NEBOSH Level 6 National Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals

The NEBOSH Level 6 National Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals is the senior UK health and safety qualification, accredited by Ofqual at RQF Level 6 with 43 credits. Holders may use the letters DipNEBOSH after their name. For most people it is the step taken after several years in the profession rather than at the start.

LevelRQF Level 6Ofqual-accredited, 43 credits, 2023 specification

Structure3 unitsDN1 assignment, DN2 and DN3 case studies

Assessment time~80 hoursAround 40 for DN1, 20 each for DN2 and DN3

Enrolment period5 yearsTo complete all three units

Who it is for

This qualification suits you if

You already work in health and safety and want to progress to senior practitioner level
You are working towards professional membership of IOSH or IIRSM
You hold a certificate-level qualification and have outgrown it
A senior role has named the NEBOSH Diploma specifically

Before you commit

This is a Level 6 qualification and a serious undertaking, not a short course
Certificate-level knowledge is assumed, so start there if you do not have it
Assessment alone accounts for around 80 hours across the three units
DN1 is workplace-based, so you need access to a suitable organisation

What it covers

The Diploma is built around three units, each assessed separately, and each covering a distinct part of the discipline in depth.

DN1, Know: workplace health and safety principles, covering law, management systems, leadership, behavioural change and human failure
DN2, Do: controlling workplace health issues, covering occupational health, mental health and wellbeing, hazardous substances, noise, vibration and musculoskeletal risk
DN3, Do: controlling workplace safety issues, covering fire and dangerous substances, work equipment, electricity, construction and workplace transport
Throughout, the emphasis is on applying knowledge to real organisational problems rather than recalling it

Assessment and certification

Each unit is assessed separately, with sittings available twice a year for each one. DN1 is an assignment split across two papers submitted together: simulation questions, then workplace activities, reflective tasks and a research project. It takes around 40 hours, with 20 working days allowed. DN2 and DN3 are scenario-based case studies of roughly 20 hours each, with 10 working days allowed for each. The provisional pass mark is 50% per unit. Every submission is checked through Turnitin, and a closing interview follows each assessment to confirm the work is your own. Once all three units are passed, your combined mark sets the overall grade: 150 to 195 for a Pass, 196 to 225 for a Credit, 226 or above for a Distinction. The qualification parchment is issued 20 working days after the results notification date for your third successful unit.

Where the Diploma leads

The Diploma meets the academic requirements to apply for IOSH membership at the appropriate grade, and holders are eligible for Member status of IIRSM, using the letters MIIRSM. That professional standing, rather than the certificate itself, is usually the reason people take it. IOSH sets its own membership criteria and has revised them, so check the current position with IOSH directly before planning a route. If you are earlier in your career, the General Certificate is the right starting point and is what employers ask for at practitioner level.

How you can study it

Full-time block release

A minimum of six weeks, or 30 working days, which is the quickest route through and suits people with employer backing.

Part-time day release

Spread over at least 30 weeks, which is how most people fit the Diploma around a full-time job.

Distance learning or e-learning

Maximum flexibility across the five-year enrolment period, and the route that asks most of your own discipline.

Common questions

How long does the NEBOSH Diploma take?

It depends entirely on the route. Full-time block release runs to a minimum of six weeks; part-time day release is spread over at least 30 weeks; studied by distance learning most people take a year or more alongside a job. The assessments alone account for around 80 hours. NEBOSH allows a five-year enrolment period to complete all three units.

Do I need the General Certificate first?

It is not a formal entry requirement, but the Diploma assumes certificate-level knowledge and builds directly on it. Starting at Diploma level without that grounding is possible and rarely advisable.

Can I take the units separately?

Yes. The three units are assessed separately, with sittings twice a year for each, and you receive a unit result for each one passed. Many people spread them out and take one at a time alongside work, which is what the five-year enrolment period is designed to allow. Your Learning Partner will advise on the sensible order and register you for each sitting.

How is it graded?

Each unit carries a provisional pass mark of 50%. Once all three are passed, the combined mark determines the overall grade: 150 to 195 is a Pass, 196 to 225 a Credit, and 226 or above a Distinction. Assessments are checked through plagiarism software and followed by a closing interview.

Does the Diploma make me chartered?

Not on its own. It meets the academic requirements to apply for IOSH membership at the appropriate grade, which is the academic half of the route towards Chartered status. Chartered membership also requires professional experience and completion of IOSH's own development process, and IOSH sets and revises those criteria itself, so confirm the current requirements with IOSH.

Compare National Diploma dates and formats below

Envico lists Diploma courses from NEBOSH Learning Partners in classroom, live online and self-paced formats. Not ready for Diploma level? Start with the General Certificate, or browse the full NEBOSH range.