Advanced Ageing & Frailty Studies

Course Overview

The discipline of Medical Gerontology in Trinity has a wealth of expertise in ageing biology, clinical frailty assessment and management, and in frailty research. We have built on this expertise to create a Postgraduate Certificate focused on understanding the ageing process, how dysregulation of physiological systems can lead to frailty, and why these frailty-associated physiological changes render the older adult more vulnerable to adverse health outcomes.



This Postgraduate Certificate will also deliver significant content related to how to assess and manage the older adult living with frailty in a clinical setting. Furthermore, graduates of this Postgraduate Certificate will learn how to apply this theoretical and clinical knowledge to a research setting and learn how this research translates back to a clinical setting. The ultimately goal is to equip students with new knowledge to help improve resilience in older adults.



The course will expand students’ knowledge and skills in the management of older adults living with frailty, using a range of teaching and assessments methods. This will give students the opportunity to produce assessed work which is highly relevant to the clinical environment, and which develops independent life-long learning skills.



The course is taught by the discipline of Medical Gerontology within the School of Medicine, online-only, through the College Virtual Learning Environment.



Is This Course For Me?

This course is directed towards a wide range of health-care professionals, including medicine, nursing and allied health and social care professions who wish to improve their knowledge and inform their clinical practice in the area of frailty.



Course Structure

This P.Grad.Cert. carries 30 ECTS and will be delivered online, with lectures streamed live via Blackboard and / or Zoom.

The programme consists of four modules:

1. The Biology of the Ageing Process.

2. Frailty in Ageing Adults.

3. Frailty in Ageing Adults: Clinical Practice.

4. Quantitative Analytical Tools for Ageing and Frailty.

Admission Requirements

Applicants should be health or social care professionals working with older adults in any workplace setting. Suitable candidates include doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and allied health and social care professionals. Service managers will also be considered.



Applicants should hold at least a 2.1 honours degree from an Irish university or equivalent result from a university in another country. If an applicant does not have a 2.1 honors degree, previous completion of our Frailty Micro-crediental module is strongly advised.



English Language Requirements

All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements. For more details of qualifications that meet Band B, see the English Language Requirements page.

Closing Date: 30th June 2025

1 year part-time.



Schedule: Semester 1 (September-December), and Semester 2 (January-June): Lectures, tutorials and assessments will be held on Tuesday afternoons from 3pm-5pm (Standard Irish Time) and Friday afternoons 2pm-4pm (Standard Irish Time) during term time.

Next Intake: September 2025

Career Opportunities

Graduates will be able to progress through advanced / specialist gerontological practice routes where available. The skills acquired through the course will enable candidates to enhance their comprehensive geriatric assessment skills and the quantitative skills required to accomplish successful service evaluations, quality improvement projects and business cases.