| Code | PCPC |
|---|---|
| Duration | 9 Months |
| Teaching Mode | Part-Time |
| Qualifications | PG Cert |
| NFQ Level | Level 9 |
| Fees | See Fees and Costs for full details. |
| Closing Date | Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised. |
| Non-EU Closing Date | Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised. |
| Start Date | 8 September 2025 |
Course Outline
Our Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care is the first of three courses providing postgraduate training in Palliative Care at UCC. The suite of courses comprises a blended learning, interdisciplinary Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, and MSc in Palliative Care.
The Palliative Care programme at UCC is an innovative collaboration between clinicians at the world-class Marymount University Hospital & Hospice and UCC. It aims to provide students with a flexible educational experience and offers a number of elective module choices to allow each student to tailor the course to their own learning needs, work setting, and role.
The programme aims to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to provide high-quality care to people with palliative care needs and their families. Course content includes practical information on holistic symptom assessment and management, a strong focus on communication, leadership, ethical approaches and interdisciplinary teamwork, decision-making and care planning, translation of evidence to clinical practice, and reflection on legislative, policy and societal influences on palliative care across health and social care settings. The impact and benefit of palliative care for patients with both cancer and non-cancer diagnoses is also included.
Pathway
All students register for a Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care in the first instance. On successful completion of the Certificate, you will be eligible to progress to the Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care in the following year. You can progress to the MSc Palliative Care course after successful completion of the Diploma.
In addition, we believe that many established professionals from multiple disciplines will benefit from this suite of courses as part of their Continued Professional Development (CPD) including the Marymount University Hospital & Hospice Palliative Care programmes.
Year 1 - Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care (NFQ Level 9, Minor Award) (30 credits)
The Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care is a part-time, blended learning programme that runs over one academic year (nine months) from the date of first registration. There is no work placement element to the Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care.
Students take taught modules to the value of 30 credits over 9 months.
Core Modules (20 credits)
- IP6007 Philosophy, Development and Principles of Palliative Care (10 credits)
- IP6008 Interprofessional Approaches to Pain and Symptoms in Palliative Care (10 credits)
Elective Modules (Choose 10 credits)*
- IP6009 Psychosocial and Spiritual Aspects of Palliative Care (5 credits)
- MH6032 Effective Communication in Healthcare (5 credits)
- IP6013 Pharmacotherapeutics in Palliative Care (5 credits)
- IP6010 Care of the Dying Patient , Grief and Bereavement(10 credits)
- EH6157 Qualitative Research in Public Health (5 credits)
- NU6053 Professional, Ethical and Legal Decision-making in Specialist Practice (5 credits)
- MH6016** Advance Care Planning (5 credits)
- CG6016 ** Advanced Issues in Dementia Care (10 credits)
*In consultation with the programme director, students may take up to a maximum of 10 credits in elective modules in lieu of 10 credits listed above, relevant to palliative care from other programmes in UCC, in related disciplines. Such electives will be approved on a case-by-case basis and are dependent on the permission of the relevant department and module coordinator, timetabling and workload considerations.
Year 2 - Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care (NFQ Level 9, Major Award) (30 credits)
Entry to the programme is via the Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care. Students take an additional 30 credits of taught modules for the Postgraduate Diploma.
Core Modules (20 credits)
- MH6032 Effective Communication in Health Care (5 credits) &
- MH6014 Advanced Research Methods (5 credits) or
- SS6325 Social Research: Methodology & Ethics (10 credits)
- IP6011 Clinical Practicum in Palliative Care (5 credits)
Elective (choose 10 credits)
- CG6016 Advanced Issues in Dementia Care (10 credits)
- IP6009 Psychosocial and Spiritual Aspects of Palliative Care (5 credits)
- IP6010 Care of the Dying Patient, Grief, and Bereavement (10 credits)
- IP6013 Pharmacotherapeutics in Palliative Care (5 credits)
- MH6016 Advance Care Planning (5 credits)
- NU6053 Professional, Ethical and Legal Decision-making in Specialist Practice (5 credits)
Students who have successfully completed the Postgraduate Diploma will be conferred with the Postgraduate Diploma and are eligible to progress to the MSc in Palliative Care.
Year 3 - MSc in Palliative Care (NFQ, Level 9 Major Award) (30 credits)
The MSc (Palliative Care) is a part-time blended learning programme, which includes clinical placement. Entry to the programme is via the Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care and completion of the Diploma.
In total the MSc programme runs over three years (with the approval of the programme team, the programme can be completed over 2 years). The MSc component involves the design of an evidence-based project in an area relevant to palliative care.
