Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety | College of Extended Learning | UNB

Global Site Navigation (use tab and down arrow)

College of Extended Learning

Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (COHS)

Special offer

New registrations for upcoming live OHS information sessions and Let's Talk Safety webinars (live or recorded) qualify you for $200 off your next UNB OHS or Certificate in Management Essentials (CME) course.

*Limit of one discounted course per program during this promotion (i.e., COHS, DOHS, CSL or CME). Contact customerservice@unb.ca to find out more.


Transform your career

Our Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (COHS) program offers a dynamic learning experience that prioritizes practical process skills, unlike others that focus exclusively on technical content.

  • Designed and taught by renowned industry experts
  • Comprehensive curriculum and training that align with industry standards
  • No prior experience or prerequisites are required
  • 100% online and self-paced
  • Register for courses individually or the entire program
  • $625 per course or $6,875 for the complete program

The COHS is a 506-hour online program designed to cater to diverse needs, from current OHS practitioners aiming to enhance their credentials to individuals contemplating a career shift and newcomers wanting to enter the field. Register now and you can start studying within one business.

Upon completion, you will meet the formal education requirements for certification as a Canadian Registered Safety Technician (CRST®) by the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP). Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental work experience and professional development requirements must also be met to be eligible for certification. Note: Completing our COHS and DOHS programs fulfills the educational hours required to write the CRSP® exam.

Learn more about UNB's OHS programs in our free live OHS Information Session on April 23, 2025. For details about COHS, access our pre-recorded COHS info session.

Photography of a safety worker with the words "Next steps" on top in white

Next steps

It's your knowledge; make it count. You could qualify for a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). If you have previously completed courses/specialized training programs, or have related industry certifications, you could get credit for up to five of our COHS courses. Explore our list of previously assessed courses to see what has already been evaluated and approved, or apply for an assessment now for $195.

Enrol today

You can register for courses individually at $625 per course or opt for the entire certificate program for a total of $6,875. The choice is yours.

Register for COHS

New students

We recommend starting with a foundational course:

Register for Health & Safety Program Basics

Returning students

Register for your next course to continue your learning journey.

Explore & register for courses

The COHS program includes three clusters of courses, each focusing on a specific topic area. Each course requires approximately 46 hours of study time and takes about ten weeks to complete, however, you can also finish at your own pace.

Health & Safety Program Basics - OHS 5050 (formerly COHS 3110)

This course, comprised of 11 modules, gives an introduction to health and safety program development. It includes a presentation and overview of the main elements required and factors influencing the success of health and safety.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5050

Legislative Compliance & Corporate Responsibility - OHS 5059 (formerly COHS 3130)

The work of health and safety practitioners is guided partly by jurisdictional legislative frameworks. This course will guide you through the key elements of Canadian Federal, Provincial and Territorial legislation, regulations and policy related to workplace safety. You will compare and contrast OHS laws in several jurisdictions in Canada, and in other parts of the world.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5059

Fundamentals of Occupational Hygiene - OHS 5060 (formerly COHS 3120)

Occupational Hygiene is the art and science of the recognition, evaluation and control of workplace hazards that may result in illness, disease or injury. This introductory course is designed to overview the fundamental concepts of Occupational Hygiene, including types of hazardous exposures, chemical routes of entry to the body, likely health effects of hazardous exposures and mechanisms of controlling workplace exposures.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5060


Management of Health & Safety Systems - OHS 5054 (formerly COHS 3210)

Sound health and safety systems management requires understanding of management principles used in health and safety programs and how those principles related to the program's effectiveness and efficiently.

This course builds on the concepts presented in the health and safety basics course. You will gain a deeper understanding of the legal, moral, and financial benefits derived from maintaining a workplace program that delivers health and safety excellence, and will explore several models of systematic health and safety program management.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5054

Management, Leadership & Organizational Behaviour - OHS 5055 (formerly COHS 3220)

Health and safety professionals often work within complex workplace structures providing a specialized technical support to their employers. Successful health and safety leaders understand corporate organization and function, and are able to incorporate that understanding into the recommendations they provide to corporate leadership for approval.

