Purpose of the Interdisciplinary Occupational Health and Safety (Distance Education) Department Program

The program aims to train occupational health and safety specialists. In general, this program provides knowledge and skills in many areas such as occupational health and safety management systems, risk management, physical and chemical risk factors, work psychology, occupational accidents and diseases, and ergonomics.
The goal of the Distance Education Interdisciplinary Non-Thesis Master's Program in Occupational Health and Safety is to train specialists who can efficiently use resources at every stage of production, successfully manage organizations, and think analytically and contemporarily, with a primary focus on human well-being.

Scope of the Program

The concept of occupational safety is a highly needed and sought-after field in our country. Due to the obligation of businesses to employ occupational safety personnel under Law No. 6331 and the lack of trained personnel in this field in our country, the establishment of the Interdisciplinary Non-Thesis Master's Program in Occupational Health and Safety has become an inevitable necessity for our country. This program will also comply with the International Labour Organization (ILO) norms, of which our country is a member, and the European Union directives on occupational health and safety, with which our country is in the process of aligning.

Reason for Establishing the Program

Today, with industrialization and increasing population, occupational accidents and diseases have risen both globally and in our country, reaching significant numbers, although exact figures are not fully recorded in our country. According to the Social Security Institution's statistics on occupational accidents and diseases in our country, the rate of fatal occupational accidents is higher in the construction, transportation, and mining sectors compared to other sectors. The figures are not encouraging globally either. According to ILO statistics, 270 million occupational accidents occur worldwide each year, and approximately 2.2 million people lose their lives due to occupational accidents and diseases. It is reported that around 6,000 people die every day due to occupational accidents or diseases, with 350,000 people dying annually from occupational accidents and 1.7 million from occupational diseases. Considering these figures, the appointment of "Occupational Safety Specialists" to establish a safety and health culture in workplaces and eliminate all risks has been made mandatory by law. Additionally, graduates of this program will be eligible to take the Class B Occupational Safety Specialist certification exam under Law No. 6331.

What kind of work or activities can students engage in after completing the Occupational Health and Safety Department Education Program?

Graduates of the Distance Education Interdisciplinary Non-Thesis Master's Program in Occupational Health and Safety have potential job opportunities in the private sector and government institutions in fields such as engineering, architecture, technical education, and basic sciences like chemistry, biology, and mathematics. Students who successfully complete the program will be eligible to take the Class B Occupational Safety exam.