Master in Integrated Management: Environment, Quality and Prevention

Program Presentation

In the competitive environment we currently live in, organizations must manage their different activities effectively. Because of this, they demand integrated management models that they can use as tools for such a task.

The first step was taken by the ISO 19011 auditing standard, which applies to both quality and the environment. Subsequently, the emergence of the ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 9001:2015 standards and, more recently, ISO 45001 have confirmed this trend.

A high percentage of companies considering systems integration already have at least one quality management system in place, as this is the most common and widespread. The strategy involves integrating particular aspects of the other systems to be integrated into the existing management manual, optimizing resources and costs. In this context, it is essential to ensure that the integrated system is adapted to the idiosyncrasies of the organizations - appointing an integrated system manager in large organizations, for example - and to analyze the common elements to be integrated in order to avoid oversizing the system.

On the other hand, those companies that do not yet have any management system in place now have the opportunity to design a management handbook that integrates the three disciplines into company policy.

Therefore, from an eminently practical approach, the Master in Integrated Management: Environment, Quality, and Prevention is an ideal framework for those companies that need to incorporate an integrated management system into their organizational philosophy in order to obtain competitive advantages, while optimizing existing resources.

Who is the programme for?

The proposed training methodology, together with the clarity, comprehensiveness, and didactic design of the contents, enables the Master's Program in Integrated Management: Environment, Quality, and Prevention to be aimed at university graduates of intermediate or higher degrees who wish to receive training in integrated management to improve their job prospects.

Diploma

Successful completion of the Program will lead to being awarded the Master's Degree in Integrated Management: Environment, Quality, and Prevention.

Upon successful completion of the Program, the student will receive the degree issued by the University where they have enrolled.

Program Structure

The estimated duration of the Master's Degree in Integrated Management: Environment, Quality, and Prevention program is 78 creditsª.

Regarding the distribution of time:

  • Since this is a distance learning program and is not subject to on-site classes, there is no specific start date, so students can enroll at any time, as long as there are places available.
  • The maximum time available to complete the Program is two years. During this period, the student must have submitted all the corresponding evaluations, as well as the Master's Degree Final Project or Thesis.

The credit structure of the Master's Degree in Integrated Management: Environment, Quality, and Prevention is as follows:

  CREDITSa DURATIONb HOURS
1st Part: Environment 17 6 170
2nd Part: Quality 12 5 120
3rd Part: Occupational Risk Prevention 23 6 230
4th Part: Integrated Management 13 3 130
5th Part: Methodology of Scientific Research and Master’s Degree Final Project. 13 4 130
TOTAL 78 24 780

a. The equivalence in credits may vary according to the university that awards the degree. One (1) ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credit is equivalent to 10 + 15 hours. The relationship between credits and hours may vary for those students in the Program who are enrolled in a University not belonging to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
b. Duration in months

Objectives

General objectives:

  • Preparing professionals in the area of business who can integrate and/or lead multidisciplinary teams with the ability to adapt to market needs and technological changes and address integrated management problems with professional criteria through the use of new technologies (ICT's).

