The Master’s Degree in Integrated Management Systems (SIG) comprises 60 ECTS credits spread over two four-month terms. In the first semester, you will study the three main management systems: quality, environment and occupational health and safety, applying the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards. In the second term, you will study how to integrate and audit these systems, rounding off your training with work placements and the Master’s Final Project.
All fields are required
Table of Contents
What is the Master’s in Integrated Management Systems?
How is the curriculum for the Master’s in Integrated Management Systems organised?
Which modules are studied in the first term of the MSc in IMS?
Which modules are studied in the second term of the MSc in IMS?
Which ISO standards are covered in the Master’s in IMS?
What do the modules on the MSc in IMS prepare you for?
An Integrated Management System (IMS) is a model that enables an organisation to manage its quality, environmental and occupational health and safety policies in a coordinated manner. Rather than maintaining three separate and costly systems, the IMS brings them together under a single framework.
The importance of this approach has grown significantly in recent years. Increasing European regulatory pressure regarding sustainability, workplace safety and quality standards is forcing companies to integrate these systems in order to comply with regulations, reduce costs and enhance their reputation. This makes the IMS specialist – also known as an HSEQ (Health, Safety, Environment and Quality) professional – an increasingly sought-after role in the labour market.
The UAX’s Master’s Degree in Integrated Management Systems prepares you precisely for that role: to design, implement, coordinate and audit integrated management systems in any type of organisation.
The curriculum comprises 60 ECTS credits spread over two terms of 30 credits each:
All modules are compulsory (OB), reflecting the fact that the programme is designed in a compact manner so that no element is dispensable.
The first term immerses you in the three management systems that form the core of the IMS. Each is covered in two stages: first from a conceptual and organisational perspective, and then through the direct application of the relevant ISO standard.
This module introduces you to the theoretical and practical foundations of quality management. You will learn what quality is from an organisational perspective, how it is measured, how it is managed and what impact it has on business results. It is the starting point for understanding why ISO standards exist and what problems they are designed to solve.
Building on the foundation covered above, you will explore in greater depth the requirements of ISO 9001, the international benchmark standard for quality management systems. You will learn to interpret its clauses, identify an organisation’s key processes and plan the implementation of this system, including the definition of indicators and the continuous improvement cycle (PDCA).
This module analyses the conceptual and legal framework for occupational risk prevention (ORP) in Spain and Europe. You will study what occupational risks are, how they are identified and how organisations should structure their preventive model. Law 31/1995 on Occupational Risk Prevention and Royal Decree 39/1997 are key regulatory references that you will study in this module.
Here, you will apply this knowledge to ISO 45001, the international standard that replaced OHSAS 18001 as the benchmark for occupational health and safety management systems. You will learn how to assess occupational risks within this framework, define health and safety objectives, and draw up the necessary documentation for its implementation and subsequent certification.
In this module, you will delve into corporate environmental management: what environmental impacts are, how they are identified and how organisations can systematically minimise them. You will examine the applicable environmental legislation, the principles of the circular economy and the ESG (environmental, social and governance) criteria that are increasingly demanded by investors and regulators.
The first term concludes with the application of ISO 14001, the international standard for environmental management systems. You will learn how to assess an organisation’s environmental aspects and impacts, how to set environmental improvement targets, and how to prepare the documentation required for its implementation and certification.
If the first term gives you the pieces of the jigsaw, the second teaches you how to put them together. The focus shifts from individual systems to their actual integration and the tools needed to verify that they are functioning correctly.
This module analyses the strategic and organisational foundations of integration. You will learn why many companies fail when they manage quality, the environment and occupational health and safety in isolation, and what real benefits an integrated system brings: reduced internal bureaucracy, cost savings on audits and a more coherent corporate culture.
The UNE 66177 standard is the leading Spanish technical guide for integrating management systems. In this module, you will learn to apply its methodology step by step: how to carry out the initial assessment, how to select the most appropriate level of integration for each organisation, and how to draw up an integration plan with verifiable indicators.
