Program Overview

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Safety, Health and Welfare at Work - HDip

Course Fact File

• Code: HDSHWW
• Duration: 2 years
• Teaching Mode: Part-Time
• Qualifications: HDip
• NFQ Level: Level 8
• NFQ Award Title: Major
• Fees: €3,990 year 1, €3,990 year 2
• Closing Date: 29 August 2025
• Next Intake: September 2025
• Venue: Blended - Online Lectures and In Person Workshops in UCC
• Start Date: September 2025

Course Outline

The course provides professional training in the management of safety, health and welfare at work. It is accredited by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and was developed in co-operation with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). Graduates of the course meet the academic requirements for certified membership of IOSH upon completion.

The course is offered by ACE at UCC in association with the departments of Applied Psychology, Biochemistry, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Law, Applied Social Studies, Statistics, the College of Medicine and Health, and the Industrial Liaison Unit. It is delivered on a part-time modular basis in order to meet the needs of working professionals, who in the past have come from a variety of disciplines including HR, construction, medicine, production and engineering.

The Higher Diploma in Safety, Health and Welfare at Work is designed to help you ensure the safety, health and welfare of the Irish workforce. Though the training is directed at Irish working conditions with the emphasis on chemical, pharmaceutical, agri-industry, electronics, health care and services, the course content is sufficiently broad to allow for new situations in different industries.

Effective worker protection and prevention of work-related ill health and accidents requires a widely based knowledge of toxicology, psychology, legislation, human body responses, ergonomics and engineering. Only with knowledge of all these related areas can effective solutions be recommended. You will learn the prevention of ill health and accidents, as well as getting specific training in prevention and protection in the workplace. On completion of the course, you will be competent in dealing effectively with the majority of health and safety problems in the workplace.

Course Modules

Year 1

• AD5809: Human Factors in Safety, Health and Welfare at Work
• AD5853: Risk Management
• AD5854: Technical Safety and Working Safely
• AD5857: Accident Prevention and Emergency Planning
• EH5802: Occupational Health and Health Promotion
• LW5801: Health and Safety Legislation

Year 2

• AD5810: Occupational Hygiene
• AD5856: Health and Safety Management
• AD5858: Researching Safety, Health and Welfare in Key Public Service Workplaces
• AD5859: Researching Safety, Health and Welfare in the Construction Sector
• AD5860: Researching Safety, Health and Welfare in the Pharma and Manufacturing Sectors
• AD5861: Environmental Issues within Health and Safety Practice
• BC5802: Chemical Safety and Toxicology
• EH5801: Epidemiology and Data Collection

Course Practicalities

This programme will be delivered in a blended format with live online classes two evenings per week Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6.30pm-9.30pm (some classes will be shorter).

For some modules pre-recorded materials will be released in advance of the live class to facilitate discussion. Approximately once a month there will be in-person class/workshop in UCC held on Saturdays.

We hope that this blended format will provide the best of online learning techniques with the best of in-person interaction and networking in the in-person classes.

Assessment

Continuous assessment including both individual and group projects.

Course commitment: An ability to manage and allocate time to course content each week is necessary. Students are expected to attend and participate in the weekly live class. They are also required to engage in discussion and module material and to interact with course lecturers, tutors, and other students.

Why Choose This Course

Health and safety professionals studying the IOSH accredited Higher Diploma will gain valuable professional knowledge from this course.

Students will also obtain graduate membership of IOSH, which is recognised internationally.

The course is offered by ACE at UCC in association with the departments of Applied Psychology, Biochemistry, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Law, Applied Social Studies, Statistics, the College of Medicine and Health, and the Industrial Liaison Unit. It is delivered on a part-time basis in order to meet the needs of working professionals, who in the past have come from a variety of disciplines including HR, construction, medicine, production and engineering.

The course provides professional training in the management of safety, health and welfare at work. It is accredited by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and was developed in co-operation with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). Graduates of the course meet the academic requirements for certified membership of IOSH upon completion.

Requirements

• Applicants for entry to the Higher Diploma in Safety, Health and Welfare at Work will be at least 23 by 1 January of the year of application
• Hold a level 8 primary degree in any discipline and have a minimum of one-year relevant work experience in a related field such as health, engineering, HR, training, manufacturing and construction.
• Or candidates must hold a level 7 qualification with at least a second-class honours grade 1 in a relevant discipline (health, engineering, manufacturing, construction, HR, training) and have a minimum of three years’ relevant work experience in a related field such as health, engineering, HR, training, manufacturing, and construction.
• Or non-graduates with at least five years’ professional experience in a relevant senior management role in a related field such as health, engineering, HR, training, manufacturing and construction may also be considered for admission.

English Language Requirements

Applicants that are non-native speakers of the English Language must meet the university approved english language requirements.

Fees and Costs

€3,990 year 1, €3,990 year 2

50% of the tuition fees must be paid at the time of application for your application to be processed

For further information on fees and financial supports please click here.

How To Apply

Applicants need to be aware of the IT student checklist below before applying:

• You will need access to a laptop or desktop computer running a modern supported operating system with all software updates.
• Some of UCC’s services (e.g. the Canvas Virtual Learning Environment) link to an external site and also have mobile apps for iOS and Android Devices that you may wish to use as part of your studies. However, we recommend using your desktop web browser for submission of assessments.
• You should always use the most current version of your preferred browser. In general, we recommend the Chrome Web browser (Important Note: Internet Explorer will not work with Canvas).
• We recommend a reliable broadband connection with at least 2Mbps or more.
• You will require an Office suite of software (Microsoft Office or equivalent) and a PDF reader. You should always use the latest version of this software. All UCC students will have access to Office 365 which includes software such as Word/Excel/Powerpoint etc. once registered.

To Apply for this course please follow the steps below:

When you log into the Application Portal:

• Click Apply Online
• Select Start a new Adult & Continuing Education Application
• On the 2nd tab Academic Level
• Select the following options:
  • Academic Level: Adult Continuing Education (ACE at UCC)
  • Course Type: ACE Part-time Courses
  • Academic Programme: The course title you are applying for.

During your online application you will be required to upload the following documents:

• Application Statement
• Birth Cert or Passport
• Passport Photograph
• Curriculum Vitae
• English Language Test Report [if applicable]
• Transcripts [if applicable]
• 50% of the fees are also required to complete your application.