Coronavirus information for applicants and offer-holders
We understand that prospective students and offer-holders may have concerns about the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The University is following the advice from Universities UK, Public Health England and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Overview
- Degree awarded
- MSc/PGDip/PGCert
- Duration
- MSc 3 yr PT/PGDip 2 yr PT/PGCert 1 yr PT
- Entry requirements
-
We require a good honours degree (Lower Second or above), preferably in a science discipline. In lieu of the usual entry requirements, extensive professional experience, coupled with evidence of further training or qualifications, will be considered.
- How to apply
Please apply via our online application form . See the application and selection section for details of the supporting documents we require.
We recommend that you apply as early as possible. We reserve the right to close applications if the course is full.
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSc | N | Y | N | N |
| PGDip | N | Y | N | N |
| PGCert | N | Y | N | N |
Course overview
- Learn how to recognise, evaluate and control hazards in the workplace, including chemical, physical and biological agents.
- Develop critical appraisal skills and the capacity to lead an occupational health team at a senior management level.
- Satisfy the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene membership and BOHS accreditation requirements.
Open days
Attending an open day is a great way to find out what studying at Manchester is like. Find out about our upcoming open days .
You can also watch webinar recordings from our recent virtual open week, including subject-specific sessions and webinars about general topics such as teaching and funding. Visit the postgraduate taught virtual open week website for a list of sessions.
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2020, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MSc (part-time)
UK/EU students (per annum): £5,400 per annum in year 1 and 2; £2,700 year 3
International students (per annum): £10,000 per annum in year 1 and 2; Year 3 £5,000 -
PGDip (part-time)
UK/EU students (per annum): £5,400 per annum
International students (per annum): £10,000 per annum -
PGCert (part-time)
UK/EU students (per annum): £5,400
International students (per annum): £10,000
The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition and administration costs during your studies.
Please note: The fees do not cover any costs for travel, accommodation, professional exams, etc.
All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for international students for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.
A number of our students are sponsored by their employers or the governments of their home countries.
Additional expenses
The University permits applicants with comparable previous experience to submit an application for consideration of Accreditation Prior (Experiential) Learning (AP(E)L). The maximum AP(E)L is 15 credits to a PG Cert, 45 credits to a PG Dip and 60 credits to an MSc.
If your AP(E)L application is successful, the University charges £30 for every 15 credits of AP(E)L. The overall tuition fee is adjusted and then the administrative charge is applied.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
Alumni Bursary
The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (School of Health Sciences) offers an alumni bursary of a 10% reduction towards tuition fees for successful applicants who are recent University of Manchester graduates and who are commencing one of our postgraduate taught master's programmes in 2020.
The bursary is available to students or alumni who:
- have graduated since 2015;
- are registered for an MSc, PGDip or PGCert course at Manchester;
- hold a first class or 2:1 honours degree;
- have home or overseas fee status;
- are applying for full- or part-time study;
- are self-funded and not in receipt of any other funding support.
The bursary will be applied as a fee reduction automatically for those students and alumni who meet the alumni bursary criteria so there is no application process.
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
- Contact name
- Postgraduate Admissions Team
- pgtaught.cbm@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/medicine/
- School/Faculty
-
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
We require a good honours degree (Lower Second or above), preferably in a science discipline. In lieu of the usual entry requirements, extensive professional experience, coupled with evidence of further training or qualifications, will be considered.
English language
Students must demonstrate English proficiency through a secure and approved testing system.
We ask for English language proof from applicants from non-majority English speaking countries (a list of majority English-speaking countries, as defined by the UK Home Office, can be found here .)
Specifically, we require a minimum of:
- IELTS: Overall 6.5 (6.0 in each component)
- TOEFL iBT: 90 (22 in each component)
See further information about requirements for your country .
English language test validity
Some English language test results are only valid for two years. Your English language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.
Other international entry requirements
International students should note that attendance in Manchester is required at various times during your course of study. All examinations are held in either Manchester or at one of our Global Assessments Centres.
Relevant work experience
Other entry requirements
Application and selection
How to apply
Please apply via our online application form . See the application and selection section for details of the supporting documents we require.
We recommend that you apply as early as possible. We reserve the right to close applications if the course is full.
Advice to applicants
Your application form must be accompanied by the following supporting documents:
- two references on letter headed paper, signed and dated within six months of your application. We do not contact referees directly;
- official degree certificates (certified translation if not in English);
- official university transcripts (certified translation if not in English);
- a personal statement explaining why you want to do the course;
- full CV including voluntary experience;
- if English is not your first language, we require proof of your English language ability. If you have already taken an English language qualification, please include your certificate with your application. We may be willing to consider your application without this document, but if we choose to make you an offer, the conditions will include IELTS (or equivalent qualification).
