The program involves planning and carrying out an original research project. Projects may be carried out in one of the following areas:

Human factors, ergonomics, biomechanics, in vitro toxicology, occupational hygiene, environmental toxicology emergency management, security risk management, quantitative risk assessment and injury risk management.

Some coursework may be prescribed as part of the program depending on the expertise of the student and the nature of the project.

The school has laboratories for biomechanics and ergonomics with state of the art three dimensional motion analysis system and other standard biomechanics measurement systems. There is an applied toxicology laboratory where non animal toxicology methods are used and facilities for validation of fire and explosion models. Projects may also be carried out in a workplace including the students place of work.

The Shool is a founding partner in the Injury Risk Management Research Centre which is a repository for state government and injury databases on injury from all causes Projects may be carried out jointly with the School and the Centre.

People interested in joining the School as a research student on a full or part time basis should contact the research coordinator or the academic with whom they would like to work.

At the end of this program the student should be able to review the literature in their chosen field of study, formulate a research question and plan, undertake and publish a substantive research question study in their chosen field.

Study requirements

The degree is awarded for a thesis which embodies the result of an original investigation or design relating to safety science or risk management.

The minimum enrolment period is 1 year full time or 2 years part time. Work for the degree may be carried out as an internal or external student and the project may be related to the student's employment.

Please refer to the Conditions for the Award of Degrees:
Master of Science (MSc) and Master of Engineering (ME) - with supervision
Master of Science (MSc) and Master of Engineering (ME) - without supervision

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/FeesMainPage.html

A bachelors Degree of a standard acceptable to the Higher Degree Committee of the Faculty of Science and Technology - normally a four year degree with at least a credit grade average.

Application for research degrees (PhD, MSc, ME) should be made to the Registrar, University of New South Wales, on the form headed Application for Enrolment as a Candidate for a Higher Degree by Research. The form can be obtained from the School of Safety Science and should be lodged with the Registrar at least two months before commencement of the session in which enrolment is to begin.