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IOSH Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health Leadership and Management

Take your next career step with this business-focused, degree-level qualification

IOSH’s Diploma is an internationally recognised professional qualification that gives you the skills and knowledge you need to advance your career in occupational safety and health (OSH). You’ll graduate with a business-focused understanding of how you can use best practice in OSH to bring benefits to any organisation, in any industry. The Diploma prepares you for full responsibility in managing OSH policy, procedures and practice, reporting to (or as a member of) the senior leadership team.

What you will learn

You’ll gain the skills and knowledge you need to take a leading role in the development of health, safety and wellbeing in any workplace. The topics covered by the Diploma directly link to IOSH’s competency framework. The focus is on applying the best OSH practice to improve business performance.

The Diploma equips you to:

  • evaluate, advise, develop and manage opportunities to improve OSH performance and culture
  • demonstrate a high level of knowledge and capability in technical specialisms
  • demonstrate strong core business skills to implement an organisation’s health, safety and wellbeing requirements
  • manage and lead internal and external relationships to influence, challenge and drive change in effective OSH practices and culture
  • represent OSH to any stakeholder, using information in a commercially astute way to support decision-making.

Generally, it takes 18 to 24 months to complete the Diploma, depending on the method of study and your experience.

    You will develop advanced understanding of OSH legal frameworks and management principles. This includes the application, development, appraisal and implications of different approaches to OSH.

    • OSH legal frameworks around the world
    • Key components of OSH risk management
    • Approaches to OSH incident management
    • Integrating OSH risk into organisational risk processes

    You will be able to appraise OSH performance critically in an organisation. You will learn how internal and external factors can influence OSH decision-making and approaches. You will develop recommendations for improving and implementing organisation-wide OSH culture and practice.

    • Contribution of OSH activities to an organisation’s value chain
    • Implications of external factors and organisational change on approach to OSH
    • Contribution of OSH to sustainability
    • Organisation-wide approach to OSH

    You will understand and be able to apply leadership skills to influence, challenge and drive OSH change in an organisation. You will critically review the effectiveness of your own capability and performance to fulfil the OSH leadership role. You will also learn to identify areas for your continuing professional development.

    • Individual and team behaviour and performance
    • Leading and influencing others to achieve results
    • Embedding an organisation-wide approach to OSH
    • Reviewing your own leadership and competence

Assessment methods

There are no written exams. Instead, you complete one assignment for each of the units, made up of a combination of reports and presentations. The tasks are based on the operations of your current workplace. This means that you and your employer will see the benefits of your work on the Diploma from the very first day.

Unit 1 requires you to complete a self-critique of a safety management system. For Units 2 and 3 you must produce an OSH strategic proposal and presentation based on your business, followed by questioning from an assessor. For Unit 3 you will also need to produce a short reflective statement.

If you don’t have a workplace currently, you can discuss with your study centre how to base the tasks on a volunteer or student role.

IOSH-approved study centres

You will study for your Diploma at an IOSH-approved study centre. You can choose a study centre offering a mode of study that suits you:

  • in-person study, giving the chance to meet your tutors and work with fellow students
  • e-learning only, with full online support
  • a blend of in-person and online study.

You can also select by location and length of course. Some study centres may require you to commit to periods of intensive study, which need time off work. Others offer e-learning only, giving more flexibility around work and other commitments.

IOSH only approves study centres after a rigorous process to assess their capability and capacity to deliver the qualification.

Support for learning

It might have been some time since you last did some formal learning, and perhaps you may be slightly concerned at the prospect of returning to study.

By the time you start studying you’ll have joined IOSH. Your membership will give you access to a vast array of learning materials and resources that link directly to the competencies in IOSH’s competency framework, to which our qualifications are mapped. As a member, you will be able to take advantage of the free learning opportunities available through IOSH events. You will also be connected to a supportive membership network of over 50,000 health and safety professionals worldwide.

The qualification is designed to be able to fit around your responsibilities at work and your other commitments. You’ll be able to progress at your own pace, within negotiable limits. Deadlines can have a degree of flexibility.

Whether you choose an in-person or an online learning mode of course delivery, your tutor will be a key source of support. If you select a study centre that offers classroom teaching, you’ll benefit from learning alongside fellow students. As most of them work in an occupational safety and health capacity, this gives your professional learning experience an extra dimension.

Professional advancement

When you complete the Diploma successfully, you’ll receive an e-certificate (you can also purchase a printed certificate). This shows that you have attained the academic requirements that you need to upgrade from Student membership to Certified Member of IOSH.

As a Certified Member, you’ll be able to access further support, guidance and resources to continue developing your career. You will be entitled to add the post-nominal “CertIOSH” to your name.

And from CertIOSH it’s just one further step to Chartered membership of IOSH.

Your Diploma tells employers that you have the leadership skills they need. It enables you to apply for discounted membership of the Institute of Leadership, which recognises the Diploma.

Your future

When you gain your Diploma, you will have a set of transferable skills that equip you to perform effectively in occupational safety in health in a wide range of industries. You will receive recognition for your expertise from your professional peers and employers.

People who are Certified Members of IOSH are in jobs such as:

  • Compliance Manager
  • Consultant
  • Director
  • (Group) Health and Safety Advisor/Coordinator/Consultant/ Director/Manager/Officer
  • (Group) Health, Safety and Environment Advisor/Engineer/Officer/Consultant/Manager/Director
  • (Group) Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality/QHSE/SHEQ Manager
    Managing Director
  • Operations Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Safety Advisor/Manager/Officer
  • Trainer

Entry requirements 

You must be aged 19 or over and:

  • have either a Level 3 OSH qualification or at least two years’ relevant OSH experience
  • meet our English language criteria
    • English is your first language or you are fluent in English
    • you have International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 7.0 or equivalent

Before starting your course, you must ensure that you have joined IOSH as a member.

Fees and dates

IOSH-approved study centres set their own fees and start dates. Compare study centres to find out all the details.