Specific Objectives

  • Identifying the most appropriate purifying technique (physical-chemical or biological) depending on the characteristics of the influencing residual agent and propose alternatives based on reducing pollution, recycling and good practices.
  • Evaluating the possible paths for chemical and industrial waste recovery in general, with an emphasis on those intended for the manufacture of lightweight and dense materials for construction, depending on their environmental, technical and economic viability.
  • Differentiating the control procedures, follow-up and analysis of gaseous pollutants and particles within the legislative framework in effect, explaining the emission factors and climatic condition that cause their dispersion in the atmosphere by using mathematical models.
  • Explaining the particularities of a soil sample from its physical-chemical properties and ion exchange processes taking place, determining its classification.
  • Designing, implementing, and maintaining an environmental management system based on the ISO 14001 Standard and carrying out internal audits according to the ISO 19011 Standard to verify its effectiveness.
  • Explaining the importance of the approach by process when planning a quality and/or environmental management system, as well as during the audit plan based on ISO 19011.
  • Assessing the importance of knowing the legislative framework affecting the activity when selecting and defining the roles and competencies of the auditing team.
  • Designing, implementing, and maintaining quality management system based on the ISO 9001 Standard and carrying out internal audits according to the ISO 19011 Standard to verify its effectiveness.
  • Differentiating between the auditing scopes for the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards, pointing out the different methods for collecting objective evidence during the diagnostic phase.
  • Prevention planning related to reducing occupational risks in specific activities: gas and pressure vessels management, machines and electricity use, welding, hazardous and dangerous waste, storage operations in general, among others.
  • Prevention planning ability related to identifying, assessing, and controlling environmental factors to reduce the risk of work-related diseases in specific activities: measuring, analyzing and manipulating chemical and biological agents, noise and vibrations control, radiations, etc.
  • Analyzing the factors that may influence the physical and/or mental workload by identifying the effects of an inadequate physical and/or mental workload and subsequently proposing preventive actions.
  • Designing, implementing, and maintaining a prevention management system based on the ISO 45001 Standard which makes possible creating and maintaining a culture of prevention that avoids work-related accidents and diseases.
  • Planning the certification process for a company and identifying the most commons features and problems for receiving a certification, such as quality, environmental and/or occupational risk prevention.
  • Identifying and interpreting the applicable law and technical regulations regarding occupational safety and health.
  • Identifying and relating the common dimensions and variables that affect standards ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 when being integrated into a single document.
  • Planning the Integrated Management System for quality, risks prevention and the environment using recognized models and references in the field.
  • Identifying those processes relevant to each one of the independent management systems and defining a necessary system of indicators for contributing to the organization’s effectiveness and efficiency, on the one hand, and on the other, to to quantify the results of an integrated management system.
  • Developing the supporting documentation for the integrated management system (procedures, operational practices, records, etc.), taking into consideration the integration of the procedures, and the common and specific requirements regarding other systems.

Career Opportunities

The multidisciplinary training received by the graduate enables them to carry out their activity in companies of all sectors with a dual aspect: technical and research.

This duality means that these people occupy positions related to consulting, implementing, and monitoring management systems based on standards (quality, environmental, occupational risk prevention, CSR, integrated...) and teaching, among others.

In this context, the occupational fields for the graduate of the Master's Degree in Integrated Management: Environment, Quality, and Prevention are very varied: industrial and construction companies and service companies with a high content of projects and/or operations, such as the transport sector, commercial distribution, healthcare or public administrations.

Study Plan

The Master’s Degree in Integrated Management: Environment, Quality, and Prevention, has a curricular structure based on five sequential formative parts:

  • 1st PART: ENVIRONMENT

The first six subjects in this part provide an overview of how business activities affect the different environmental factors (water, atmosphere, soil, etc.) and prepare the student to better understand the fundamental subject of this first part: the implementation of an ISO 14001 environmental management system in the company.

The subjects, credits, and hours comprising this part are as follow:

These subjects, despite independent of one another, are structured according to a consistent pedagogical order to ease their comprehension. Each subject is divided into basic thematic chapters. A printed version of the content is offered for the student to successfully complete the evaluation tasks.

  • 2nd PART: QUALITY

This part is composed of three subjects dedicated exclusively to the implementation of a quality management system in a company based on the ISO 9001 standard and for the subject of audits.

The subjects, credits, and hours comprising this part are as follow:

2nd PART: QUALITY
# SUBJECTS Credits HOURS
1 Quality Management Systems 3 30
2 ISO 9001 Standard 5 50
3 Documentation Management and Auditing 4 40
TOTAL 12 120
  • 3rd PART: OCCUPATIONAL RISK PREVENTION

This part lays the foundations of the two-way correspondence between the work environment and health, work-related injuries, industrial hygiene, risks and the most appropriate techniques to control them. It also details in depth the process of implementing an occupational health and safety management system based on the ISO 45001 standard.

The subjects, credits, and hours comprising this part are as follow:

3rd PART: OCCUPATIONAL RISK PREVENTION
# SUBJECTS Credits HOURS
1 Fundamentals of Occupational Risk Prevention 2 20
2 Occupational Safety 6 60
3 Industrial Hygiene 6 60
4 Ergonomics 3 30
5 Applied Psychosociology 3 30
6 ISO 45001 3 30
TOTAL 23 230
  • 4TH PART: INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT

This part explains the mechanisms for identifying the elements common to the three management systems, with special emphasis on the unification of the support documentary.

