Graduate Certificate or Diploma of Occupational Health & Safety overview
Graduate certificates in occupational health and safety (OHS) provide a basic understanding of relevant procedures. Institutions like Curtin University offer these six-month programs to provide knowledge of injury management, OHS economics, compensation and more. They equip graduates with the means to enter higher degrees or rejoin the workforce with improved qualifications. It is designed for those with prior experience in the field wishing to augment their knowledge.
Graduate diplomas offer a more extensive breadth of knowledge, providing units in toxicology, occupational hygiene, rudimentary epidemiology and more throughout a one-year full-time period. Universities like the Queensland University of Technology provide the means to study part-time as well, making it an excellent program for professionals already in the field seeking to expand their knowledge of OHS.
Employment options
Those with prior experience as OHS officers or similar will find themselves better equipped to become OHS managers or equivalent senior health and safety officials after these programs. Graduates aspiring to these positions are expected to guide a company’s health and safety vision, constantly re-evaluating and scrutinising existing procedures while developing new ones. Both certificates and diplomas better prepare graduates for this method of thinking, which is a step beyond the recording of incidents and enforcement of existing procedures they might be used to.
Scholarships and funding
There are no dedicated OHS scholarships, but general opportunities like the ECIG Scholarship Program or Endeavour Scholarships and Fellows initiative are available. Interested students are advised to consider the unusual requirements these often have, with the former requiring written entry into a competition as an example. They additionally only provide partial funding, so prospective students are advised to check what they stand to gain before applying.
Prerequisites and selection process
Students can enter both graduate certificates and diplomas through a bachelor degree in any field, but specialisations in health science, education or management are heavily preferred. The courses can be studied without prior knowledge, but are designed with some professional experience in mind so students are advised to consider this before applying. Prior preparation is listed units is possible via downloadable handbook available through any institution’s website. Curtin University offers theirs here.