolio, contact the programme coordinator at cshw@ucd.ie

The following entry routes are available:

HDip Safety, Health and Well-Being at Work PT (SHS5)
Undergraduate Cert and Diploma
Deadline
31-JUL-2022

You apply using the UCD online application system. The closing date for applications is 31st July 2022.

Simply click here and follow the instructions. Completed applications will be assessed promptly. Before you submit your application, please ensure you upload the relevant documents and provide information that is requested to support your application.

As part of your application, you must submit the following online:

CV (maximum 2 pages).

Copies of leaving certificate (or equivalent) or post-leaving certificate diploma or degree parchments, as well as transcripts of associated results.

If you are applying on mature grounds, you must submit a mature student portfolio.

If your first language is not English, you submit the original certificate of completion of an English test.

Please note, your application will be reviewed after all the necessary documents are submitted. An online non-refundable application fee applies.

Canvassing by applicants, or any other person on their behalf, will disqualify.

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No

2 years part-time

Careers & Employability
On completion of this programme, successful candidates will have met the academic competency requirements to manage occupational safety and health in a variety of workplace settings. Work experience and additional professional qualifications will determine the level of competency for any individual professional. Successful completion of the programme qualifies candidates to apply for graduate membership of IOSH and, subject to experience and other entry requirements, diplomates may become a chartered member of the Institute (CMIOSH) and use the title Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner.