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MSc Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management

This occupational health course will empower you to improve people's welfare and wellbeing in the workplace – designed around your own industry experience
Code
PGB925
Start
September 2024
Duration
1 year full-time
2 year part-time
Attendance
Full-time
Part-time
Fees
£10,500 (UK) *
£16,800 (INT) *
Course leader
Dr David Thomas

Why choose Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management MSc at Middlesex?

The International Labour Organisation estimates that there are over a million work-related deaths and over 100 million workers affected by accidents or ill health each year. Companies are realising the financial benefits of protecting their employees.

A rewarding and ever-developing field, this course will allow you to enable people's welfare and wellbeing at work. From helping to prevent work-related illness and stress to understanding how motivation can impact health. You'll not only improve the quality of people's lives, but do so in an area where, owing to the very nature of the employer-employee relationship, it can often be hard for individuals to put their health first.

The course is taught by a mix of academics and industry practitioners, leveraging our strong industry connections and professional body affiliations. Many academics are also active in research and you will be encouraged to undertake research which will be recognised within the industry.

Whether you have experience in the field or are new to occupational health and safety (OH&S), this postgraduate degree will enhance your understanding and prepare you for entry-level roles or lead to health, safety and wellbeing roles.

The curriculum is designed to integrate your existing industry experience and enable you to develop policies, implement interventions, and improve your negotiation, advocacy, management, leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.

All course tutors are practising consultants with strong ties to professional bodies, ensuring that you learn the latest developments and practices. You are encouraged to undertake an industry-based study for your project.

What you will gain

This course is for both experienced occupational health and safety (OH&S) professionals and those with workplace experience

Fusing your existing experiences with theory the course gives you the knowledge, skills, and understanding needed for a successful career in occupational health and safety. You will develop a critical and creative mindset towards professional practice, enabling you to solve problems and prioritise solutions effectively.

You will also gain the ability to independently select, apply, and evaluate various inspection and investigation techniques. With this knowledge, you will confidently make decisions and recommendations in complex occupational health and safety and environmental (OHSE) situations.

The course will enhance your ability to work in diverse and international environments and you will learn how to use tools confidently to measure and evaluate wellbeing at work and to provide solutions to workplace stressors.

As a student, you will gain valuable experience by accessing:

  • The Barbour Index – a leading source of health and safety information in the UK
  • Our excellent facilities include a specialised laboratory for environmental and occupational safety, providing access to monitoring and other equipment.

3 great reasons to pick this course

  • Broad career prospects
    Depending on prior experience students can obtain work between entry-level positions – or if you're more experienced you could progress to company advisor, consultant, or self-employed practitioner.
  • We are an international university
    We're ranked 5th in the UK and 14th globally as “most international university” – Times Higher Education World University Ranking, 2023
  • IOSH accredited
    This programme is endorsed by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)

Find out more

Sign up now to receive more information about studying at Middlesex University London.

On the occupational health, safety and wellbeing management masters, you will learn about the importance of organisational culture and how management and leadership strategies can improve safety performance. We will also cover risk communication, risk decision-making, hazard analysis, risk assessment, risk modelling, and determined risk acceptability.

You will gain practical knowledge of workplace hazards, such as chemicals, physical factors, and biological agents, and how they can act together to affect safety and health. You will also learn how this discipline relates to Human Resource Management.

This course will cover the risks of unhealthy workplaces and how to measure, evaluate, and control those risks. You will also learn about the importance of communication, consultation, active listening, positive culture, and leadership in creating healthy workplaces.

  • Modules - Compulsory

    • Philosophy and Leadership of Occupational Health and Safety Improvement (45 credits)

      This module takes an organisational and strategic view of management, leadership, partnership and policy for occupational health and safety together with key legal principles on which safety law is based. You will also explore differing approaches to safety management and the internal and external organisational drivers. You will acquire skills in risk assessment and risk management as well as accident investigation and safety improvement initiative.

    • Factors Affecting Risk and Strategic Risk Intervention (15 credits)

      This module aims to provide an overview of the theory and application of risk management as it is applied at a strategic level from a multi-disciplinary, science-led perspective. You will explore the frameworks that can be used to relate the functions of risk management to better understand the process of decision making and the factors which influence it.

    • Occupational Hygiene and Health (15 credits)

      This module will thoroughly appraise and evaluate the legal, theoretical and practical aspects of anticipating, recognising, evaluating, controlling and managing the risk presented by a range of workplace hazardous agents. You will then integrate the concepts of healthy workplaces, and health and wellbeing into occupational health and safety practice.

    • Management of Workplace Safety (15 credits)

      This module provides an overview of the theory and application of risk management in the context of workplace, work environment and work equipment safety. It will cover the risks arising from physical and organisational aspects of the workplace in a range of contexts and settings.

    • Applied Health and Safety Technology (15 credits)

      This module aims to enhance your skills of inspection, testing and evaluation of the physical and traumatic dangers presented by the nature/use of premises, plant, equipment and commonly occurring high risk processes. You will also gain the skills to promote remedial and proactive risk management improvement strategies in high risk environments.

    • Research Methods and Project (60 credits)

      This module will give you the organisational and research management skills required to formulate research questions, design and implement an MSc project. Where appropriate, you will undertake fieldwork to generate quantitative and/or qualitative data, whilst other projects will utilise existing datasets collected from existing studies. Research skills are supported by knowledge of experimental design, quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques and communication approaches. These skills will be applied in the design and completion of practitioner-based research including the development of original and independent investigations. These aim to integrate theoretical knowledge and technical expertise to investigate a programme-relevant issue at the required postgraduate level.

  • Modules - Optional

    • Management of Health and Wellbeing (15 credits)

      This module provides knowledge and insight into the assessment and intervention in workplace wellbeing and wider implications in societal wellbeing. You will focus on the interface between work and external stressors,  and practitioner mechanisms to reduce absenteeism, presenteeism, and excessive costs, as well as mechanisms to promote wellbeing through and at work

To find out more about this course, please download the Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management specification (PDF).

How we'll teach you

You will explore OHSE theory in lectures – some of which are given by external specialists. You will then apply and explore further in seminars through group work, discussions and problem-solving exercises based on real-life scenarios. Case study evaluations and discussions with professionals will further consolidate your understanding.

In workshops, you will learn to use equipment, including occupational hygiene and noise monitoring devices. You will also understand how to develop strategies for the management of health and safety in workplaces bringing theory together with your knowledge and experience of workplaces.

Your learning will be facilitated through an experienced teaching team with a wide range of expertise and professional experience.

Where will you study?

You will be based at our north London campus in Hendon.

Timetable

Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.

We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.

Teaching vs independent study

For this master's level degree, the emphasis is on your own independent study. Academic-led teaching will take up approximately 15% of the 1800 hours required to complete this degree.

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework and presentations. If you are a part-time student it is advantageous if you are in relevant work and able to access your workplace for your project."

To succeed you must also do your own independent study and make use of online learning resources, including professional databases and Health and Safety Executive campaign sites. The enrolled student website (Unihub) also has interactive exercises, links to external sources of information and podcasts, and a message board for discussions.

Typical weekly breakdown

A typical week looks like this:

Learning

Hours per week

On-campus

10

Online

1

Independent study

5

For placement, there may be additional hours. We do not provide placements or work experience for this course.

Learning terms

On-campus: This includes tutor-led sessions such as seminars, lab sessions and demonstrations as well as student-led sessions for work in small groups.

Online learning: This is teaching that is delivered online using tools like Skype or Zoom, as well as work that you do yourself using online teaching resources.

Independent study: This is the work you do in your own time including reading and research.

Part-time study

You can also study this course part-time over two years. This means that you can combine this course with professional practice.

Academic support

We have a strong support network online and on campus to help you develop your academic skills. We offer one-to-one and group sessions to develop your learning skills together with academic support from our library, IT teams and learning experts.

Coursework and assessments

There are no exams but your coursework including personal reflection, essays and management reports will be assessed. The course concludes with your independent (workplace) project that determines half of your final mark.

Feedback

You'll evaluate your work, skills and knowledge and identify areas for improvement. Sometimes you'll work in groups and assess each other's progress.

Each term, you'll get regular feedback on your learning.

Our excellent facilities include a specialist environmental and occupational safety laboratory where you'll have access to specialist monitoring and other equipment.

The Sheppard Library

Our library is open 24 hours a day during the term and includes:

  • Over 1,000 study areas with rooms for group study and over 600 computer spaces
  • 350,000 books and e-books and more than 24,000 online journals
  • Free laptop loans, Wi-Fi and printing.

Student support

We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health and disability support.

Additional needs

We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.

Wellness

Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.

Work while you study

Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.

Financial support

You can apply for scholarships and bursaries and our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.

We have also reduced the costs of studying with free laptop loans, free learning resources and discounts to save money on everyday things. Check out our guide to student life on a budget.

How can the Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Management MSc support your career?

The need for occupational health, safety and wellbeing professionals has never been greater. This course will equip you for a wide range of roles in areas such as occupational health, occupational hygiene, environmental management, risk management and consultancy, both in the UK and abroad.

You will be encouraged to seek and take up employment opportunities during your studies to view job roles from the occupational health and safety perspective. We will build on your experiences to embed a more comprehensive understanding of safety practices.

Your tutors, MDXworks and health and safety recruitment consultants will provide support to enhance your employability. The team also work closely with our professional body (IOSH) to link research to real-world work. When available, students have the opportunity to apply for placements and internships that are posted on our virtual learning site.

Note this is not a clinical Occupational Health qualification – for details of these, please find out more on Health At Work.

Career paths

Some of the roles our graduates have gone on to work as health, safety and environment advisor, or within a specialist consultancy, or as a self-employed practitioner.

Previous students have worked for Transport for London, Ferrovial, St Georges, NHS trusts, Local Authorities, Government agencies, Universities, Human Factors (ergonomics) and facilities management

MDXworks

MDXworks, our employability service, will help you make the most of your experience and connections to achieve your career goals. You'll have unlimited access to one-to-one advice and support from specialists in your sector plus 24/7 online support. You can also make the most of events and networking opportunities, on and off campus.

Our dedicated lifetime career support, like our business start-up support programme and funding for entrepreneurs, has been recognised with the following awards:

  • The top 20 UK universities for business leaders and entrepreneurs – Business Money, 2023 
  • A top 10 university for producing CEOs – Novuana, 2023.

Global alumni network

You’ll be studying with students from 184 countries who’ll become part of your personal global network. You'll learn how to work with a global mindset and make invaluable connections on your course for your chosen industry.

  1. UK entry
  2. International entry
  3. How to apply

The fees below refer to the 2024/25 academic year unless otherwise stated.

UK students*

Full-time students: £10,500
Part-time students: £70 per credit
Part-time students: £35 per dissertation credit

*Course fees are subject to annual inflation so the total costs for part-time study are shown here as a guide

For more information and to answer your frequently asked questions, please visit our postgraduate funding page.

The fees below refer to the 2024/25 academic year unless otherwise stated.

International students*

Full-time students: £16,800
Part-time students: £112 per credit
Part-time students: £56 per dissertation credit

*Course fees are subject to annual inflation so the total costs for part-time study are shown here as a guide

For more information and to answer your frequently asked questions, please visit our postgraduate funding page.

Additional costs

We cover your costs for the day-to-day things that you need to do well in your studies.

  • Free – laptop loans, Wi-Fi and printing
  • Free specialist software for your course
  • Free online training with LinkedIn Learning.

The following course-related costs are not included in the fees, and you will need to budget for these:

  • You will need to fund travel and accommodation related to your project if you are not being supported by your employer.

Financial support

We offer lots of support to help you with fees and living costs. Check out our guide to student life on a budget and find out more about postgraduate funding.

Postgraduate scholarships

You may be eligible for one of our scholarships including:

  • The Alumni Postgraduate Award – for all UK/EU Middlesex alumni a 20% fee reduction
  • The Commonwealth Scholarship – full course fees, airfares and a living allowance
  • The Chevening Scholarship – full course fees
  • The European Academic Awards – £1000 to £7000 for students showing academic excellence
  • Regional or International Merit Award –up to £2,000 towards course fees.

For international students, we also have a limited number of other awards specific to certain regions, and work in partnership with funding providers in your country to help support you financially with your study.

Find out more about our postgraduate scholarships.

Help from your employer

Your employer can contribute towards the cost of your postgraduate study as part of their staff development programme.

Fees disclaimers

1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase postgraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.

Hasan Erdogan

Hasan has been a regulator specialising in occupational health and safety; a consultant operating his own business providing advice to a range of business sectors, settings and contexts and continues to provide advice at a senior level on the implementation of safety improvement plans.

Ruth Plume
Senior Lecturer in Environmental Health

Ruth is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. Her main research interest is investigating innovative practice in delivering environmental health regulatory services. Ruth’s teaching specialises in the professional development of environmental health students and leadership in environmental health.


We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.

At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.

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Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Code: PGB919

Sustainability and Environmental Management MSc

Start: September 2024

Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Code: PGD110

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