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1. Study
2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Postgraduate Certificates
5. Paediatrics and Child Health

Course Fact File

Code	PCPCH
Duration	1 Year
Teaching Mode	Part-Time
Qualifications	PG Cert
NFQ Level	Level 9
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.
Course Delivery Method	Online
Start Date	8 September 2025

Course Outline

Our Postgraduate Certificate in Paediatrics and Child Health is the first of three courses providing postgraduate training in Paediatrics and Child Health at University College Cork (UCC). The Certificate, developed by the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, is designed to provide healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage children under their care. 

These courses are the first University-accredited postgraduate programmes in Paediatrics and Child Health in Ireland and form part of a unique suite of Paediatrics and Child Health courses. Students who complete the Postgraduate Certificate in their first year have the option to proceed to a Diploma and Master's level qualification in their second and third years respectively. 

If students have Recognised Prior Learning from another institution, up to 30 of those credits can be applied to this programme and they may be able to enter the Diploma year (see 'Requirements' below for more information). 

These Paediatrics and Child Health courses were established by the College of Medicine and Health to meet the demand for dynamic multidisciplinary healthcare models for treating children. They offer broad coverage of the scientific basis of childhood disease, the principles of evidence-based paediatric medicine, and focus on the various multidisciplinary assessment and treatment approaches within the field of paediatrics.

Paediatrics and Child Health Programme

The Paediatrics and Child Health programme is delivered entirely online and constitutes a suite of three courses providing postgraduate training in paediatrics to doctors in speciality training (GP or paediatric), nurses, and allied health professionals who wish to sub-specialise. We also believe that established professionals from multiple disciplines will benefit from this suite of courses as part of their Continued Professional Development (CPD).

The online PG Certificate consists of four modules worth 30 credits. Students who complete the Certificate may progress to the Diploma (additional four modules worth 30 credits) which builds on the knowledge base gained in the Certificate with an emphasis on research methods and reflective practice in childhood neurodisability, chronic disease and adolescent medicine. Upon completion of the Diploma, students may progress to the MSc, completing a 30-credit research dissertation.  See the University Calendar (Paediatrics & Child Health - Online) for more information.

• Year 1 - PG Certificate in Paediatrics and Child Health (30 credits)
• Year 2 - PG Diploma in Paediatrics and Child Health (30 credits) (accumulated 60 credits)
• Year 3 - MSc in Paediatrics and Child Health (30 credits) (accumulated 90 credits)

Postgraduate Certificate in Paediatrics and Child Health (30 credits)

Our Certificate course is designed to facilitate students with a wide range of background skills in paediatrics, who require a detailed understanding of core research methodologies, critical evaluation, evidence-based approaches, and the scientific basis of childhood disease.

• PC6001 Newborn Health and Child Development (10 credits)
• PC6002 The Febrile Child (5 credits)
• PC6003 Evidence-Based Management of Common Paediatric Presentations (10 credits)
• PC6004 Acute Injury in Children (5 credits)

Certificate Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this Certificate, you will be able to:

• Outline a systematic approach to new-born and infant clinical assessment;
• Define the principles of managing common illnesses in infants and children;
• Describe the principles of assessing and managing a febrile child with reference to sepsis;
• Outline the roles and responsibilities of the multidisciplinary team in child health;
• Describe the assessment and management of accidental and non-accidental injuries in children.

Postgraduate Diploma in Paediatrics and Child Health (30 credits)

Our Diploma course is designed to deepen students understanding of effective Paediatrics and Child Health approaches.

• MH6036 Research in Clinical Practice (10 credits)
• PC6006 Chronic Illness in Children (5 credits)
• PC6007 Adolescent Medicine (10 credits)
• PC6008 Neurodisability in Children (5 credits)

Diploma Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this Diploma, you will be able to:

• Apply knowledge and skills needed to analyse and design clinical research studies;
• Understand the general approach to chronic disease management and apply the knowledge and skills needed to monitor and manage chronic diseases in children – particularly diabetes and cystic fibrosis;
• Develop fundamental knowledge, attitudes, and skills in the area of adolescent care;
• Understand the general approach to managing children with neurodisability, including the knowledge and skills needed for practice – particularly in children with Down Syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy.

MSc in Paediatrics and Child Health (30 credits)

Our MSc course is designed to support our students as they apply what they have learned to research. Students will be supported by UCC faculty as they design, implement, and analyse their MSc dissertation research. Through the MSc, students will undergo a systematic investigation of a research problem and the current status of the evidence, planning, undertaking, analysis and presentation of a research project in paediatrics and child health.

• PC6009 Dissertation in Paediatrics and Child Health (30 credits)

MSc Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the MSc, students will be able to develop a research hypothesis, undertake a research project and present research findings in the format of a dissertation and orally in an open forum.

Course Practicalities

This Postgraduate Certificate in Paediatrics and Child Health is a part-time course run over one academic year (9 months). Students take taught modules to a total value of 30 credits, incorporating approximately 100 hours of structured contact time, provided via webinars or online (3 to 8 in-class days per month during term).

Most classes are held during the academic year via UCC's e-learning platform Canvas. Canvas will host asynchronous lectures, assignments, discussions, and course communications. There will also be synchronous components, such as live teaching sessions and workshops which will be delivered via the Microsoft Teams platform.

Progression from Postgraduate Certificate to Postgraduate Diploma

A student previously graduated with the Postgraduate Certificate in Paediatrics and Child Health, within five years of completion may re-register for the Postgraduate Diploma in Paediatrics and Child Health, subject to approval of the Programme Team, with exemptions granted for modules taken within the previous five years. This will not require a new PAC application.

Why Choose This Course

Our Paediatrics and Child Health courses are designed for busy healthcare professionals, including those working full time, who want to learn flexibly. This is the only fully online postgraduate programme in child health in Ireland with University accreditation and includes the option to proceed to MSc level.

UCC has a strong tradition in the education of paediatricians, paediatric nurses and allied health professionals. The course team includes faculty members from a broad range of specialities including neonatology, paediatric emergency medicine, allergy, neuro-disability, neurology, endocrinology, and pulmonology.

Placement or Study Abroad Information

The UCC Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and Masters in Paediatrics and Child Health will provide you with the skills and knowledge to apply for opportunities abroad.

There is no work placement in this programme, but candidates should ideally be working in clinical practice. However, while there are no placements within the course design, the faculty are available to advise regarding such opportunities within their professional experience.

Skills and Careers Information

In today’s competitive workforce, higher professional qualifications are an essential part of development and career advancement. We are confident that this Certificate in Paediatrics and Child Health will provide you with the skills and competencies required to confidently care for children in your respective field.

The course will be particularly useful for: Doctors completing membership exams and applying for paediatric higher specialist training; GPs wishing to specialise in child health; Allied Health Professionals wishing to specialise to clinical specialist level; Nurses wishing to specialise to clinical nurse specialist level or managerial paediatric posts.

Requirements

1. A primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in a relevant health care discipline such as medicine, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, speech and language, physiotherapy, and dietetics.

2. Ideally applicants should have at least one year’s practical experience in their area of qualification.

Fees and Costs

How To Apply

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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