Start with a short course
Our online short courses provide an alternative entry route to this online Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) if:
- you want to get your postgraduate studies started without committing to a full PgCert
- you’ve missed the deadline to apply for the full PgCert, or
- you do not meet the formal PgCert entry requirements.
A way to study for this online PgCert without a degree
Our entry-route short courses are self-evaluating.
This means you do not need to provide formal qualifications to study them. If you believe you’re academically capable, you’re welcome to join a course.
To help you decide if a short course is right for you, check the entry guidance on each course page. It explains the level of teaching involved.
How it works
- Complete 30 credits’ worth of short courses that are part of this online PgCert.
- Then apply to transfer to the online PgCert in August.
By earning 30 credits successfully, you’ll have proved you’re capable of learning at this level. You’ll then be eligible to apply to transfer to the online PgCert, even if you do not hold the formal PgCert entry qualifications.
Transfers onto the PgCert take place once a year, in August only.
Buy
Purchase and complete at least 30 credits’ worth of short courses that are part of this online PgCert.
Apply
We’ll contact you during your studies to help you apply to transfer to the online PgCert in August.
Transfer
Provided the degree coordinator is happy with your performance, and you meet our English language requirements, we can transfer you in August.
Get started on the short course route
To start on the entry path to this online PgCert, complete 30 credits’ worth of the following courses.
All are compulsory courses for PgCert Human Factors and Safety.
All courses are delivered at Masters level. At this level, you’d usually have:
- a 2:2 UK undergraduate degree (or equivalent), or
- relevant experience that supports this level of study.
Courses starting on 27 January 2025
Safety Critical Skills in Industry (15 credits)
Safety critical skills, also known as non-technical skills, make work safer and more efficient. Learn how to identify, assess and improve these skills in your industry.
Buy Safety Critical Skills in Industry
Organisational Safety and Risk
Explore organisational safety and risk management from a psychological perspective.
Buy Organisational Safety and RiskCourses starting on 22 September 2025
Human Factors in Industrial Practice (15 credits)
Learn to evaluate and improve safety wherever you work, using human factors knowledge to reduce human error and increase productivity.
Buy Human Factors in Industrial Practice
Organisational Culture and Conflict (15 credits)
Explore workplace culture and conflict from a psychological perspective.
Buy Organisational Culture and ConflictPurchasing your courses
To join a course, apply via the course page and follow the application and checkout process.
Courses are available to purchase until one week after their start date, but we encourage you to purchase your courses as early as possible to ensure a smooth start to your studies.
Study at your own pace
We estimate that each 15-credit course is around 10 – 15 study hours per week.
If you’re planning to study part-time, especially if you’re studying around full-time work, we recommend taking a maximum of 30 credits per term.
You’re welcome to go at a slower pace and begin with one 15-credit course. But you cannot transfer to the PgCert until you have 30 credits from courses that are part of the online PgCert.
Frequently asked questions
Here are answers to the most common questions we receive about our short course routes.
If your question is not answered here, we’re here to help. Get in touch.
Yes, absolutely.
You can choose to take one or two 15-credit courses each term.
- A 15-credit course is around 10 – 15 study hours per week.
- A 30-credit course is around 20 – 30 study hours per week.
You can also take study breaks between terms, as long as you complete your qualification in time. You need to complete:
- a Masters degree within six years
- a Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) within four years
- a Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) within two years.
You’ll be eligible to apply to transfer to the online PgCert when you:
- pass 30 credits’ worth of short courses from this PgCert successfully
- receive your official passing grades for these courses, and
- meet this PgCert’s English language requirements if English is not your first language.
If you fulfil these requirements, you can apply to transfer. The programme coordinator makes the final decision on PgCert transfers.
You can transfer once a year, in August. We carry out transfers in August because:
- August is the start of the new academic year, and
- it gives you time to choose your courses ahead of teaching starting in September.
The transfer process takes place once a year, in August only.
The School will contact you during your studies to find out what your intentions are for the next term. It’s at this point you can apply to transfer in August. The School will support you through the transfer process.
If you’re taking the short course route, you do not need to apply for the PgCert separately via our Applicant Portal. Instead, the School will fast-track you onto the online PgCert, providing you meet the eligibility criteria.
If you fail your first attempt at a short course, you’ll be offered one chance to resit the course assessment.
If you fail this resit, you cannot take the course again.
We would then be able to advise you as to your options – you may still be able to qualify with a postgraduate qualification in a different specialism.
No. Once you’ve completed your entry-route short courses, you will not need to study them again when you transfer to the online PgCert.
The credits you have completed will count towards your PgCert.
Once you’ve transferred to the PgCert, you will not need to pay for the courses you have already studied. Your PgCert fee will be adjusted to deduct the cost of the courses you have already paid for.
A pay-as-you-go PgCert
We never charge the full fee for an online PgCert, PgDip or Masters degree upfront. Instead, we charge for our postgraduate qualifications one term at a time, so you can spread the cost.
How pay-as-you-go works
Each term, you decide how many courses you’d like to take. Then you pay for these courses just before term starts. This gives you control over your fees and your workload, term by term.
Each 15-credit course is around 10 – 15 study hours per week.
This is an indicative guide to the time required for a typical student at this level to achieve the learning outcomes. This includes time for independent study, as well as teaching and assessments.
You’ll find more detailed and course-specific study hours on each of our online course pages.
Studying around work?
If you’re planning to study part-time, especially if you’re studying around full-time work, we recommend taking a maximum of 30 credits per term.
If you’ve already submitted an application for this PgCert, please:
- email our Postgraduate Admissions team with your applicant number and ask them to cancel your PgCert application
- then purchase and join your chosen short course(s).