Supporting documents can be uploaded and submitted with the online application form, or if this is not possible, be sent directly to pgtaught.cbm@manchester.ac.uk . We are unable to consider your application if you have not provided all of the necessary documents listed above.
You must include your University ID number on any correspondence and do not send any documents before you have submitted your application.
How your application is considered
Interview requirements
Overseas (non-UK) applicants
Deferrals
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
Our part-time blended learning Occupational Hygiene course will equip you with a wide range of interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to work in areas related to occupational hygiene, culminating in an academic qualification accredited by the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene (FOH) within the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS).
In the taught component of the course, the emphasis is on acquiring a thorough understanding of the theoretical principles and research methodologies underpinning the topic covered by each unit.
Every student is allocated an experienced dissertation supervisor.
Completing the MSc dissertation is an opportunity to apply your knowledge and develop experience in research methods applied to a problem of particular interest to you. In this component the emphasis is on developing your critical appraisal skills and your capacity to demonstrate leadership and management of occupational health issues.
As a graduate of this course, you will have knowledge necessary to recognise, evaluate and control hazards in the workplace, including chemical, physical and biological agents.
Aims
The postgraduate course in Occupational Hygiene delivers academic and practical training in occupational hygiene and health, aiming to develop a practitioner with:
- an appreciation of the skills necessary to recognise, evaluate and control hazardous substances in the workplace, encompassing hazards such as chemical, physical (e.g. noise, radiation), biological and ergonomic agents;
- knowledge of to the wide variety of aspects covered within the occupational hygiene discipline such as legislation, toxicological basis for standard setting, methods commonly used to evaluate hazardous agents, and related and overlapping health profession roles in worker health protection;
- an academic qualification that is accredited by the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene (FOH) within the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS);
- a level 7 academic and practical experience on which to build and extend your knowledge of occupational hygiene and health throughout your career.
The Master of Science course aims to:
- encourage critical evaluation of occupational hygiene and exploration of other philosophical and practical approaches to minimising ill health in the workplace;
- develop powers of critical appraisal, analytical thinking and logical argument.
Teaching and learning
The part-time course comprises a blend of specially commissioned written materials, together with interactive teaching and learning methods, delivered on the University's virtual learning environment, Blackboard.
Some of the course unit includes online tutorial time, providing an opportunity to re-address concepts and approaches to problem solving in discussion with both the tutor and your peers. All units are assessed through assignment/examination.
Various seminar days are provided during the course. During your first year, Unit 1 and Unit 2 require attendance in Manchester for a practical seminar day and unit assessment. Unit 3 and Unit 4 are delivered with additional online tutorials supported by field specialists in occupational hygiene.
Units 5-8 are completed in Year 2 with attendance for assessment and practical field work.
Progression to MSc requires the completion of a 15000 word dissertation and attendance at a 3 day Dissertation Workshop.
Once you are enrolled with us we will provide you with a full calendar of seminar days, workshop and examination dates for the duration of your course. These will be easily accessible to you via the My Manchester.
You will require regular access to a modern personal computer (Windows or Mac) with a stable internet connection. You should be confident in using the internet for web browsing and sending emails and also using word processing software, such as Microsoft Word.
Discover more about University of Manchester online and blended learning .
Coursework and assessment
All Postgraduate Certificate (Year 1) and Postgraduate Diploma (Year 2) taught course units have examinations held in Manchester or one of its Global Assessment Centres at intervals throughout the course.
The MSc (Year 3) commences with a three day residential course in September and culminates with the electronic submission of your completed Dissertation.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control Of Workplace Hazards | POPH60160 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Hazardous Substances | POPH63180 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Occupational Ill Health | POPH68850 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Introduction to Hazards, Risks and the Working Environment | POPH68870 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Research Methods and Data Analysis (Occupational Hygiene) | POPH68900 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Understanding Physical Agents (Occupational Hygiene) | POPH68920 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Health and Workability (Occupational Hygiene) | POPH68940 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Management of Workplace Hazards (Occupational Hygiene) | POPH68990 | 15 | Mandatory |
Facilities
Disability support
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service .
CPD opportunities
Careers
Career opportunities
Our course will show you best practice in the evaluation, management and control of occupational hazards for worker health protection and workplace health improvement.
This is a highly desirable skill set and Occupational Hygienists are employed in a wide range of sectors, including manufacturing and petrochemical industries, mining, aerospace, retail, hospitality and healthcare businesses.
Our course combines the academic and practical aspects of worker health protection to enable you to contribute during your career to the development of occupational hygiene practice and workplace health improvement.
Information on careers in Occupational Hygiene can be found on the website of the British Occupational Hygiene Society .
Accrediting organisations
The MSc, PG Dip and PG Cert are accredited by the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene (FOH) within the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS).
Students who successfully pass the MSc or PGDip are eligible to commence on the BOHS pathway to Chartered Membership of the FOH. The MSc qualification exempts graduates from one element of the Chartered Membership assessment process.