Master degrees in occupational health and safety (OHS) provide comprehensive knowledge, taking two years of full time study to complete, with some offering completion times in one and a half years. Monash University and most other institutions offer the chance to focus their degree on research or coursework, giving students the opportunity to suit their education to their aspirations. Core units common to both streams include chemical, biological or physical hazard management.
This stream allows students to improve their practical knowledge of OHS, allowing them to learn more extensively about epidemiology, sustainability regulation or a number of other electives depending on their interest. It is ideal for those aspiring to a senior OHS position.
This stream provides the opportunity to explore a specific area of interest defined by the student. Mandatory units in research design, methodology and bodies of written work grant graduates the knowledge and experience to work for a university or research institution.
Graduates from the coursework stream are well suited to a career in OHS management, but those from the research stream might be capable of this given the right application of their specialised research. This job opportunity has employees conceiving of a company’s OHS vision, constantly re-evaluating existing hazard avoidance procedures and creating new ones. Constantly challenging existing protocols as an OHS manager gives companies the ability to overcome developing health and safety hurdles faced in workplaces everywhere.
The research stream puts graduates in an excellent place to become professors, tutors and professional researchers furthering the field in the manner of their choosing. Professionals in these careers are always needed to overcome community-spanning health and safety problems or advise governments on OHS policy.
General scholarships are the best option for postgraduate OHS students. Options like the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund or Endeavour Scholarships and Fellows initiative provide partial funding to students who meet their numerous prerequisites. Some of these can be outright inaccessible however; the Gallipoli fund, for example, is only available to students whose ancestors fought in WWI. Unique requirements like these are a common feature of these scholarships, making it advisable to check them carefully before applying.
Prospective students must have completed relevant undergraduate study to enter these programs, but what that entails varies between institutions. General degrees in science, education or management can all be considered eligible. Experience in the field or related discipline is a viable substitute for any of these, with the definition of ‘related discipline’ being similarly flexible. Students unsure of their eligibility are therefore advised to contact their institution of interest detailing their academic and professional backgrounds for clarity.