Please feel free to get in touch with us if you have questions about the course, we would be more than happy to talk to you personally about our programmes.

General FAQs

I am a general nurse, is this course relevant for me?

Yes, the Master of Science in Occupational Health is relevant to occupational health nurses. In fact, many of our graduates are occupational health nurses. 

Can I choose the topic of my dissertation?

Yes, you can freely choose your dissertation topic within the area of occupational health, safety and wellbeing. You will be guided in this process by our staff. Some students already know what dissertation topic they would like to pursue when starting the course, others develop their topic during the course per the organisations request.

What help will I get for my dissertation?

You will be assigned to a supervisor who will support you in the process. You will have regular face-to-face or online meetings with your supervisor who will guide you along and point you’re towards resources.

I am interested in pursuing a PhD in Occupational Health. Is this course a good preparation for me?

The MSc course provides you with a good preparation for a PhD in Occupational Health. Not many universities offer this option to progress to a PhD.  The course will prepare you, help build relationships with potential future supervisors and help towards your topic for study.

I just finished the Higher Diploma in Safety, Health and Welfare. Is this a good continuation?

The Higher Diploma lays an excellent foundation to the MSc Occupational Health and several of our students would be Graduates from the Higher Diploma. The MSc Occupational Health will provide you with a broader view on work and health issues with added specialisation, mainly when pursuing your dissertation topic. The MSc will also will add a more scientific view on occupational health by reviewing the latest research and equip you with the skills to translate research evidence into evidence-based practice. You will also review major theories relevant to occupational health, e.g. job stress theory, work organisation theory, and accident and injury theory. The Masters course adds a strong focus on the management of psychosocial hazards and the promotion of health and wellbeing at work.

I am a systems engineer and would like to specialise in safety engineering. Would you provide for that?

The course will cover safety aspects of work and the use and implementation of health and safety management systems. However, the focus of our course is on health and wellbeing in the workplace and we will not cover details of safety or systems engineering. many of our students with a professional engineering background found the course very useful as it broadens their view from safety into health and wellbeing and opened their eyes to sociotechnical systems theory; dealing the human and technical aspects in parallel.

Is your online program relevant to US students or are the laws too different?

The law module is largely based on European and Irish law however, in the discussions and essays, students may focus on the law in their own country.

Mature Student FAQS

I have been out of school for a long time. Would this course be right for me?

Some of our students have been in the same situation. The online course offers induction days preceding the official start of the course to give you the opportunity to familiarise you with the learning environment. Both the campus-based and the online course offer a certain amount of study skills sessions, such as academic writing, library skills and presentation skills. UCC also offers online study skills material. However, if you are uncertain, talk to us. You may also register for a study skills module prior to commencing the course. You can also review the entry requirements for the course.

I am not a young student but aged above 45. Would that be a problem?

Our students come from a wide range of ages and of all walks of life which adds to the diversity of experiences that are shared in class. The course promotes lifelong learning, so nobody is too old for the course.

Online Programme FAQS

Is there a requirement to be present in Cork at some stage when doing the online course?

The course is delivered wholly online. There is no requirement to be present in Cork at any time, unless you would like to be present at your conferring ceremony.

Can I go on holidays during the online course?

The course is delivered in a structured manner and there are some breaks between modules which will be announced at the start of the programme. Content for the online programme is released 2 weeks in advance and so it is possible for you to work ahead should you choose to. We would not advise you choosing this option during modules as often the assessments are interactive with other members of your class. The great thing about an online programme is that you can also take your learning on holiday with you!

How is the online course delivered? Do we just watch recorded lectures?

The course is delivered through an online learning site central to UCC called Canvas. Lectures are delivered through online slides, videos and presentations. Ongoing assessments could range from online quizzes and activities to essays and assignments, all of which are submitted online.