Program Overview

Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Law

Course Fact File

• Code: LW6109
• Duration: 8 weeks - March to May
• Teaching Mode: Part-Time
• Fees: €935
• Closing Date: 18th February 2025
• Course Delivery Method: Online
• Venue: On-line Programme
• Credits: 10
• Start Date: 18th March 2025

Outline

Module Objective

To introduce students to legal reasoning and to the sources of law; to give students an understanding of the statutory framework governing health and safety at work in Ireland and of the European context to the development of the law in this area; to introduce students to aspects of employment law and the law of torts that relate to occupational health and safety; to give students an understanding of the principles of environmental law as it relates to occupational health, safety and welfare.

Module Content

• Introduction to law and the sources of law
• The development of health and safety law and the influence of Europe
• The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and regulations made thereunder
• The preparation of safety statements and the role of the Health and Safety Authority
• Relevant aspects of the law of torts and employment law
• International and comparative aspects of the law relating to occupational health, safety and welfare
• Environmental law as it relates to occupational health, safety and welfare at work

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the major legal principles relevant to occupational health and safety and an ability to integrate these into broader legal frameworks
• Apply these principles in practical workplace settings
• Review human resources and health and safety policy documentation in light of these principles
• Demonstrate an understanding of relevant aspects of employment law, the law of torts and environmental law as they apply to occupational health, safety and welfare

Practicalities

• Duration: 8 weeks
• Teaching Method(s): 90 x 1hr(s) Other (directed online learning); 110 x 1hr(s) Directed Study (recommended reading, independent research and project work)
• Module Co-Ordinator: Dr. Darius Whelan

Requirements

• Candidates who satisfy the programme eligibility criteria may, subject to the approval of the Programme Director/Coordinator, be permitted to take the module as part of UCC's commitment to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and be provided with a relevant transcript of marks
• Entry requirements (as per MSc Occupational Health and MSc Occupational Health (Online) modules):
  • A Second Class Honours Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in a relevant area, for example, a health-related field (such as Public Health, Nursing, Medicine, Environmental Health, Psychology/Behavioural Science, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy); a business-related field (such as Human Resource Management, Management and Law), engineering-related (such as Ergonomics, Systems Engineering) or science-related (such as Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science)
  • Relevant professional experience or work placement is desirable in an area relevant to occupational health, safety, welfare and well-being practice and/or research
  • Or
  • A minimum of an NFQ Level 8 Diploma/Higher Diploma in Safety, Health and Welfare (minimum Second Class Honours, Grade 1), from UCC or an equivalent qualification from another Institution (NFQ Level 8 Diploma, minimum Second Class Honours Grade I) AND a minimum of one year's professional work experience in an area relevant to Occupational Health, Safety, Welfare and Wellbeing practice and/or research
  • Or
  • Applicants with a minimum of three years of professional work experience and/or evidence of continuous professional development/ training in an associated area of Occupational Health, Safety, Welfare and well-being may be invited for an interview to satisfy the selection committee of their suitability for the programme, under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Technical Requirements

• To access and interact with the course content, assignments and assessments etc., students will require access to at least a PC/Laptop running current Windows or Mac operating systems
• Students will need to have admin rights on their PC/laptop to download UCC-approved software
• Common plug-ins will also be required
• Students must have access to MS Office or an equivalent suite of applications
• They must also have access to a modern standards-compliant web browser
• UCC recommends either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox
• To engage productively and successfully with the content, basic technical computer skills such as familiarity with word processing, web browsing and email are recommended

Fees and Costs

• €935

How To Apply

• To apply for this module, click the Apply Now button
• Once you have created your profile, you can start your application by selecting the option below
• Gather any additional documents required (including a passport-style photo), copy of your degree parchment if not a previous UCC graduate
• The full module fee of €935 will be payable on submission of your application

International/Non-EU Applicants

• For full details of the non-EU application procedure, visit our how to apply pages for international students
• Note that not all courses are open to international
  on-EU applicants, please check the fact file above
• For more information, contact the International Office

English Language Requirements

• Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements
• Visit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information

For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

• Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements
• For more information, see our Qualification Comparison page

Additional Teaching Mode Information

• You may take up to 15 CPD credits in one academic year, up to a maximum of 20 credits in total
• This module is available for external individuals to attend as independent modules, having as target groups essentially: Health and Safety Professionals in Industry and Healthcare, Occupational Health Nurses, Self-employed Occupational Health and Safety Consultants, Human Resources Managers among others
• This module is also available to Healthcare Professionals - doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, allied healthcare professionals among others
• A student, if admitted to the course, who successfully completes and passes a module under CPD will be eligible for exemptions if he/she is admitted to the MSc in Occupational Health or the MSc in Occupational Health (Online) within five years from the date of successful completion of the module (and subject to the module being offered on the MSc in Occupational Health or the MSc in Occupational Health (On-line))