Skip to content
Curtin University
Courses Handbook 2014

This handbook contains information for courses and units at Curtin in 2014.
Information for the previous year's courses and units is available at Courses Handbook 2013.

313979 v.2 Master of Occupational Medicine

MOccMed(Curtin)

This course is not available to International Onshore Students on Student Visas



Course Overview

Master degrees (coursework) prepare students to apply advanced knowledge for professional practice, scholarship and further learning corresponding to AQF level 9 qualifications.


The Master of Occupational Medicine and nested Graduate Diploma complement the individual training for Fellowship of the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (AFOEM). AFOEM has developed competencies and curriculum for training and assessment for Fellowship of the faculty within the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. The Master of Occupational Medicine provides the academic support to the training program. Developed with input from practising Occupational Physicians the content has been mapped against the Faculty learning objectives which guide teaching through identifying and detailing the required knowledge, skills and attitudes. The units chosen cover all of the nine domains outlined by the AFOEM. .


Professional Recognition

The Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (AFOEM) recognises, not accredit, those which are appropriate for completion of the Faculty training program.


Career Opportunities

The industry prerequisite for practice as an occupational physician is the Fellowship of the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (FAFOEM), part of which requires an external course of study related to occupational medicine. Curtin’s Master of Occupational Medicine will meet this requirement. The masters degree also provides a higher qualification that allows the opportunity for supervised research and evidence-based practice. Engagement in research gives students an opening to conduct and interpret investigations in relevant settings and design, implement and evaluate prevention strategies.


Additional Course Expenses

Students may be expected to purchase a number of textbooks and other essential study materials.



Course Entry and Completion Details

Applicants are required to meet University academic and English language entry standards; details are provided at http://futurestudents.curtin.edu.au. Subject to the duration of the course applicants usually require a bachelor degree or equivalent (and may require relevant work experience), bachelor honours degree, graduate certificate or graduate diploma.


Specifically, applicants require a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree or equivalent, relevant work experience and hold current registration to practise medicine in Australia or New Zealand.


Credit for Recognised Learning

Applications for credit towards a course are assessed on an individual basis. Credit reduces the amount of learning required to complete the course and may be granted for formal education qualifications, non-formal learning from non-award programs of study and informal learning through work experiences. Further information can be found at http://futurestudents.curtin.edu.au.


Intermediate Awards

A student who has successfully completed the requirements of an approved intermediate award may apply for graduation in that award subject to approval of Head of School/Department. Fees apply. Intermediate awards approved for this course:


Graduate Diploma in Occupational Medicine


Pathway to Further Study

Graduates may qualify for entry to doctoral degrees. For further details, see the University website http://curtin.edu.au.



Course Organisation

Master degrees (coursework) contain a series of units in a specialised area of study which may include compulsory (core), optional or elective units to cater for student preferences. They may also contain a range of majors/streams for students to choose from.


The majority of this course can be studied by distance education, with unit materials and learning experiences available in an online mode. The two Occupational Medicine units will require attendance on-campus for block learning segments. The course contains 15 units of which 13 can be studied by distance through distance and on-line learning and tutor support. Units in epidemiology and biostatistics and a supervised research project are offered. The two Occupational medicine units will be taught in intensive block mode and will include elicitation and analysis of occupational and environmental history, assessment of fitness for work. Sickness absence and principles of management and planning and evaluating health interventions to change individual and workplace behaviour. The capstone occupational medicine unit will include site inspections, workplace hazards, legislation and management linked to clinical cases, effect of shift work and management of health effects and effective leadership in managing occupational health issues.


