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Overview
Create healthy workplaces
With a Massey Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety (GradDip (OHS)), you can improve the working lives of New Zealanders while boosting your career.
Level
- Graduate, NZQF Level 7
Distance learning
- Available
Credits
- 120
Duration
- 2 years part-time. Not available for full-time study.
Note: This programme may have an on-campus or in-person requirement and therefore requires that students submit a current My Vaccine Pass on enrolment.
Transfer your learning to your workplace
Occupational health and safety (OHS) has become an integral part of business in New Zealand. With a Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) you can help improve the effects of the working environment on the health and wellbeing of workers.
We spend a third of our lives at work, so workplaces contribute significantly to our health. Injuries and ill-health are two problems all workers potentially face. If you want a career that helps to reduce that burden on individuals and the nation, then this is the qualification for you.
This is a professional qualification designed to provide advanced education in the fields of safety management, occupational health, environmental control, loss control, and occupational hygiene.
You will learn how to create healthy workplaces, including improving the inter-relationship of people at work, the work they do, and their working environment.
Choose from a range of courses
At Massey, you can choose from a wide range of courses that reflect the multidisciplinary nature of OHS. You’ll learn about hazards and risks in the workplace, how to assess and manage those risks and create healthy workplaces.
This graduate diploma is particularly useful if you currently work in these roles:
- health and safety coordinator
- occupational health nurse
- human resource management
- industrial relations specialist
- production manager
- industrial chemist
- industrial engineers
- OSH consultant.
Study when it suits you
Our distance learning option lets you study when and where is most convenient for you. You can fit study around your work and family commitments.
Careers and further study
Careers
The Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety can lead to or enhance many careers. Our graduates are working as:
- health and safety managers
- staff of WorkSafe New Zealand and ACC
- occupational health and safety consultants
- occupational health nurses
- medical practitioners involved in occupational medicine
- environmental health, air pollution and noise control specialists
- occupational hygienists
- designing engineers
- human resource managers and advisors.
Further study
You could go on to study the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science (Occupational Health and Safety) or the Master of Health Science (Occupational Health and Safety).
Entry requirements
University admission
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Programme admission
Required
To enter the Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety you will:
- have been awarded or qualified for a relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and
- have completed at least two years of relevant professional experience or equivalent.
You will provide verified copies of all academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
English language requirements
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
Prior learning, credit and exemptions
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
- review the Recognition of Prior Learning regulations
- contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
If you do not have the entry requirements
English language and foundation courses
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and qualifications that may help.
Summer School
If you need to do a course before you start your programme, there may be options for you in Summer School.
Courses and planning
Credit summary
120 credits
- Core courses – 90 credits
- 200-level course from the Schedule – 15 credits
- 300-level course from the Schedule – 15 credits
Include at least 75 credits at 300 level.
If you wish to meet IOSH (UK) requirements you must include course 114.240 from the 200-level schedule list.
Courses for this programme
Compulsory courses
| 120 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 114240 | Organisational Behaviour | 15 |
| 128300 | Ergonomics/Human Factors: Work, Performance, Health and Design | 15 |
| 214316 | Bio-Physical Effects of Noise and Vibration | 15 |
| 251271 | Occupational Health and Safety I | 15 |
| 251272 | Occupational Health and Safety II | 15 |
| 251370 | Health and Safety Auditing | 15 |
| 251372 | Occupational Hygiene | 15 |
| 251374 | Project in Occupational Health and Safety | 15 |
Planning your programme
Planning overview
If you study full-time, in your first year, you’ll take eight 15-credit courses, making a total of 120 credits.
If you wish to study over two semesters, you should aim for 60 credits per semester. You may be able to take some courses at summer school. Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study.
Several courses have contact workshops, which means you must come onto campus.
Maximum time limits for completion
There are maximum time limits to complete some undergraduate and all postgraduate qualifications. If you do not complete within the maximum time, you may be required to re-apply for the programme if you wish to continue your studies.
Time limits for Honours, Distinction and Merit
If you complete this programme within the stated time limit and to a high standard, you may be able to graduate with Distinction or Merit.
Look for further information under ‘Student Progression’ in the regulations for this programme.
More information
- Read the regulations for this programme thoroughly
- Contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
Professional requirements
Fees and scholarships
Fees and finance
Fees, student loans and free fees scheme
Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.
There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.
