Course Details

Course Code(s):
PDPRSATPAD
Available:
Part-Time
Intake:
Autumn/Fall
Course Start Date:
September
Duration:
1 Year, Part-Time
Award:
Professional Diploma
Qualification:
NFQ Level 9 Minor Award
Faculty: Science and Engineering
Course Type: Taught, Professional/Flexible
Fees: For Information on Fees, see section below.

Contact(s):

Name: Dr Peter Davern
Email: peter.davern@ul.ie Telephone: 00 353 61 213185
Name: SEFLC
Address: Science & Engineering Flexible Learning Centre Email: seflc@ul.ie
Express Interest

Register your interest here for more information or to be notified when applications are open.

Brief Description

The Professional Diploma in Process Safety is a Level 9 minor award running over two semesters from September to May: autumn semester (September to December) and spring semester (January to May).

The programme is delivered via online lectures (typically delivered during weekday evenings). It will also include one to two on-campus (i.e., face-to-face, in-person) workshops per semester (typically conducted during the daytime at weekends), and a work-related process safety project. The lecturers are industry professionals experienced in process safety who will share their expertise on current best practice in process safety with participants.

The programme is designed to build on the success of the Professional Diploma in Health and Safety that has been running successfully since 2021. This Professional Diploma will also allow progression for appropriate graduates of other UL Professional Diplomas as they progress towards building a Masters of Professional Practice, or of Engineering Practice.

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The overall goal of the Professional Diploma in Process Safety is to raise meaningfully the level of process safety awareness among the cohort of engineers and scientists working in the bulk pharma-chem, biopharma or process sectors, and thus allow them to contribute to the maintenance and improvement of process safety standards in their workplaces.

On successful completion of this programme, the graduate will be able to:

  1. Describe how process safety can be managed by effective operating procedures, safe work practices, asset integrity systems, management of people (contractors and employees), and management of change.
  2. Analyse the extent to which a selected organisation(s) maintains process safety knowledge and competency, enhances workforce involvement in process safety and engages with external stakeholders and communities.
  3. Recognise the various hazards typically found in the process industries.
  4. Use selected hazard identification and risk assessment techniques.
  5. Describe the basis of design and the basis of safety for typical hazardous processes.
  6. Apply select aspects of human factors in the design of processes.
  7. Appreciate the ongoing need to learn from past experiences (successes and failures in process safety) in order to sustain and improve an organisation’s process safety performance.
  8. Appreciate that the management of process safety risks is a multi-faceted activity which requires the ongoing and committed involvement of a range of stakeholders within an organisation.
Semester 1

Commitment to Process Safety:

This module teaches students the importance of consistently nurturing and championing the commitment to process safety throughout the organisation; once it is embedded in the company culture, this commitment to process safety can help sustain the focus on excellence in the more technical aspects of process safety.

Understanding Process Safety Hazards and Risks:

In this module, students will learn to understand process safety related hazards and risk because industry experience has demonstrated that businesses using hazard and risk information to plan, develop, and deploy stable, lower-risk operations are much more likely to enjoy long term success.

Semester 2

Managing Process Safety Risks:

Managing risk focuses on three issues, namely (1) prudently operating and maintaining processes that pose the risk, (2) managing changes to those processes to ensure that the risk remains tolerable, and (3) preparing for, responding to, and managing incidents that do occur.

In addition to these three issues, students will also learn that managing risk helps an organisation deploy management systems that help sustain long-term, incident-free, and profitable operations.

Improving Process Safety by Learning from Experience:

Learning from experience involves monitoring, and acting on, internal and external sources of information. In the context of process safety, operations do not always proceed as planned, so organizations must be ready to turn their mistakes – and those of others – into opportunities to improve process safety efforts.

The most cost effective ways to learn from experience are (1) to apply best practices to make the most effective use of available resources, (2) to correct deficiencies exposed by internal incidents and near misses, and (3) to apply lessons learned from other organizations.

In addition to recognizing these opportunities to better manage risk, students will learn that companies must also develop a culture and infrastructure that helps them remember the lessons and apply them in the future. Metrics can be used to provide timely feedback on the workings of risk-based process management systems, and management review (a periodic honest self-evaluation) helps sustain existing performance and drive improvement in areas deemed important by management.

 

Applicants for a professional diploma programme at level 9 must normally have a first or second class Level 8 honours degree (NFQ or other internationally recognised equivalent) in a relevant or appropriate subject, or equivalent prior learning that is recognised by the University as meeting this requirement.

Applicants must also satisfy the English Language Requirements of the University.

The University reserves the right to shortlist and interview applicants as deemed necessary. 

Specific Programme Entry Requirement(s):

Applicants will normally have at least 2 years’ experience in the bulk pharma-chem, biopharma, or process industries.

WHAT TO INCLUDE WITH YOUR APPLICATION:

  • Qualification transcripts and/or certificates (including certified English translations if applicable)
  • A copy of your birth certificate or passport
  • If your qualifications have been obtained in a country where English is an official language this will suffice
  • If this is not available, the following additional documents must be provided:
  • English translation of your qualification(s)/transcripts AND
  • English language competency certificate

  • Please click here for Further Information on English Language Requirements

     

Guidelines on Completing your Application

• To ensure a speedy assessment of your application, please upload the above documents with your application form – your application cannot be assessed until relevant documentation is uploaded

• Please title appropriately any documents you are uploading with the application form, for example "Supporting Statement", "Undergraduate Transcript", "Postgraduate Transcript", "English Language Certificate" etc.

International students can find more information on eligibility requirements here. 

EU - €5,250

Non EU - €11,000