The subjects, credits, and hours comprising this part are as follow:

  • 5th PART: METHODOLOGY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND MASTER’S DEGREE FINAL PROJECT OR THESIS

The Methodology of Scientific Research subject presents the stages of the research process and its techniques so that the student can get a closer look on the scientific method and use it to contribute to their applicable occupational field. Likewise, some of the main statistical tools that help to corroborate hypotheses are reviewed, providing mathematical support to the observations made.

On the other hand, to obtain the Master's degree in Integrated Management: Environment, Quality, and Prevention, it is necessary to present and pass the Master's Degree Final Project or Thesis. The objective is to present a complete document showing the total development of the proposed project, contemplating the possibility of its specific execution. It must be a contribution to some of the fields studied or their relationship, both theoretical and applied, while respecting the doctrines, theories, and related disciplines.

5th PART: METHODOLOGY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND MASTER’S DEGREE FINAL PROJECT OR THESIS
# SUBJECTS HOURS
1 Methodology of Scientific Research and Master's Degree Final Project or Thesis 13
TOTAL 13

Description of the Subjects

1st PART: ENVIRONMENT

  1. INTRODUCTION TO THE ENVIRONMENT

    The environment Demographics and environment. Environment and development. Innovative technologies. What is sustainable development? Agreements, treaties, and international policies made within sustainable development. The challenges of sustainable development

  2. ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

    Introduction. The integral water cycle. Purification. Reuse. Urban, industrial, and agricultural water use. Characterization of wastewater: Sample collection. Physical parameters. Chemical parameters. Organic parameters. Gases. Other wastewater characterization parameters. Water quality. Discharge limits. Industrial wastewater treatment: Introduction. Pollution reduction agreements. Wastewater discharge. Industrial sectors. Purification processes applied by industries. Typical purification schemes. Green technologies. Best available techniques. Investment costs in WWTPs. Industrial wastewater reuse: Introduction. Applicable regulations on wastewater reuse. Pathogens and biological indicators of water quality. Advanced treatments for wastewater regeneration and disinfection. Industrial uses of reused water. Water reuse-regeneration models in the industrial sector. Other uses for reused water

  3. ADVANCED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE INDUSTRY

    Introduction. Concept of waste and by-product. Types of solid waste. Waste management. Waste recycling. European Union strategies on waste management. Production of urban solid waste. Characterization of municipal solid waste. Integral treatment of urban solid waste. Management of toxic and hazardous urban solid waste. Future trends in municipal solid waste management. Industrial waste management. Characterization of industrial wastes. Classification of industrial waste. Alternatives for industrial waste management. Recycling of industrial waste. Packaging and packaging waste. Trends in industrial waste management. Industrial ecology. Origin of chemical waste. Chemical waste recovery methods. Feasibility study of the valorization

  4. AIR POLLUTION MANAGEMENT

    The atmosphere. Basic concepts on atmospheric pollution. Effect of atmospheric pollutants. Contaminating sources. Contaminating processes. Polluted atmospheric effluent treatment systems. Capture of atmospheric pollutants

  5. TREATMENT OF CONTAMINATED SOILS

    Definition of soil. Edaphology. Soil horizons. Forming factors and processes. Soil classification and mapping. Global edaphic distribution. Environmental factor, aspect, and impact. Definition of contaminated soil. Causes and effects of soil contamination. Soil remediation techniques: in-situ and ex-situ treatments. Examples of soil remediation techniques. Soil contamination prevention and assessment

  6. BUSINESS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: ISO 14001

    Business and environment. Background and definitions of the environmental management system. Justification. Roles involved in an environmental management system. Implementation of an environmental management system. Instrumentalization of the business management model: Backgrounds. ISO 14000 family of standards. The EMAS regulation. ISO 14001 implementation scheme. Certification. The ISO 14001 standard: purpose and scope of application. Standard references. Terms and Definition. Organizational context. Leadership Planning. Support. Operation. Performance evaluation. Improvement. EMS documentation. Environmental audits: Introduction. ISO 19011 auditing standard. Stages of an environmental audit. Audit Handbook

2nd PART: QUALITY

  1. QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

    Utility of quality management systems. Brief history of quality management systems. ISO 9000 family of standards. The ISO 9001 standard. The ISO / TC 176 technical committee. The SL annex. Correspondence between ISO 9001 versions. The 7 principles of quality management. Quality management system standards vs. product standards. Quality management systems in specific sectors. Worldwide balance of ISO 9001 implementation. Process definition. Process approach. Types of processes. Process-based quality management system model.

