Occupational Health

The course explores the key concepts underpinning contemporary occupational health practice, including workplace health risk management, relevant legislation, public health, work and health, fitness for work, mental wellbeing, attendance management, leadership, quality improvement, and occupational health service management. Students also develop professional skills relevant to occupational health practice, including risk assessment, health surveillance, occupational health report writing, communication, health education, and leadership.

Year 1

Workplace Health Risk Management - Develop knowledge and understanding of workplace health risk management, including hazard identification, risk assessment, occupational hygiene, health surveillance, safety culture, and health promotion, to support safe working environments and prevent occupational ill health. 

Health and Work - Develop understanding of health and work, including fitness for work, workplace health promotion, occupational and public health, wellbeing, ethical professional practice, and the use of evidence, policy, communication, and technology to support worker health outcomes.

Year 2

Attendance Management and Mental Wellbeing - Develop understanding of occupational health strategies supporting attendance management and mental wellbeing, including legislative frameworks, mental health conditions, ethical practice, and evidence-based approaches to promote sustainable attendance, workplace wellbeing, and positive outcomes for individuals and organisations.

Leadership and Occupational Health Management - Develop understanding of strategic leadership and management within occupational health services, including governance, legislation, quality improvement, change management, teamwork, and service performance to support effective, evidence-informed, and sustainable occupational health service delivery.

Learning Methods

Teaching and learning are delivered through the University’s Virtual Learning Environment, Moodle, using a range of flexible online learning activities, including virtual classrooms, discussion forums, and interactive learning tasks designed to support engagement and professional development.

Reflection is embedded throughout the course to support the integration of theory and practice, professional development, and ongoing professional registration requirements. Students are supported by an experienced academic team with expertise in occupational health and online education.

Activity Summary

• Tutorial - 20 students per group, 20 hours per semester
• Independent Study - 280 hours per semester

How long is a BSc Occupational Health course?

An Occupational Health degree can be completed part time in 2 years, in which the opportunity to receive the necessary skills are obtained.

Assessment

Typically students are assessed each year:

Year 1

• 1 written assessment, including essay
• 1 oral assessment and/or presentation

Year 2

• 1 written assessment, including essay
• 1 oral assessment and/or presentation

Staff delivering on this course

Students are supported by an experienced academic team with expertise in occupational health and online education.  

Feedback

We aim to provide you with feedback within 20 working days of hand-in for all written exams, coursework and practical exams.

Job Prospects

This programme gives you the essential skills and expertise required by today’s occupational health professional to work within and develop and lead occupational health services, particularly in relation to clinical practice and leadership.

Is Occupational Health a good career choice?

Previous BSc Occupational Health graduates of Robert Gordon University have gone on to pursue the following careers:

• Offshore Medic
• Specialist Practitioner in Occupational Health
• Clinical Nurse Manager
• Occupational Health Department Manager
• Trainee Occupational Health Advisor

Standard Entry Requirements

What is needed for a BSc Occupational Health degree?

The minimum entry requirement for this programme will normally be a suitable qualification as a health professional in a relevant topic, with the minimum of 240 credits at SCQF level 8 or equivalent. In addition students are expected to be working within occupational health practice.

Minimum Entry Requirements

Year 1 entry

Robert Gordon University is committed to widening access to higher education and to the transfer of credit into programmes of education. The applicant should be able to demonstrate successful completion of a Diploma of Higher Education* or equivalent in health-related subjects. The applicant should normally be working, or have had recent employment experience, in an Occupational Health setting.

Applicants will also be required to submit an up-to-date CV and reference from a single source.

*If you do not have the required level of study, please contact us to discuss further.

English Language Requirements

All applicants who do not have English as their first language must provide evidence of English language proficiency of a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all 4 components, or its equivalent.

We accept a variety of in-country and secure English language tests, find out more:

Please note, some courses may require a higher standard of English than stated in this page. Contact admissions@rgu.ac.uk for further information.