MSc Occupational Medicine / Course details

Students will develop an understanding of  organisations  as systems and how they impact employees. The unit covers topics including: organisational factors, human factors, employee behaviour, work-related stress, mental health and work, employee wellbeing, and legal considerations. Characteristics of organisations such as organisational culture, communication and leadership, job design, technology and AI management will be explored. The role of the occupational health physician and other occupational health professionals will be examined through relevant legislation and case law. 

This unit aims to provide an understanding of organisational factors as well as human factors that can influence work-related health outcomes, with a particular focus on stress and mental health outcomes (e.g. wellbeing, depression, burnout). Students will apply this knowledge to understanding the complex factors involved in the manifestation and management of work-related stress and mental health outcomes, and demonstrate skills in organisational assessment and identifying interventions to promote mental wellbeing at multiple organisational levels.  

The learning outcomes intend to provide the student with an understanding of organisational factors and how they influence the work and health outcomes of employees. Students will also learn to apply relevant legislation and case law, and to appraise the suitability of recommendations and interventions to promote health and wellbeing in the workforce. 

Learning and teaching will take the form of online written course material and lectures, webinars, journal club, group discussion, and tutorials, where applicable.  

Blackboard will be used for course materials including group discussions, announcements and updating of content, relevant lecture slides and additional reading, written example sheets and for online formative assessments. 
 

On completion, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of organisational and human factors in the workplace.
• Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of work-related stress and relevant mental health outcomes. 
• Discuss the role of organisational management in ensuring compliance with health and safety at work. 
• Understand the principles of the relationship between organisational factors and employee outcomes, and the issues relating to the management of these factors. 
   

On completion, students should be able to:

• Analyse the relationships between organisational factors and organisation-level outcomes (e.g. productivity, absenteeism, safety records) 
• Examine organisation and human factors related to work-related stress and mental health outcomes, including factors associated with reduced levels of work-related stress.
• Appraise the role of human behaviour (including its causes and consequences) in particular health and safety scenarios.
• Develop powers of critical appraisal, analytical thinking, and logical argument to allow evaluation of concepts and/or approaches to occupational health issues.
   

On completion, students should be able to:

• Apply legislation and case law to organisational stress and mental health scenarios.
• Identify/suggest appropriate interventions for specific workplace scenarios. 
• Evaluate interventions aimed at reducing the risk of negative health outcomes (e.g. work-related stress, poor mental health). 
   

On completion, students should be able to:

• Integrate knowledge of health, legislation and business in the management of work-related issues affecting both individuals and groups.

Formative assessments with automatic feedback are available throughout the unit as an aid to understanding the course materials. Feedback for the summative assessments is provided by tutors via Blackboard. Students may also receive direct feedback from interaction with session leaders thoughout the course of study. 

• Agius R, Seaton A. Practical occupational medicine 2nd ed. London: Hodder Arnold 2005. ISBN 034075947X OR Tar-Ching A, Gardiner K, Harrington, JM. Occupational health (Pocket Consultants) 5th ed. Wiley-Blackwell 2006. ISBN- 10 1405122218; ISBN-13 978-1405122214.
• Clarke, Sharon, and Cary L Cooper. Managing the Risk of Workplace Stress : Health and Safety Hazards. London ; Routledge, 2004. Print.
• Johnson S, Robertson I & Cooper, CL. WELL-BEING: Productivity and Happiness at Work. 2nd ed. 2018. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2018.