Health Sciences

Centre for Ergonomics and Human Factors

Bachelor of Health Sciences - Ergonomics, Safety & Health Stream

What does the BHSc(ESH) stream offer you?

The ESH stream prepares students for a wide range of career options (see CAREER PATHWAYS, below). Most directly, it  prepares students for entry into two overlapping professions: (1) Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), and (2) Ergonomics. Ergonomics is an area of specialist practice within OHS, and the majority of our graduates find employment as OHS professionals.

Third year ESH students can apply for entry to a fourth year of study to gain a Masters in Ergonomics, Safety & Health. This articulated Bachelor plus Masters course (4 years total) will ensure that graduates satisfy all educational requirements for certification as an Occupational Health and Safety professional and as a Certified Professional Ergonomist.

The ESH stream is taught by staff of the La Trobe University Centre for Ergonomics & Human Factors, which is a member of the World Health Organisation network of Collaborating Centres in Occupational Health. ESH coursework draws on our internationally recognised research on the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, and on the management of psychosocial hazards. These are the two largest issues currently confronting OH&S professionals in this country, which gives ESH graduates a particular advantage in gaining employment because specialist expertise in these areas is very attractive to prospective employers, and salary levels are generally high.

The BHSc ESH course:
- takes a broad, systems-based approach to diagnosing problems and formulating workplace interventions to reduce risk, enhance workers’ wellbeing, and improve system performance
- considers of both physical and psychosocial issues affecting workplace health, wellbeing and performance in a diverse range of environments,

and at Masters level:
- enables students to develop evidence-based professional practice competencies, including both quantitative analysis methods and qualitative methods, as appropriate.

CAREER PATHWAYS

ESH stream students are able to take 60 credit points of elective subjects each year, which creates a wide range of potential career options. Examples of possible career paths open to ESH stream students – based on different elective choices – include:

Electives: any, followed by the articulated Masters in Ergonomics, Safety and Health (one year full-time) – see http://www.latrobe.edu.au/ergonomics/MESH_art.html

Electives: Select from those in the Bachelor of Business (focusing on Human Resource Management and more general Management subjects), taught by the Faculty of Law and Management – see http://www.latrobe.edu.au/lawman/currentstudents/assets/downloads/course-structure/2009-bundoora-bb-hrm.pdf

Electives: Physiology and Anatomy subjects, followed by a postgraduate course in Industrial Hygiene (e.g. see http://www.distancex.com/DeakinUniversity/GraduateDiplomaOfOccupationalHygiene.asp; you could apply for some credits in this postgraduate course)

Electives: select from Public Health subjects

Electives: select from subjects in the Bachelor of International Development – see http://www.latrobe.edu.au/handbook/2008/undergraduate/humanities/single-degrees/abid.htm

Electives: select from Public Health subjects, followed by a postgraduate Certificate or PG Diploma in Road Safety  - see http://www.courses.qut.edu.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Courses.woa/wa/selectMajorFromMain?courseID=7457

The course structure:

120 credit points per year are required for regular full-time student enrolment

Core subjects are specified in the tables below. Additional elective subjects may be selected from throughout the University, provided subject pre-requisites and timetabling constraints permit.
Please note that the availability of some elective subjects changes from year to year.

First Year

Second Year

Third Year