BA Occupational Health Practice

This course has been developed for occupational health professionals and people who are currently working in, or intending to work in occupational health. The aim of this course is to produce occupational health practitioners who are capable of working across a range of different employment contexts and responding to rapid changes in the workplace.

Through the course you will develop the leadership and decision making skills necessary for assessing and implementing strategies within your occupational health care setting. The course meets the standards for Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Occupational Health Nursing) and will develop your knowledge, skills and increase your employability in this profession.

Leading to the award of a bachelor's degree in Occupational Health Practice, the course is at post-registration level with two routes:

• The first route, Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) route, allows you to register as a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse on the 3rd part of the Register with the NMC in addition to receiving the award.
• The second route (non NMC route) will be attractive to overseas students or non-nurses working in a Public Health context.

 You will learn to... 

• Assess organisations and their need for occupational health services.  
• Participate in the assessment and management of risk associated with identified work hazards to prevent occupational disease and/or injury. 
•  Work collaboratively to develop, implement and evaluate policies and strategies relating to occupational health practice.
•  Collect, record, analyse, report on, and provide fitness for work advice based on health surveillance and other assessment data. 
•  Plan, deliver, and evaluate evidence based and ethical workplace health improvement interventions. 
•  Apply change management approaches and theories to plan a practice development.

 The course consists of four integrated theory/practice modules.

• Workplace Risk Management
• Fitness for Work
• Work and Health
• Practice Development Project

The course is delivered online and offers a high degree of flexibility to students. Online delivery offers not only flexibility in relation to geographical settings but also in terms of accessibility. Students are able to access course materials at a time to suit their personal and employment needs.

Optional scheduled attendance dates at the University will be offered. These will involve the opportunity of additional academic support, consolidation of learning and peer support. Those students who cannot or do not wish to attend will be offered the same learning opportunities in an online format.

All applicants are required to have evidence of working at SCQF level 8 (or equivalent) and should be working in an occupational health setting. In addition, applicants wishing to undertake the NMC route are required to be first level registered nurses who have been qualified for at least two years.

All applicants who do not have English as their first language must provide evidence of their English proficiency of a minimum of IELTS 7 or equivalent.

Applicants wishing to undertake the NMC route are also required to complete a criminal records check (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) for the University. This is a legal and professional requirement for the practice element of the course which you undertake as a student.

The necessary paperwork for completion will be sent for completion when an offer on the course has been made. Payment of £59 to the University is required. This cost is in addition to the course fee.

Nursing and Midwifery Council requirements (applicable to NMC route only)

To register as a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse on the 3rd part of the Register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council you will be required to undertake ten weeks consolidation of practice. This usually starts ten weeks prior to submission of the final module.

In addition to this and to meet the NMC Standards you will be required to complete a learning log, three weeks alternative public health experience and have a recognised Practice Teacher.

All course fees are reviewed annually and subject to change.

Please Apply online for this course.

If you would like to find out more about this course please contact Rosemary Shaw, Course Leader, Leanne Morrison, Lecturer or Lynne Ewen, Clerical Assistant / Typist.

On successful completion of the course, graduates may go on to work in large businesses and organisations, for private consultancies or as part of an occupational/environmental health and safety team. To meet the standards for Specialist Community Public Health Nursing, the curriculum develops public health practitioners capable of transferring generic knowledge, skills and higher level thinking to different occupational health settings.