Courses and degrees

A-Z study options

Ergonomics, safety and health

Why study Ergonomics, safety and health?

This course is designed for people who wish to work at a professional level in the rapidly growing field of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) with specialist coverage of Ergonomics. It is suitable for those already working in the field who need to upgrade their qualifications to meet new OHS professional practice requirements, as well as for new entrants. Both the Masters of Ergonomics, Safety and Health and the Graduate Diploma are accredited courses by the Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board (AOHSEAB). We offer distance education to enable busy professionals to combine study with other commitments. There are no compulsory attendance requirements and study is part-time (up to a maximum of 0.5 of a full-time load).

You can study the Master of Ergonomics, Safety and Health online, if you live in or outside of Australia.

Career opportunities

Demand for tertiary-level qualified OHS professionals is growing. Government regulators such as WorkSafe Victoria emphasise the need for employers to use qualified OHS professionals. This course is designed so that graduates will satisfy educational requirements for practice as both OHS professionals and as Certified Professional Ergonomists.

Courses

Local students

2013

Graduate Certificate in Occupational Health, Safety and Ergonomics

Duration :: 1 year part-time
Semester starts :: Semester 1 and 2 (February and July)
Campus:: Distance education

Year: 2013
Course description: This program is designed for people seeking a one-year part-time professional postgraduate qualification in occupational health, safety and ergonomics. It forms the common first year of two Masters programs, and successful completion at a required academic standard provides graduates with a pathway into either the Master of Ergonomics, Safety and Health (M.ESH) or the Master of Occupational Health (M.OH). Course content and assignments are adaptable to the needs and interests of a diverse range of students.
Prerequisite: Applicants may apply for initial enrolment in the Graduate Certificate if they either: wish to enrol in this level of coursework despite having the prerequisites to enrol in the Master's program; have a non-approved degree; or have satisfactorily completed relevant studies at Certificate IV level and have at least three years' relevant full-time professional experience, and are able to demonstrate an adequate standard of general academic skills.

As part of Special Entry provisions, applicants may be required to satisfactorily complete a written report on an assignment topic relevant to the course (set and assessed by the selection committee).
Fee amount: Indicative (2013): $8460 for 60 credit points.
Additional information: Students need access to a computer with a high-speed internet connection.
How to apply: Visit our postgraduate website to download an application form.

Apply directly to the University by end of January for Semester 1 (February). Late applications may be considered.
Professional recognition: Graduates are able to apply for various levels of membership of the Safety Institute of Australia and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australasia, depending on their prior qualifications and work experience.
Full course details: Occupational Health, Safety and Ergonomics (Grd Certificate)Distance education

Master of Ergonomics, Safety and Health

Duration :: 3 years part-time
Semester starts :: Semester 1 and 2 (February and July)
Campus:: Distance education

Year: 2013
Course description: This program is designed for people seeking a professional qualification in occupational health and safety (OHS) with specialist expertise in ergonomics.
Designed to accommodate busy professionals, it is offered part-time (up to a maximum of half a normal full-time load) with no compulsory attendance requirements. Course content and assignments are adaptable to the needs and interests of a diverse range of students.
Prerequisite: Relevant four-year Bachelor's degree, or three-year degree with Honours or additional evidence of suitability (eg other relevant studies, academic results, employment history). Relevant areas of study include biological and behavioural sciences, health/allied health, industrial engineering etc. Those who satisfy these requirements but choose to enrol in the Graduate Certificate initially must achieve a minimum B-grade average (70 per cent) in first year in order to progress to Master's studies. Applicants who don't satisfy prerequisites may be granted Special Entry to the Graduate Certificate on the basis of: relevant Certificate IV-level studies, at least three years' relevant employment experience, and suitable demonstrated academic skills.
Fee amount: Indicative (2013): $16,920 for 120 credit points.
Additional information: Please note that students need access to a high-speed internet connection.

Students who exit after satisfactory completion of Year 1 and 2 subjects (120 credit points) will be awarded a Graduate Diploma in Ergonomics, Safety and Health - this is only offered as an exit point, that is you must initially enrol in the Master of Ergonomics, Safety and Health.
How to apply: Apply by end of January 2013 for Semester 1 2013 (February), and by middle of June 2013 for Semester 2 (July). Late applications may be considered.

Please ensure you indicate whether you are applying for Mode 1 or Mode 2 - see 'Full subject details' for information on each mode. Visit our postgraduate website to download an application form.
Professional recognition: Graduates will have all educational requirements for certification as a generalist OHS professional, and as a certified professional ergonomist.
Full course details: Ergonomics, Safety and Health (Master)Distance education

How to apply?

Methods of application vary from course to course. Please see the course entry above for details of how to apply for the course you are interested in.

Fees and scholarships

Postgraduate coursework programs are either:

Fee-paying (where you pay the full cost of the course). FEE-HELP is available.
CSP (Commonwealth Supported Place), subsidised by the Commonwealth Government where you pay a contribution towards course costs. HECS-HELP is available.

Students enrolled for certain postgraduate coursework programs may be eligible for student income support.

International students

No courses available

How to apply?

Enquire now about any course for international students or find out how to apply.

Fees and scholarships

Estimated fees for international students are indicated for each course above. Fees are indicative only and set at 120 credit points per course, unless otherwise stated, and may vary depending on the number of credit points in which students enrol. Some courses may vary in credit point load and fees will be adjusted accordingly.

There is also a range of scholarships available for international students to assist students.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ for Postgraduate Programs in Occupational Health & Safety (PDF)

Your study experience

Overseas study opportunities

You may be eligible for our student exchange program.

Elizabeth - Master of Ergonomics, Safety and Health

Student profiles

Students from our Faculty talk about their experience at La Trobe.

About the academic staff

You'll get to meet a large number of academics during your course, from tutors through to lecturers. You can view all the staff from the Faculty of Health Sciences or focus on staff in Ergonomics, safety and health.