Purpose of the Program

As it is known, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is the system of applications and examination of the health problems that workers are exposed to during the performance of the work or due to the working conditions in the workplace, and the elimination or reduction of occupational risks and occupational accidents. According the statistics, our country ranks among the top countries with the highest number of injured and fatal occupational accidents worldwide.  For this reason, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security has made legal arrangements to employ academically trained occupational safety specialists.

The concept of Occupational Health and Safety was first defined jointly by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1950 and was revised in 1995. According to ILO estimates, 270 million people are exposed to occupational accidents and 160 million people from occupational diseases every year in the world. In total, 2.2 million people die worldwide  due to work accidents and occupational diseases. These numbers, in addition to the spiritual collapse they cause, have significant financial consequences. So much so that 4% of the gross national product worldwide is consumed as a result of work accidents and occupational diseases. According to the information given in the literature, it is possible that the above-mentioned figures can be reduced by 98% with the training of the employer and the worker and the measures to be taken. And this is only possible with the employment of experts who have received academic training on this subject.

One of the purposes of this master’s and doctoral program in this area‘s to ensure that OHS is a state policy and a culture of life in working life.

This program aims to help students acquire the necessary knowledge on OHS and to close the gap of certified experts in the sector by receiving academic training.

In addition, our graduates will be employed which will meet the demand for expertsof the members of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO). Accordingly, the more we contribute to the reduction of OHS-related accidents in the industry in our country the more we contribute to our country’s rise to the level of advanced OHS countries in the world.

One of the main objectives of launching the OHS MS and Ph.D. program is to create a program that can respond to the demands of people in the working life to pursue an MS and Ph.D.

Graduates of the program will be able to work in all institutions, organizations and enterprises, trade centers, high-rise buildings, schools, universities and university campuses, shopping malls and public centers, fire brigades, civil defense and similar emergency organizations. The aim of the OHS master’s program with thesis and non-thesis options and the OHS doctoral programs is to provide students with deep knowledge in this field, to guide the use of existing knowledge in practice and to facilitate their rapid adaptation to the developing world.

Candidates who have undergraduate diplomas from Engineering Faculties and Departments of Technical Education Faculties, Faculty of Architecture, Faculties of Engineering and Technical Education with specialization in Physics, Chemistry, Biology can apply to this program. According to the law numbered 6331, it is accepted that people who receive Postgraduate Occupational Health and Safety training are directly awarded a B certificate if they are successful in the exam to be opened; and those who have a Ph.D. Occupational Health and Safety training are directly accepted to have an A certificate after they receive a doctoral degree.

Structure of the Program

Our education program does not require the Scientific Preparation Program for different undergraduate graduates, and arrangements have been made for students who graduate from departments close to this field.

OHS MS and Ph.D. Program is one of the most popular interdisciplinary programs in parallel with the increasing awareness of OHS in Turkey and abroad. It will be able to cover students with a wide spectrum background ranging from lawyers to medical faculty graduates. The courses within the scope of the program have been chosen from different disciplines, taking into account that their students reach expertise in this field.

Candidates who are accepted to the master’s program with thesis option must successfully complete at least 24 credit hours of course load and the Master’s Thesis study within the period stipulated by the relevant regulations. The lesson plan consists of compulsory and elective courses.

Candidates admitted to the non-thesis master’s program must successfully complete at least 30 credit hours of course work and the Graduation Project within the period stipulated by the relevant regulations. The lesson plan consists of compulsory and elective courses.

As of the first semester, a supervisor is appointed by the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences for all students. In order for the program to be completed, it is necessary to successfully complete the required courses, seminars and stages related to the graduation project study in accordance with the Graduate Education and Examination Regulations of our University. Graduation Project / Thesis studies are determined after meeting with their advisors, taking into account the areas that students are interested in and want to do research / development, and are carried out under the supervision of the assigned advisor.