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Diploma · national qualification

Diploma of Work Health and Safety

This diploma is for people who already have a grounding in work health and safety and want to take charge of a safety program rather than support one.

Compare 23 providers
Illustration of a person working as work Health and Safety Inspector
How long it takes
1 to 2 years
typical for this level
What it costs
From $2,679
Subsidised at Holmesglen Institute, full fee up to $8,108
How you can study
Online or on campus
Main job
Work Health and Safety Inspector
$123,900 median pay
Taught by
23 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Diploma of Work Health and Safety asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in keeping people safe at work
  • the confidence to lead and influence others
  • good communication skills
  • a practical approach to solving problems

Before you start

All BSB41419 Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety core units or equivalent competencies. Equivalent competencies are predecessors to the following units which have been mapped as equivalent. BSBWHS412 Assist with workplace compliance with WHS laws BSBWHS413 Contribute to implementation and maintenance of WHS consultation and participation processes BSBWHS414 Contribute to WHS risk management BSBWHS415 Contribute to implementing WHS management systems BSBWHS416 Contribute to workplace incident response.

Diploma or Certificate IV?

The Diploma of Work Health and Safety is the higher level. It covers leading risk management across an organisation, running investigations after serious incidents, and building systems and reporting.

See the course

Where this course can take you

No job needs this course on its own, but it can help with the work below.

Jobs you can do with it

Jobs this course can help with

None of these jobs needs a set qualification.

  • Correctional Facility Manager

    Correctional facility managers run a prison, remand centre or youth detention facility, accountable for its security, for the staff who deliver it and for how people in custody are treated.

    Median pay$166,400 (estimate)

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

What it costs

Subsidised place

From $2,679

at Holmesglen Institute. Whether you get a subsidised place depends on your state, residency, age and earlier study.

Paying the full fee

$6,082 to $8,108

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • Holmesglen InstituteVIC

    Subsidised
    $2,679
    Full fee
    $8,108

  • The GordonVIC

    Subsidised
    $2,698
    Full fee
    $6,082

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 23 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

10 units: 5 that everyone takes and 5 you choose.

  • Leading WHS risk management
  • Investigating workplace incidents
  • Building WHS management systems
  • Developing risk assessment tools
  • Running safety consultation
  • Workplace safety compliance
See all 5 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for BSBWHS513…

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It suits supervisors, team leaders and coordinators moving into a dedicated safety role, and supervisors and managers who apply a substantial knowledge base in WHS. You learn to coordinate and maintain the WHS program, lead risk management and incident investigations.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

You need all BSB41419 Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety core units or equivalent competencies. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

How is it different from Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety?

The Diploma of Work Health and Safety is the higher level. It covers leading risk management across an organisation, running investigations after serious incidents, and building systems and reporting.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.