Course Learning Outcomes

A graduate of this course can:

1. apply discipline knowledge, principles and concepts; determine the relationship between health and fitness to work; identify and assess operational aspects of a workplace; advise on the effect of major contemporary health issues in workplaces

2. retrieve, critically appraise and disseminate occupational and environmental health and safety information in readily understandable terms

3. access, evaluate and synthesise information to recognise, evaluate and control hazards of physical, chemical, biological, design-related and psychosocial nature and interpret the legislative, regulatory, and medico-legal aspects of occupational and environmental health and safety

4. communicate effectively with management, employees and colleagues to provide a safe and healthy workplace and advocate for health in workplaces and the broader community

5. use technologies appropriately to conduct workplace and preliminary environmental assessments and fitness for work assessments

6. use opportunities to evaluate developments in occupational and environmental medicine and health and safety issues; and respond to changes in the workplace

7. recognise the differences in health and safety practices in different countries and jurisdictions and the effects these may have on health and safety in the workplace

8. demonstrate cultural awareness and understanding especially in the management of health and safety for Indigenous and immigrant workers in workplaces

9. apply professional skills in the determination of fitness for work, in the design, conduct, implementation and evaluation of preventive strategies in workplaces and in the management, legislative, regulatory, and medico-legal aspects of occupational and environmental health and safety


Duration and Availability

The course is four semesters full-time or part-time equivalent.


Location and delivery Mode


Year Location Period All* Internal Partially Online Internal^ External Fully Online#
2014 Bentley Campus Semester 1 Y        
2014 Bentley Campus Semester 2 Y        

The information displayed above refers to study periods and locations where the course is available for first time entry. Students are normally only offered or admitted to a course once.

* The course itself may not be available either solely internally or externally but individual units may be offered in either or both of those modes. Prospective students should contact the Course Coordinator for further information.

^ Course and associated units are offered in this mode permitting International Onshore student enrolment.

# Course and associated units are offered in this online only mode and DO NOT permit International Onshore student enrolment.




Course Structure Hrs/Wk Credit
Year 1 Semester 1
13230 v.3   Foundations of Public Health 681 3.0 25.0
310578 v.1   Accident Prevention and Safety Management 581 5.0 25.0
11519 v.4   Occupational Hygiene and Chemical Safety 596 5.0 25.0
13152 v.3   Health Research Methods 681 4.0 25.0
  100.0
Year 1 Semester 2
308422 v.1   Environmental Health Risk Assessment 682 5.0 25.0
310585 v.1   Ergonomics 594 5.0 25.0
6103 v.9   Epidemiology and Biostatistics 682 4.0 25.0
313980 v.1   Occupational Medicine 581 3.0 25.0
  100.0
Year 2 Semester 1
5698 v.5   Organisational Behaviour 550 3.0 25.0
11516 v.5   Compensation and Injury Management 593 5.0 25.0
11518 v.5   Occupational Diseases 585 5.0 25.0
6115 v.9   Health Services Management 584 3.0 25.0
  100.0
Year 2 Semester 2
13179 v.3   Research Project 650 8.0 50.0
4860 v.6   Introduction to Health Economics 584 3.0 25.0
313981 v.1   Occupational Medicine 681 3.0 25.0
  100.0



Further Information

For more information about the course, please contact the Faculty of Health Sciences on telephone (08) 9266 1000, email futurestudents@health.curtin.edu.au, or visit our website: http://healthsciences.curtin.edu.au


Course Structure Disclaimer

Curtin University reserves the right to alter the internal composition of any course to ensure learning outcomes retain maximum relevance. Any changes to the internal composition of a course will protect the right of students to complete the course within the normal timeframe and will not result in additional cost to students through a requirement to undertake additional units.




Handbook Disclaimer

The online handbook is the repository of Curtin University of Technology (“Curtin”) course information. While Curtin makes all reasonable endeavors to keep its online courses handbook up-to-date, information within this website is subject to change from time to time. Curtin reserves the right to change the contents and/or the method of assessment, to change or alter tuition fees of any unit of study, to withdraw/any unit of study or program which it offers, to impose limitations on enrolment in any unit or program, and/or to vary arrangements for any program without notification via the website.

For course overviews and enrolment information please visit our future students website.