  2. ISO 9001 STANDARD

    QMS implementation plan: Project approach. Identification of affected processes. Designation of responsible parties. Formation of teams. Creation of the process map. Preparation of documentation. Training for all the organization's personnel. Internal audits. Certification audit. The certification process. ISO 9001 standard: purpose and scope of application. Standard references. Terms and Definition. Organizational context. Leadership Planning. Support. Operation. Design evaluation. Improvement.

  3. DOCUMENTATION MANAGEMENT AND AUDITING

    Documentation management: Introduction. ISO 9001 documentation requirements. Good documentation practices. Computerized management of documentation. Quality audit: Introduction. Quality audit objectives. The ISO 19011 standard. Principles of auditing. Management of an audit program. Conducting the audit. Auditors' competence and evaluation. Audit questionnaire.

3rd PART: OCCUPATIONAL RISK PREVENTION

  1. FUNDAMENTALS IN OCCUPATIONAL RISK PREVENTION

    Introduction. Concept of work and health. Working conditions. Concept of occupational risk. Concept of prevention and protection. Security techniques. Accident and work incident. Occupational illness. Costs of occupational accidents and diseases. Prevention costs. Failures in the control of accidents, illnesses and incidents. Analysis and evaluation of risk. Alternatives for risk assessment. General risk assessment method. Risk assessment case study. Office work. Field work. Example of practical application. Accident investigation methodology. The tree of causes. Statistical index of accidents. Statistical control methods. Case Study

  2. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

    Security techniques. Risk assessment. Incident investigation. Safety inspection. Notification and registration. Statistical analysis. Standards and signaling. Collective and individual protection. Workplaces. Fire prevention. Self-protection plan. Teams. Chemicals products. Electrical hazard

  3. INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

    General aspects. Basic occupational toxicology. Chemical agents: environmental measurements and endpoints. Evaluation of environmental exposure to chemical agents. Chemical agents: control and PPE

  4. ERGONOMICS

    Concepts and objectives. Quality of the indoor environment. Workplace lighting. Conception and design of the workstation. Display screen. Risks derived from the physical workload. Manual handling of loads

  5. APPLIED PSYCHOSOCIOLOGY

    Mental workload. Psychosocial factors. Motivation and job satisfaction. Evaluation methods. Psychosocial intervention

  6. ISO 45001

    Backgrounds. The reactive system of performance. Integration of preventive activities. What is an occupational risk prevention management system? Types of management models. Management responsibilities.  Planning of the preventive activity in the company. The ISO 45001 standard. Implementation of the ISO 45001 standard. Documented information of the OSH management system according to ISO 45001. Audit of occupational risk prevention

4TH PART: INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT

  1. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK (OF INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT)

    Definition of management system. Instrumentalization of management systems. The road to excellence. Continuous improvement cycle. Models of quality management systems. The ISO 9000 series.La serie ISO 9000. Balance of ISO 9001 implementation. Quality costs. Business excellence models. Model of preventive excellence. The ISO 45001 standard. Integration of the preventive variable in the company. Environmental quality

  2. INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: QUALITY, ENVIRONMENT, AND PREVENTION

    What is an integrated management system? Background of integrated management systems. Justification of integrated management systems. Advantages of systems integration.

    Basic considerations for systems integration. Stages in the implementation of an integrated management system. Agents involved in systems integration. Elements of an integrated management system. Documentation of the integrated management system: Integrated Management System Manual. Procedures. Work instructions. Records. Integration levels.

  3. INTEGRATION MODELS

    Introduction. Guidelines of the Oil industry International Exploration and Production Forum (E&P FORUM). Guide to the Chemical Industries Association (Responsible Care Management System). Quality, health and safety, and environmental management standard of the Norwegian standards body (QHS&E). The Australian proposal. British Standards Institution (BS PAS 99:2006). The UNE 66177:2005 standard. Integration through standards-based management systems. Integration through process-based management systems.

