
Graduate Certificate in Advanced Ergonomic Studies
London, Canada
DURATION
38 Weeks
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
CAD 5,877 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for international costs | Canadian costs: CAD 7,848.80
Key Summary
Introduction
If you have a background in kinesiology or just like observing how people and products work together, and how workplaces and environments influence our interactions and well-being, then our one-year Advanced Ergonomic Studies graduate certificate program is for you.
Your Learning Experience
The first of its kind in Canada, Fanshawe’s ergonomic training will provide you with opportunities to expand your fundamental understanding of the science of human-machine interactions and injury prevention by optimizing the design and workspaces of workplaces from manufacturing to healthcare.
Fanshawe’s advanced ergonomics training focuses on the concepts of human-centred design and the optimization of the workplace to prevent injuries. The program is led by seasoned professional ergonomists and classroom learning is reinforced with hands-on labs that utilize the diversity of workplaces at the Fanshawe campus and field placements that will put your analytical tools to the test. You’ll provide injury prevention and universal design recommendations using a variety of technologies and techniques including exoskeletons, wearables, and virtual reality to evaluate and optimize worker and workspace interactions. There are many career opportunities in this growing field.
Upon completion of the program, graduates may apply to the Canadian College for the Certification of Professional Ergonomists (CPE) for the designation of Associate Ergonomist. CPE is an international certification and has been recognized by the International Ergonomics Association. Find further information regarding certification by the CPE. Students will also have the opportunity to attend the Applied Ergonomics Conference.
Hours of study required for designation
Students who intend to pursue the Associate Ergonomist designation from the Canadian College for the Certification of Professional Ergonomists are encouraged to complete the following hours of study in the disciplines listed below at a post-secondary institution:
- Anatomy (45 hours)
- Physiology (45 hours)
- Biomechanics (45 hours)
- Qualitative and Quantitative Design and Analysis (45 hours)
CIP Code: 51.2399
Admissions
Curriculum
Level 1
- Ergonomics Theory and Practice
- Research Methods and Statistics
- Human-Computer Interactions
- Ergonomics Theory and Practice
Level 2
- Research in Ergonomics
- Ergonomics Instrumentation
- Human Factors and Design
- Professional Development
- Ergonomics and Legislation
Level 3
- Field Placement
Program Outcome
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Assess worker-workplace interactions and ergonomic concerns using current technologies and appropriate qualitative and quantitative techniques.
- Identify the mechanisms and causes of injury in a variety of workplace settings and recommend appropriate assistive tools and workstation modifications to reduce the potential for workplace injury.
- Synthesize information about the elements of an ergonomically sound workplace and proper work break patterns and exercises to guide their study design, evaluation, and/or proposed intervention.
- Analyze the cost-effectiveness of ergonomic methods and their value in mitigating the financial impacts of injuries in the workplace.
- Prepare succinct technical reports and design specifications that include conclusions and recommendations that are supported by the analysis of data and the relevant scientific literature.
- Collaborate and communicate effectively across functional teams and levels of management including with those involved in the process of having an individual safely return to work following an injury.
- Recommend workstation, equipment, and tool design changes based on the application of anthropometrical tables and calculations.
- Examine the impact of biophysical and psychosocial factors including human perception and information processing on an individual’s performance in the workplace.
Career Opportunities
Fanshawe’s Advanced Ergonomics Studies graduate program provides graduates with theoretical and practical knowledge to optimize how products, environments, and systems can effectively influence how people interact and engage with each other. Career opportunities are diverse and may involve physical ergonomics and/or cognitive ergonomics in a variety of sectors, including health care, industry and manufacturing, government, utilities, software companies, and consultancies. Job titles vary by sector and area of specialization, but include ergonomist, occupational health and safety specialist, human factors engineer, and product designer.
Advanced ergonomics graduates have over an 86% employment rate.
Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Advanced Ergonomic Studies program:
Ergonomist, Automotive sector
The design of parts, processes, and products. Work with engineers, management, and workers to assess, design and optimize the workplace to prevent injuries.
Environmental, Health, and Safety Coordinator
Ergonomics is a key component of environmental health and safety compliance. Our Advanced Ergonomics Studies graduates bring unique skills to health and safety teams.
Field Placement Information
- Ability at Work (Kitchener)
- Air Canada (Mississauga)
- Cambridge Memorial Hospital (Cambridge)
- Cargill (Mississauga)
- Ergonomics for Manufacturing (Hanover)
- ergoNow (Windsor)
- General Dynamics Land Systems (London)
- Hamilton Health Sciences (Hamilton)
- Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto)
- Igloo Software (Kitchener)
- Injury Prevention Plus (Ottawa)
- Kingston General Hospital (Kingston)
- Labatt (London)
- London Health Sciences Centre (London)
- Municipality of Chatham-Kent (Chatham-Kent)
- Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (Hamilton)
- Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (Windsor)
- Optimal Fit Inc. (Calgary)
- Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Waterloo)
- Royal Victoria Regional Health Care (Barrie)
- S.C. Johnson (Brantford)
- Toyota (Cambridge)
- Toyota (Woodstock)
- Union Gas (Chatham)
- University of British Columbia (Vancouver)
- Woodbridge Foam (Blenheim)