Adolescent Health

Who is this course for?



The Masters in Adolescent Health is for anyone who is passionate about improving the health of adolescents. It is a unique program that equips students with practical skills and knowledge they can immediately apply in their professional practice to improve the health and wellbeing of adolescents.



The programme is designed for recent graduates and mature students seeking a specialised Level 9 qualification. It offers flexible study options, allowing students to complete the course on a full-time, part-time, or fully remote basis through online attendance. With classes delivered three evenings per week and on three Saturdays per 12-week teaching semester, the programme provides a truly flexible and hybrid learning experience that can be tailored to each student’s personal schedule.



What will I study?



The Masters in Adolescent Health is an interdisciplinary programme offering a bespoke, public health informed, curriculum that focuses on understanding the determinants of health and the health needs of adolescents and developing interventions and health policies aimed at promoting adolescent health and wellbeing.



Our students learn about the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional needs of adolescents and further their understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by this age group. Through our rigorous curriculum, students develop their critical thinking, analytic, communication, leadership, decision-making, and key public health knowledge and skills. It equips learners with the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed to make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of adolescents in their communities and around the world.



As part of the programme, students will complete an Integrative Learning Experience (ILE), which may take the form of a community-led project, a narrative review, or independent research leading to a thesis. The ILE final project will focus on a topic of each student’s choosing and will be tailored to their personal interests and professional goals in the field of Adolescent Health.



When each students completes this programme, they will have the necessary knowledge and skills to work with and on behalf of adolescents, and to promote and improve the health of adolescents locally, nationally, and globally.



Programme Modules:



Students will be required to complete ten core modules during the programme, including:



Semester 1:



Foundations of Public Health in the Context of Adolescence;

Adolescent Health and Development;

Research Methods;

Determinants of Adolescent Health;

Semester 2:



Chronic Health Conditions in Adolescence;

Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating Adolescent Health Programmes;

Communication for Adolescent Health;

Quality Improvement;

Leadership Development;

An Integrative Learning Experience tailored to their personal interests and career goals.



Through this programme students will learn to define the health and development needs of adolescents, design strategies to address those needs, and evaluate the effectiveness of adolescent health policies and programmes.

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).

Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Year 1 (90 Credits)

RequiredCN6100: Adolescent Health and Development

RequiredED6173: Research Methods

RequiredCN6101: Communication for Adolescent Health

RequiredCN6104: Foundations of Public Health in the Context of Adolescence

RequiredCN6105: Quality Improvement

RequiredCN6110: Integrative Learning Experience

RequiredCN6108: Chronic Health Disorders in Adolescence

RequiredCN6106: Leadership Development

RequiredCN6107: Determinants of Adolescent Health

RequiredCN6109: Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating Adolescent Health Interventions

Minimum Entry Requirement



Candidates must hold at least a Second Class Honours Level 8 primary degree in a related subject area or hold a primary degree in a related area (which is acceptable to the college) without honours and have three years’ relevant practical experience in the subject area.



Academic entry requirements standardised per country are available here. 



English Language Entry Requirements



For applicants whose first language is not English, an English language proficiency of IELTS score of 6.5 is required (with no less than 6.0 in any other band) or equivalent. 



More information on English language test equivalency are available here.



Supporting Documents



You will be required to provide supporting documentation as part of your application. You can check here what supporting documents are required for this course.

A hybrid approach to assessment is used in this programme.


Assessment methods include formal written exams, assignments, discussion forums, group presentation, research proposal, project report, Continuous professional development plan, oral presentation and continuous assessment.


During the programme, students will work individually and in groups.


A strong emphasis is placed on oral presentation of work.


Registration for CIPD membership is required of all successful applicants commencing this programme.

1 year, full-time; 2 years, part-time.

Year 1 - €5,190 (includes annual CIPD student membership fee); Year 2 - €4,000.


Students who are registered on this programme are eligible to apply for the Financial Aid Fund for Part Time Students. Eligibility criteria applies. For more information see https://www.ucc.ie/en/finaidpt

Next start date: September 2026

The Masters in Adolescent Health prepares students to work in adolescent health practice, policy and research, and to incorporate considerations of how to better protect and promote the health of adolescents across their working and personal life. Graduates of our programme will have proficiency in the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional needs of adolescents as well as an understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by this age group.



Graduates will be equipped with the fundamental knowledge and skills to work in a vast array of organisations both nationally and internationally including health care, consulting firms, departments of health and education, hospitals, social services, not-for-profit organisations, schools, universities, and many, many more.