  4. BUSINESS ETHICS AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

    Definition of ethics. Study methods. Ethical standards and business efficiency. Ethics, legality, and values. Concept of company and society. Ethics and society. Business Ethics. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), priorities and purpose of an ethical company. Community guidelines on social responsibility. Action plan and analysis of the situation in the area of social responsibility. Business strategies to counteract environmental problems. Perspective of action from the reparation approach to the prevention approach. Methodological proposal. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) towards customers, suppliers and shareholders. Conjugation of organizational climate, communication and authority to determine ethical values. Ethics and e-commerce.

5th PART: METHODOLOGY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND MASTER’S DEGREE FINAL PROJECT

  1. METHODOLOGY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

    Epistemological aspects of scientific research. The scientific research process. Construction of the theoretical framework. Design of the methodological strategy. The research report.

  2. MASTER’S DEGREE FINAL PROJECT

    The Master's Degree Final Project (FP) is the development of an applied project to provide novelty to the field of knowledge of the studies program. The FP should be prepared according to the guidelines and standards required for an activity of this kind. Throughout the process, you will be advised by academic staff and the MFP Director, an expert in the subject under study.


Note: The subject content may be subjected to slight modifications due to updates and improvements made.

Management

Academic Administration

  • Dr. Eduardo Garcia Villena. Doctor in Project Engineering: Environment, Safety, Quality and Communications from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Academic Director for the Environment Area at the Ibero-american University Foundation
  • Dr. Víctor Jiménez Argüelles. PhD in Project Engineering: Environment, Security, Quality and Communication at Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña. Master’s Degree in Engineering at UNAM (Mexico City) and Professor specialized in occupational risk preventions in the industrial sector.

Teaching staff and Authors

  • Dr. José María Redondo Vega. Full Professor of the Geography and Geology Department at the University of Leon.
  • Dr. Cristina Hidalgo González. Doctor in Social Sciences. Business Administration from the University of León. Professor of the Department of Applied Economics at the University of León.
  • Dr. Víctor Jiménez. Doctor in Project Engineering: Environment, Safety, Quality and Communication, by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Professor at the International Iberoamerican University.
  • Dr. Izel Marez. Doctor in Project Engineering: Environment, Safety, Quality, and Communication by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Professor at the International Iberoamerican University.
  • Dr. Olga Capó Iturrieta. Doctorate in Project Engineering: Environment, Safety, Quality, and Communication, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Head of the Projects Area of the Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA), Chile.
  • Dr. (c) Lina Pulgarín Osorio. Doctorate in Projects from the International Iberoamerican University (in progress). Master’s Degree in Integrated Management: Prevention, Environment and Quality, by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Program Coordinator and Professor at FUNIBER.
  • Dr. (c) Carmen Lilí Rodríguez Velasco. Doctorate in Education from the International Iberoamerican University (in progress). Master's Degree in Labor and Organizational Psychology from the University of Havana, Cuba. International Academic Coordinator of the Area of Management Development, Business Organization and Human Resources and Professor at FUNIBER.
  • Dr. (c) Diego J. Kurtz. Doctorate in Engineering and Knowledge Management by PPGEGC - UFSC (in process). Master in International Business - Wiesbaden Business School, Germany. Researcher of the Management for Sustainability Nucleus (www.ngs.ufsc.br) and Junior Researcher of the Dynamic SME Project (www.dynamic-sme.org). Program Coordinator and Professor at FUNIBER.
  • Ms. María Eugenia Luna Borgaro. Master in Human Resources and Knowledge Management from the University of León, Spain. Expert in Human Resources Management and Management Skills. Professor in FUNIBER.
  • Ms. Vanessa Yélamos. Degree in Psychology (University of Barcelona). Master in Systemic Coaching ( Autonomous University of Barcelona) and Master in Integral Coaching (Instituto Superior de Coaching de Barcelona). Professor at the International Iberoamerican University.

FUNIBER Training Scholarships

The Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) periodically allocates an extraordinary economic item for FUNIBER Education Scholarships.

To apply, please complete the requested information form that appears on the FUNIBER website or contact the foundation's offices in your country, which will inform you if you need to provide any additional information.

Once the documentation is received, the Evaluation Committee will examine the suitability of your application in granting you the financial aid in the form of a FUNIBER Education Scholarship.