This course provides an introduction to corporate leadership and organization and helps you understand the structure and organization of your own workplace so you can make focused and valued contributions to health and safety program design and management.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5055

Risk Management and Risk Communication - OHS 5056 (formerly COHS 3230)

Risk management and risk communication are fundamental skills critical to the success of every health and safety practitioner. Understanding the elements of risk management, and being able to communicate effectively and systematically about risk are expertise areas of increasing importance in contemporary health and safety program management.

This course provides you with the skills and knowledge necessary to develop and implement an effective risk management system.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5056


Ergonomics - OHS 5051 (formerly COHS 3340)

Ergonomics is the study of workers' interaction with their workplace. Good ergonomic management will result in a reduction of injuries and increases in productivity in workplaces. Health and safety professionals must have the ability to recognize potential ergonomic hazards and systematically reduce them.

This course will provide an introduction to the complex discipline of ergonomics, and explain the need for and processes associated with ergonomic hazard assessment, solution development and solution evaluation after implementation.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5051

Fire Prevention & Protection - OHS 5052 (formerly COHS 3330)

Fires are a major cause of property damage and loss of life. In this course, you will develop an understanding of chemistry of fire, the causes of fire, current methods of fire prevention and protection. The concepts of fire hazard evaluation, control, prevention, reduction, and elimination of fire hazards are reinforced.

A major focus in this course is the concept of "life safety" as it relates to fires and the control of damage and loss of life from fires in the workplace.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5052

Fundamentals of Environmental Management - OHS 5053 (formerly COHS 3320)

Environmental management is critical to workers, organizations, and the environment itself, and is commonly a dimension of the health and safety practitioner's role.

This course provides an introduction to the complex discipline of environmental management. You will learn about systems of identification, evaluation and communication of issues related to environmental conditions in the workplace. You will also understand, globally, the planning and implementation of strategies intended to mitigate environmental harm.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5053

Auditing OHS Management Systems - OHS 5057 (formerly COHS 3410)

This course is designed to provide you with an intensive overview of the theory and practice of performing occupational health and safety audits. It provides a real emphasis on the importance of auditing to the continuous improvement process of occupational health and safety programs.

You will review the fundamental principles of auditing and learn about the audit process itself in detail. The features of several different audit instruments are identified, along with considerations for best application in diverse types of occupational environments. Relevant OHSE case studies and examples are referenced throughout.

By the end of this course, you will have a strong understanding of contemporary OHSE auditing practice and be ready to begin applying auditing principles within workplaces.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5057

Accident Causation Theory and Incident Investigation - OHS 5058 (formerly COHS 3310)

Accident causation theory provides a systematic approach to the analysis of workplace accidents, to identify all potential root causes and to establish the links between workplace accidents and norms in workplace practice. It is an essential discipline that allows health and safety professionals to determine why workplace incidents occur, so that attention and energy can be applied to correcting deficiencies and preventing re-occurrences.

This course considers the approaches and frameworks used to investigate accidents within a business management system context, and provides you with the tools, skills and knowledge necessary to investigate workplace accidents effectively.

Course price: $625
Access the course syllabus

Register for OHS 5058



Common questions

What is a passing grade?

You are required to achieve a 70% average for all course assessments (including module quizzes and assignments) to pass a course. This means that you must take every quiz, and submit a final assignment that meets the minimum standard of 70% or higher for course completion. Anyone who gets 70% without accounting for the final assignment must still submit a final assignment that meets the minimum standard (i.e. 70%) to be acceptable.

What if I need more time to finish a course?

Life happens and sometimes we just need a little more time. We have you covered! If you need extra time to complete your course you can submit an Extension Request.

What is the BCRSP and why is it important for COHS?

The Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) sets certification standards for the occupational health and safety profession. Individuals who hold the CRSP® (Canadian Registered Safety Professional®) and/or CRST® (Canadian Registered Safety Technician®) certifications have met academic, experience and examination requirements of a national registration authority.

