Occupational Health And Safety Certificate

Program Description 

The Occu­pa­tion­al Health and Safe­ty Cer­tifi­cate, one of the most advanced in Cana­da, is a cor­ner­stone for safe­ty in the province. Whether you are cur­rent­ly a prac­tic­ing occu­pa­tion­al health and safe­ty pro­fes­sion­al or some­one who aspires for a career in health and safe­ty, this pro­gram pre­pares prac­ti­tion­ers with skills and knowl­edge to cre­ate, imple­ment, and eval­u­ate health and safe­ty pro­grams in a wide vari­ety of occu­pa­tion­al settings. 

Is This Program Right For You?

Students who completed pro­gram have various careers ranging from envi­ron­men­tal health offi­cers, pub­lic health inspec­tors, con­struc­tion and pro­duc­tion fore­men and super­vi­sors, main­te­nance super­in­ten­dents, indus­tri­al hygien­ists, occu­pa­tion­al health nurs­es, engi­neer­ing and instru­ment tech­ni­cians, and chem­i­cal technologists.

Our grad­u­ates are employed across a wide range of indus­try sec­tors, includ­ing oil and gas, avi­a­tion, con­struc­tion, edu­ca­tion, health care, man­u­fac­tur­ing, munic­i­pal­i­ties, min­ing, forestry, gov­ern­ment agen­cies, and pri­vate businesses.

Testimonials

• “This pro­gram had some of the best instruc­tors I’ve ever had.”
• “I’ve learned so much! I appre­ci­ate how sup­port­ive the staff and pro­fes­sors were.”
• “Because the instruc­tors actu­al­ly work in the ?“real world,” they can take their expe­ri­ences and make them relat­able to the course mate­ri­als. That helped me learn immensely.”

Learning Objectives

• Classroom knowledge that is immediately applicable to everyday work places.

What will I receive?

Upon completion of all program requirements, you will receive a Occupational Health and Safety Certificate

Cost

• The approximate cost of this Certificate is $8,000 CAD
• Course Fees range from $495 to $745 CAD
• Pay as you go - students pay on a course-by-course basis as they register. You do not need to pay the entire program fee at once
• An application fee of $100 is required for admis­sion into the program
• Cours­es are GST-exempt
• Consider applying for the Cana­da-Alber­ta Job Grant
• Some courses may require additional resources such as textbooks. This information can be found in the course section details
   

Program Details

• This program is comprised of eight core courses, one elective, and 42 enrichment seminar hours. Most core/elective courses are 39 hours in length, one is 21 hours, and enrichment seminars range between 14-21 hours in length, for a total of 375 instructional hours
• This program is designed for part-time study and can generally be completed within one to two years. Students have up to six years to complete the program.
• For students who are new to Occupational Health and Safety, it is recommended to complete EXOS 4620: Introduction to Health and Safety (foundation course) first, courses can be completed in any order provided the noted prerequisite(s) have been met.
• Typically, students complete 1-3 courses per semester based on the course length.
• Courses are graded with assessments. This might include quizzes, exams, discussion forums, assignments, papers, and presentations. Some enrichment seminars are graded on a pass/fail CR/NC basis.
• Courses are offered online synchronously and/or asynchronously. Please check the course section for details. Further details on delivery formats can be found here 
• Course materials are shared in eClass. Some courses may require additional resources, such as textbooks. This information can be found in the course section details

Your Instructors

• Our instructors are not just educators; they are industry experts, adult learning specialists, and professionals deeply connected to the pulse of their respective fields. 

How to Apply

• We are open to stu­dents with a variety of educational and professional back­grounds. Our expec­ta­tion is that you have a com­mit­ment to learn and achieve your con­tin­u­ing edu­ca­tion goals
• To apply, download the Application for Program Admission
• The admission fee is $100
• Individual courses are open for general studies and may be completed without being admitted into a program

• Programs change occasionally, so we recommend applying for admission early. Once admitted, your requirements to complete the program are locked in. You can be confident that completed and eligible courses will continue to apply to your program.
   

How to Apply for your Credential 

• Students can verify their program requirements and progress by logging into the University of Alberta’s student portal, Bear Tracks, to view your Academic Advisement
• A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 is required to graduate
• To qualify for program completion, you must submit a request to obtain your credential
• For a breakdown of details and how to qualify, visit the program completion page
• Upon completing this credential, you are eligible to become a UAlberta Associate Alumni

Transferability and Professional Designations

• The OHS Cer­tifi­cate pro­gram meets the edu­ca­tion­al require­ments for the CRST cer­ti­fi­ca­tion from the Board of Cana­di­an Reg­is­tered Safe­ty Pro­fes­sion­als – view our equiv­a­len­cies chart.
• Courses qualify for the continuous professional development requirements of AMHSA, APEGA, BCRSP, CPHR, CRBOH, MHSA, and CSSE.
• Indus­try Train­ing Recognition
  • Stu­dents who have obtained any one of the below des­ig­na­tions with­in the past five years are encour­aged to apply for trans­fer cred­it and receive 21 hours toward the 42 hours of the “Enrich­ment Sem­i­nar” require­ment of the Occu­pa­tion­al Health and Safe­ty (OHS) Cer­tifi­cate program. 
  • CHSC (Cer­ti­fied Health & Safe­ty Con­sul­tant), offered through the Health and Safety Professionals Canada
  • NCSO (Nation­al Con­struc­tion Safe­ty Offi­cer) and HSA (Health and Safe­ty Admin­is­tra­tor), both offered through the Alber­ta Con­struc­tion Safe­ty Asso­ci­a­tion
  • MSO (Man­u­fac­tur­ing Safe­ty Offi­cer), offered through the Man­u­fac­tur­ers’ Health and Safe­ty Association
  • QHSO (Qual­i­fied Health and Safe­ty Offi­cer), offered through the Alber­ta Asso­ci­a­tion for Safe­ty Part­ner­ships; main­te­nance require­ments are as per the program.
    RMH­SA (Rec­og­nized Munic­i­pal Health and Safe­ty Advi­sor), offered through the Alber­ta Munic­i­pal Health and Safe­ty Association
• The OHS Program exemptions are limited to a maximum of three courses or, in the case of students receiving 21 hours toward the "Enrichment Seminar" requirement, to a maximum of two courses plus the Industry Training credit. To learn about transferability from other institutions, see our Transfer Credit information

Explore Funding and Scholarship Opportunities

International Students

• International Students are welcome to enroll in our courses, with the only requirement being a stable internet connection. There are no differential course fees for international students completing courses in this program
• Students are responsible for ensuring that they are proficient in English so that they can fully participate in classes
• Please note that non-credit programming does not qualify for a study permit, therefore this program cannot be used for immigration to Canada. Foreign nationals authorized to work in Canada who are prohibited from engaging in studies as a condition of their work permit are allowed to engage in distance learning courses. For more information please contact University of Alberta International Student Services

Student Services and Policies

Further information can be found on withdrawals, refunds+ transfers, assessment and grading, Program Admission

Support Services

• Student Service Centre - for payment and registration inquiries
• Program Office - for course/program inquiries
• eClass support
• IT assistance
• Learning remotely

Contact us

ohs@ualberta.ca