What You Will Learn

The COHSES program is part of the progression of becoming an established OHS practitioner or professional. Graduates learn how to bridge the gap and effectively communicate their plans at both the worker level and the managerial and executive level. The curriculum is not limited to a jurisdiction’s legislative framework; rather, it is a far-reaching collection of systems approaches and best practices as identified by OHS professionals and referencing a wide range of jurisdictions and legislative backgrounds. Its focus is on understanding the balance between safety management system structure, safety leadership and culture, as well as the knowledge, skills and capabilities to address them.

The new course content has been mapped to various frameworks, blueprints and body of knowledge documents, using the International Network of Safety and Health Practitioner Organizations’ (INSHPO) Global Framework as its foundation. The curriculum is aligned with many external designation bodies such as the National Examination Board in Occupational Health and Safety (NEBOSH – UK) and includes materials that were mapped to the blueprints from the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) and the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), as well as the Australian Institute of Safety and Health’s (AISH) body of knowledge documents.

The range of skills and knowledge provided in the online COHSES program will effectively equip today's OHS practitioners with the necessary and relevant competencies they require. Depending on a student's career pathway goals, this program provides the basis and educational requirements for various certification and designation pathways, including Canada's CRSP.

Career Opportunities

A career in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) can lead to a wide range of opportunities. OHS professionals are working as health and safety consultants and coordinators, ergonomics and safety specialists, quality assurance professionals, health and safety officers, safety inspectors, occupational hygienists, safety project officers and safety specialists. OHS professionals may be employed in a wide variety of settings including manufacturing, oil and gas, forestry, mining, construction, government, service and trade sectors.