- IP6012 Dissertation in Palliative Care (30 credits)
Course Practicalities
- Year 1 (PG Cert) runs over an academic year (nine months)
- Year 2 (PG Dip) runs over an academic year (nine months)
- Year 3 (MSc) runs over a calendar year (12 months)
Details of the balance between online and face-to-face teaching are available in individual module descriptors. Most face-to-face classes are held in 1 or 2-day blocks during weekdays.
The programme is part-time and can be completed by those in full-time employment and includes a core Clinical Practicum module at the Postgraduate Diploma level.
The MSc component, a dissertation worth 30 credits (IP6012), can be completed remotely allowing for the completion of a research project, a quality improvement initiative, or a systematic review.
Why Choose This Course
This innovative programme has been designed to an international standard by clinicians at the world-class Marymount University Hospital & Hospice and academics from UCC. The curriculum is informed by the HSE Palliative Care Competence Framework. A practically focused bio-psychosocial approach is taken, with expert lecturers and facilitators from a range of clinical and academic backgrounds, all experts in areas of relevance to palliative care.
A unique aspect of the overall programme is the extensive range of elective modules, which allows you regardless of professional background to tailor your learning to suit your professional background, work setting, and area of interest, For example, students may choose to undertake a specific module on advanced dementia. Content is current and teaching methods with a predominance of online learning and some fully online module options, allow for flexibility.
The Master's research dissertation in Palliative Care module (IP6012) is similarly flexible - you can choose to do a piece of research, develop a quality improvement initiative or conduct a systematic literature review and you will be supported to complete this by supervisors from complementary disciplines. Students are encouraged to present their work at national and international conferences, and publish in academic journals.
Placement or Study Abroad Information
The three-year programme includes a Clinical Practicum in Palliative Care module (IP6011), where you can experience palliative care across a range of settings and services, enhancing your appreciation of interdisciplinary team-working in the provision of palliative care for patients with cancer and non-cancer diagnoses. This module is taken as part of the postgraduate Diploma.
The module coordinator works closely with you to develop a tailored placement timetable and placement sessions can be undertaken as appropriate in your usual place of work, elsewhere in Ireland or abroad, as practical for you. This module is highly valuable for developing yourself as a reflective practitioner, enhancing personal clinical practice and for supporting quality improvements in your own work setting.
Skills and Careers Information
In today’s competitive workforce, higher professional qualifications are an essential part of continuous professional development and career advancement.
- The Postgraduate Certificate supports students from a range of professional backgrounds in developing knowledge, skills and competencies to assist them in delivering palliative care to patients and their families at a generalist level.
- The Postgraduate Diploma supports students to take on the delivery of palliative care at the specialist level and leadership roles in palliative care.
- The MSc provides the knowledge and skills required to critically evaluate the available evidence and develop and undertake research in palliative care and is particularly suitable for those who want to assume a management and leadership position in the delivery of palliative care.
Requirements
- Applicants for the PG Cert must have a Primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) or equivalent qualification in an appropriate healthcare profession* to be approved by the programme team.
- In some circumstances, applicants who do not meet these requirements, by virtue of their training and experience may, at the discretion of the programme team, be deemed suitable for entry to the programme. Such candidates may be requested to undergo an interview.
*A relevant healthcare profession includes but is not limited to medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and hearing science, psychology, social science, pastoral care, and art therapy.
Following successful completion of the Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care, and subject to the approval of the programme team, a student may progress to the Postgraduate Diploma. Following successful completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care, and subject to the approval of the programme team, a student may progress to the MSc, with exemptions granted for modules already taken in the Postgraduate Certificate and the Postgraduate Diploma within the previous 5 years. This does not require a new application by the student however, the programme director should be notified by email by June 30th by those students wishing to progress to the PG Diploma or MSc in the following academic year.
Garda/police clearance is required for registration for the Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care.
Recognition of Prior Learning
In accordance with UCC’s policy on Recognition of Prior Learning, a student who has successfully completed modules for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) within the MSc in Palliative Care programme, and/or has completed relevant university postgraduate modules in a cognate area at a similar NFQ level (subject to the approval of the Programme Team), and who meets the entry requirements for the Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care, can apply to register for the Postgraduate Certificate. On completion of the PG Cert, you can progress to the Postgraduate Diploma, and subsequently the MSc in Palliative Care, with exemptions granted for modules taken within the previous five years. This will require an application by the student.
Fees and Costs
- PG Cert €3,500
- PG Diploma €3,500
- MSc €3,500
Total for MSc = €10,500
How To Apply
Please note that you will be asked to complete the following questions as part of the application process for this programme.
- Motivation statement Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.
- Work Experience: Please enter your work experience relevant to this programme
Note: You will be required to complete clinical placements should you choose to progress to the Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care.
The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.
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