MSc Occupational Hygiene

The University holds regular open days, where you will have the opportunity to tour the campus and find out more about our facilities and courses. On this day, you will find out more about the course and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have. For more information, see Open days .

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.

Your application form must be accompanied by the following supporting documents: 

• copies of official degree certificates (with translations if not in English) if you have already graduated;
• copies of official university transcripts (with translations if not in English) if you have not yet graduated;
• proof of English language proficiency (if required).

Supporting documents can be uploaded with the online application form or sent directly to pgtaught.cbm@manchester.ac.uk

After applying, please do not submit documents in any other way without telling us first so we can provide you with the most efficient service.

Please make sure you include your University ID number on any correspondence and do not send any documents before you have submitted your application.

Our online MSc in Occupational Hygiene will equip you with specialist skills in recognising, evaluating and controlling workplace hazards, while benefiting from British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) accreditation and professional exemptions.

Join a global learning community at the University of Manchester, a top 40 global university, number one for sustainability, and home to the UK's longest-established postgraduate occupational hygiene course.

The course is unique in offering an opportunity to network with occupational health and medical professionals working in a wide range of industrial settings throughout the world.

By embracing the latest technologies and staying up-to-date with industry challenges, our online blended master's courses will connect you with stakeholders in occupational health, whether in regulatory science, medicine, or the broader field of work and organisation.

In the taught component of the course, the emphasis is on acquiring a thorough understanding of the theoretical principles and research methodologies underpinning the topics covered by each unit. Students complete 8 taught units (15 credits each)and a dissertation (60 credits)/ Students studying the three-year part-time plan have the option to study 10 taught units (15 credits) and a critical literature review (30 credits). You can select options from our MSc Occupational Medicine and MPH Public Health Programme.

You’ll also have access to our optional on-campus practical event in occupational hygiene, occupational health assessment and medicine. This event enhances your knowledge and skills by working with your peers and other practitioners from around the world, further enriching your learning experience.

The dissertation or critical literature review component gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge and develop skills in research methods applied to a problem of particular interest to you, supported by an experienced supervisor. This component has an emphasis on developing your critical appraisal and analysis skills, enabling you to demonstrate leadership and management of occupational health issues.

PhD with integrated master's

If you're planning to undertake a PhD after your master's, our Integrated PhD programme will enable you to combine your postgraduate taught course with a related PhD project in biology, medicine or health.

As a graduate of our MSc Occupational Hygiene, you will:

• Recognise, evaluate and control workplace hazards to protect worker health across a range of occupational settings.
• Apply occupational hygiene principles, exposure science, toxicology and risk management to complex workplace health challenges.
• Demonstrate leadership, management and communication skills that support effective occupational hygiene practice and organisational improvement.
• Critically appraise research and apply evidence-based approaches to workplace health protection.
• Achieve a BOHS-accredited qualification that supports progression within the Chartered Society for occupational hygiene.
• Develop the specialist knowledge and professional competence required for contemporary occupational hygiene practice and career progression within the profession.
  

Expert teaching

The course takes places in a research-enriched environment, and you will have the opportunity to undertake research-based activities relevant to occupational hygiene. You will be taught with a strong emphasis on applying your learning to real occupational health and hygiene issues.

As such, you will be taught by academics and professionals working in the field of occupational health and hygiene using case examples from local, national and international occupational hygiene settings. There is an emphasis on applying your learning to real occupational health and hygiene issues.

Flexible online blended learning

Our online and blended learning is designed to give you the edge in your career. All essential course content is delivered online, enabling you to fit study around other commitments. On campus activities are offered during your study and are held in Manchester, but attendance is not compulsory.

Networking opportunities

You will have the opportunity to network and study with trainee occupational physicians on our sister course, MSc Occupational Medicine. This includes working together during our optional on campus Practical Occupational Hygiene course in Manchester.

Decades of expertise

Join one of the UK's most established and recognised postgraduate occupational hygiene programmes, backed by more than 60 years of expertise in occupational health education at The University of Manchester.

Our flexible online blended-learning course is designed for busy professionals. You will learn from experienced occupational hygienists, occupational physicians, environmental exposure specialists and statisticians, gaining insight into both the science and practice of occupational hygiene.

Teaching combines live online sessions, recorded lectures, seminars, tutorials and collaborative learning activities, with regular opportunities to engage with tutors and fellow students. Each unit follows a structured learning pathway, allowing you to balance study with professional commitments.

Assessments reflect professional practice and include online examinations, reports, presentations, podcasts, videos and short-answer assessments.

Teaching is delivered primarily online, providing flexibility for students worldwide. An optional on-campus Occupational Hygiene Practical Training course in Manchester offers valuable hands-on experience in exposure assessment and control techniques.

Upon enrolment, you will receive a detailed timetable of welcome events, live teaching sessions, tutorials, workshops, and assessment deadlines to help you plan your studies effectively.

Discover more about The University of Manchester's by visiting our online and blended learning page .

Taught course units have a variety of assignments and examinations at intervals throughout the course.

"I'm grateful for everything that I learned throughout my studies, and particularly appreciate that the course encourages hygienists to adopt a broad conception of their role beyond what may be considered traditional bounds. It’s encouraged me to take on new challenges that others on my team have a tendency to shy away from. I’m now confident that I have the knowledge, skills, and tools that I need to make a difference at the workplaces that I visit."
Andrew Rothwell, Occupational Hygienist, Canada

"Completing the MSc in Occupational Hygiene was a highly valuable experience that strengthened my technical knowledge, research skills, and ability to critically evaluate occupational hygiene challenges. The online course offered excellent flexibility, allowing me to balance my studies alongside professional commitments while still benefiting from engaging teaching and support from experienced lecturers. The practical course was a particular highlight, providing valuable hands-on experience and the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge through practical exercises and demonstrations. I would strongly recommend the MSc to anyone looking to develop their understanding of occupational hygiene, whether they are entering the profession or seeking to advance their existing career.”
Adam Clarke, Occupational Hygienist, UK

Comments from our on-campus Occupational Hygiene course

"I found the practical session on the noise exposure measurement, thermal comfort and air sampling very real and useful. I also found the incorporation of statistics teaching at the workshop very helpful for my research. I was able to meet other students in the profession of occupational health."

"I found the course extremely useful with excellent tutors."

"It was an excellent opportunity to connect with other health professionals. I felt welcome from the offset. As a practical learner I found it a very enjoyable experience."

You will have full student access to The University of Manchester Library, one of only five national research libraries with more than 4 million printed books, manuscripts and 50,000 unique electronic journals and 800,000 electronic books. With access to several hundred databases this is one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the UK.

You will be able to access a range of facilities throughout the University.

Our Occupational Hygiene MSc is designed for professionals working across a wide range of roles and sectors who are looking to develop their leadership and management skills in occupational hygiene. Graduates from the course progress to careers in occupational hygiene, consultancy, industry, and regulation.

Our MSc prepares you for professional and leadership roles in occupational health across a range of sectors. You'll develop expertise in the evaluation, management and control of occupational health hazards, alongside the leadership, communication and evidence-based decision-making skills needed to manage workplace health risks and create healthier, more sustainable workplaces.

Information on careers in Occupational Hygiene can be found via the British Occupational Hygiene Society.