Completing the Occupational Health and Safety Certificate (COHS) means that you will meet the formal education requirements for the CRST® certification. You must still meet the work experience and professional development requirements for this certification.

If you plan to get your CRSP® certification you will need to complete both the COHS program and the Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) to meet the formal education hour requirement.

Are there funding options for COHS?

Our OHS programs are not recognized by student loans as they are offered asynchronously, without fixed start and end dates. However, you may be able to obtain funding through alternate routes, including:

  • UNB Awards and Scholarships
  • Student line of credit through your bank
  • RESP (Registered Education Savings Plan) or RRSP - you will need to check to see if your registered plan allows for this
  • Employment Insurance

Are there sponsorship opportunities for COHS?

A sponsorship can take many forms. As an example you may be sponsored by your employer, a case manager through a retraining program, or through a third-party group such as WorkSafe.

In order to send a formal invoice to your sponsor, please have your sponsor complete this online Invoice Request Form or email a copy of your PO to our office at customerservice@unb.ca. The PO must have the following information:

  • Student's name
  • Course name
  • Payment amount (Payment options: $625 per course or $6,875 for entire program)
  • Sponsor's mailing address
  • Sponsor's contact name, phone number, and email address

How do I register if I have a sponsor?

If you have a sponsor for your course/program registration, and do not already have an account in our registration system, please create one at our UNB Professional Development Student Portal. Under "I need an account", enter your email address (this will be your login/user ID, defaults to all lower case). Once you have completed your profile, you will receive a link to create your password. The link expires within 30 minutes.

Our office will match up the PO or submitted invoice request form from your employer to your account and process your registration. Unless otherwise indicated, we will register you into your first course, which will begin immediately.

If you have additional questions, please email us at customerservice@unb.ca and we'll be happy to help.


I've completed a course; how do I register for the next one?

If you are ready to register and submit payment for your next course you can use our online registration portal. If you have prepaid for your courses or are sponsored, you can send an email request to our team at customerservice@unb.ca or call us at 1-888-259-4222, option 2.

How do I request an extension?

If you need extra time to complete your course, please submit an Extension Request.

I need to get a copy of my transcript, receipt, or T2202 - how do I do that?

Visit your student portal and log in using your username and password. Once you are logged in you will see options listed on the left-hand side for transcripts, receipts, and T2202 forms. NOTE: Please ensure that you have selected the appropriate tax year so you can download or print the proper tax receipt.

My course expired. Am I still able to complete it?

Yes, of course you can. To reactivate an expired course, complete the Expired Course Form and our team will re-register you so that you can pick up where you left off.

I finished a course but have been away from my studies for a while. How do I become active again?

If you have been inactive for a length of time, your access will close down. To reactivate your access, you will need to register for a new course.

I'm done. How do I get my certificate?

Congratulations! Please follow these steps to access a digital copy of your certificate:

  1. Log in to the Student Portal
  2. Click "My Certificates" on the left-hand side of the page
  3. Select the "Print" button beside the certificate
  4. Review and save the downloaded copy of the certificate for your records

I have a question for my Instructor. How do I reach them?

We've made it easy for you to connect with your instructors. In D2L, you will find your instructor's email address on the "About Your Instructor" page. Copy that address then click on the "Email" tab in the top taskbar. Your instructor will respond to you in the manner you indicated in your email (i.e. email communication or a telephone call).

If you have additional questions, please email us at customerservice@unb.ca and we'll be happy to help.



Connect with us

customerservice@unb.ca | Toll-free: 1-888-259-4222, option 1


 
Readers Choice Award logo for 2024

UNB is the proud recipient of the 2024 Readers’ Choice award. Readers of Canadian Occupational Safety magazine voted UNB one of the top three educational institutions in Canada for its Occupational Health & Safety programs.
 

UNB has joined forces with over 40 global organizations to sign the Singapore Accord, led by the International Network of Safety and Health Practitioner Organizations (INSHPO).

Singapore Accord logo