Before learning how to audit against a specific standard, this module provides you with the conceptual framework for auditing as a management tool. You will study the different types of audit (internal, external, third-party), the auditor’s profile, the biases to be avoided, and how to draw up an audit report that is genuinely useful to the organisation.
The ISO 19011 standard sets out the guidelines for auditing management systems. You will apply this standard to plan and carry out integrated audits that simultaneously assess an organisation’s quality, environmental and occupational health and safety performance. This is one of the most highly valued skills in the labour market, as very few professionals are proficient in auditing all three systems simultaneously.
With 9 credits, the work placement is the most significant component of the second term. You will join a real company or organisation to apply the skills you have acquired: you will participate in the implementation, maintenance or auditing of management systems. This experience is a key asset for your entry into the labour market and an opportunity to build your professional network.
The Master’s Thesis is the culminating project of your course. You can focus it on designing an MIS for a real organisation, analysing an integration case study or proposing a data-driven improvement. It is your strongest demonstration of competence to future employers.
The programme incorporates the main standards that form the core of any integrated management system:
| Standard | Scope | Main focus |
| ISO 9001 | Quality | Customer satisfaction and process improvement |
| ISO 14001 | Environment | Reducing the organisation’s environmental impact |
| ISO 45001 | Occupational health and safety | Risk prevention and workers’ wellbeing |
| ISO 19011 | Audits | Planning and conducting management system audits |
| UNE 66177 | Integration | Methodological guide for harmonising the previous standards |
The first three standards share the high-level structure (HLS), which facilitates their integration: they have equivalent clauses, common terminology and a standardised continuous improvement cycle based on the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle.
The modules on the MSc in IMS equip you to take on roles of high responsibility in the integrated management of organisations. The most common professional roles are:
The HSEQ profile is one of the most sought-after in sectors such as industry, construction, logistics and energy. Companies particularly value professionals capable of managing the three systems in an integrated manner and conducting combined audits.
The UAX Master’s Degree in Integrated Management Systems is delivered online, designed so that you can balance it with your professional commitments. Its main features are:
This flexibility is particularly important for working professionals employed in quality, occupational health and safety or environmental departments and are seeking an official qualification that will enable them to progress to roles with greater responsibility.
The UAX Master’s in Integrated Management Systems (IMS) is a 60 ECTS programme structured over two semesters. In the first term, you will be trained in the three fundamental systems: quality (ISO 9001), environment (ISO 14001) and occupational health and safety (ISO 45001), exploring each one both from a conceptual perspective and through the direct application of the standard. In the second term, you will learn to integrate these three systems using the UNE 66177 guide, audit them jointly in accordance with ISO 19011, and apply everything you have learnt in real-world work placements and in your Master’s Thesis. The online format allows you to study without having to give up your professional life, preparing you to work as an HSEQ Manager, auditor, consultant or sustainability manager in any sector.
How long does the Master’s in Integrated Management Systems last? The Master’s programme lasts one academic year and comprises 60 ECTS credits, organised into two semesters of 30 credits each.
Is previous experience with ISO required to enrol on the Master’s in IMS? No, it is not essential. The programme begins with the conceptual foundations of each system before moving on to specific ISO standards, so you can enrol without prior experience in certification.
What is the difference between IMS and OSH? OSH(Occupational Safety and Health) is one of the three pillars of IMS, alongside quality and the environment. An OSH technician specialises in occupational health and safety, whilst an IMS specialist integrates all three systems in a coordinated manner.
Are the work placements on the Master’s in IMS paid? As these are curricular work placements integrated into the official curriculum, in most cases they are unpaid, although this may vary depending on the agreement with each partner company.
Does the UAX Master’s in IMS qualify graduates to practise as senior occupational health and safety technicians? The Master’s programme includes training in occupational health and safety management in accordance with ISO 45001, but full qualification as a senior occupational health and safety technician requires an Official Master’s Degree in Occupational Health and Safety in accordance with Royal Decree 39/1997.
Sources