- Get an estimate of the tuition fees for your qualification
- View a list of non-tuition fees that may be payable
Already know which courses you're going to choose?
You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.
Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme
You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.
The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.
Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.
- Student loans (StudyLink)
- Fees Free
- Student portal
Meet our students
“
The combination of my work experience and a health and safety qualification has enabled me to really engage with people across the hierarchy of organisations I have been associated with. It has benefited me in terms of career development and acceptance in workplaces.
” Greg Dearsly
Meet our lecturers
This is the only university programme in New Zealand that prepares students for certification as an OHS professional. It’s also unique because it includes ergonomics - the design of workplaces and jobs that meet human needs while enhancing system performance.
Associate Professor Ian Laird
Studying with us, you will learn why it’s important to establish national standards and regulations, create guidance for businesses and educate and train managers and workers to identify health and safety hazards, and ways to manage and control them so that workers can go to work and arrive home healthy.
Associate Professor, School of Health Sciences
Accreditations and rankings
Massey's Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety and Bachelor of Health Science (Occupational and Safety) are the only NZ tertiary qualifications accredited by IOSH (UK). Eligible enrolled students can access IOSH Student Membership for the duration of their studies and, on successful completion, they will meet the academic requirements for Graduate (Grad IOSH) membership. Graduate membership is the gateway to Chartered status. As IOSH is the only organisation in the world that offers Chartered membership to health and safety practitioners, this can help you achieve the highest professional standards and gain international recognition.
Key information for students
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
Regulations
Review this important information before you apply for this programme. This gives you full details of the rules and regulations about what you need to study and what you must achieve in order to graduate with this qualification. That includes structure, courses and requirements. These regulations should be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including the below.
Undergraduate programmes
Applying and enrolling
Applying for the programme
Check you are ready
If you are ready to apply, have a look at our application checklist. It will help you get prepared with what you need. Please also check the entry requirements carefully before you apply.
Choose your programme and click on Apply now
You will apply for the programme using the Apply now button on this page. You’ll also choose your specialisation (major, subject or endorsement) if applicable.
Some programmes have additional requirements such as the submission of a portfolio or CV. Click on Apply now and you will be able to submit those documents as part of the application process.
Receive and accept an Admission Offer of Place
You will receive an Admission Offer of Place when you have been accepted into the programme. You need to accept this before you can enrol in your courses. International students also need to pay their fees at this point.
Enrolling in courses
You’ll then get access to your own student homepage (also known as the student portal). This is where you can enrol in courses. Any updates on your application or enrolments will also be on your student homepage. Make sure you check this regularly.
When you choose courses, ensure you check for any requirements that apply including:
- prerequisites (courses you have to do before the one you are enrolling in)
- corequisites (courses you have to do at the same time as the one you are enrolling in)
- restrictions (courses that you cannot enrol in if you are completing or have completed another identified similar course)
- location – for instance some distance-based courses still have an on-campus element, so double check that the way the course is taught is suitable for your situation.
Each of our courses has its own webpage where you can find this information. You can use our course search to find course pages.
More information on courses is in the ‘Courses for this programme’ section on this page.
You can find information on application due dates and semester dates on the key dates page.
We look forward to welcoming you to Massey!
If you have any questions, contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
What are courses and credits?
What are courses and credits?
Each Massey programme is made up of courses (in some tertiary institutions they are called ‘papers’).
You will have some compulsory courses and some you can choose from.
Each course is worth a certain amount of credits (often 15 credits, but this does vary). You must gain a set number of credits to be able to graduate from this programme.
There may also be some rules about which courses you need to pass to progress to the next year, or stage, of your study (known as progression). There are also courses you must pass to graduate with a specialisation.
- See the ‘Courses for this programme’ section for the list of courses.
- Courses search
Understanding course numbers
The first three digits of our course numbers show you which subject the course is about.
The second three digits show you the level and course ID number. For instance:
- sub-degree courses are '0' (i.e. xxx.0xx)
- undergraduate study begins at 100-level, (i.e. xxx.1xx)
- as you progress through 200- and 300-level courses this number changes to 2 and 3 respectively. The higher the number that starts the second three digits, the higher the level of study.
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
About electives
Electives are courses that are not compulsory. Certain guidelines are usually provided on courses you may take. Elective courses contribute to the programme, but not to your major or specialisation.
Workload and time management
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
Returning students
For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.
In some cases the programme or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these programmes go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
Scholarships and awards
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.