Cardiac Rehabilitation - Online

Course Overview

This postgraduate qualification equips students with the knowledge and skills required to make meaningful contributions to cardiac rehabilitation practice. This course includes disease-specific theory and practice components together with a strong focus on research, integrated care approaches, and evidence-informed innovation in rehabilitative service delivery. Whilst the main focus is cardiovascular and pulmonary disease prevention and rehabilitation, key learning outcomes achieved apply to chronic disease management more widely.



The course runs from January to May each year and is delivered online. Structured weekly directed study is coupled with a schedule of group-based lectures, tutorials, and interactive workshops. These group-based sessions are delivered in real-time via live sessions and are timetabled for Thursdays and Fridays (3 pm – 8 pm) with occasional Saturdays (10 am – 3 pm). After successful completion of this programme students can continue their education to the master's level and apply for MSc Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation or MSc Preventive Cardiology.



Unique features of this programme include:

• Flexible learning: Online delivery using scheduled tutorials and workshops coupled with directed study enables students to simultaneously maintain professional roles in clinical practice or manage other commitments whilst completing their studies.

• Delivered in partnership with the National Institute for Prevention and Cardiovascular Health (NIPC): This partnership enables an exceptional opportunity for students to interact with leading experts as well as engage in cutting-edge research and further opportunities in cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation.

• Interdisciplinary expert teaching faculty: Students from a variety of backgrounds from all over the world interact with international leaders and clinical specialists from medicine, nursing, nutrition, exercise, behavioural medicine, and public health.



The course addresses the latest evidence-based, implementation of best-practice guidelines and healthcare policy, behavioural change strategies, lifestyle approaches to risk factor modification, psychosocial health, and medical management of risk factors including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and smoking. Outcome measures, health technology, and innovation in service design also feature strongly to enable programme uptake and high-quality delivery.  Whilst focusing on cardiovascular and pulmonary populations the content aligns strongly with the management of non-communicable diseases.



Course Outline

The Postgraduate Certificate in Cardiac Rehabilitation involves students participating in a 30 ECTS Level 9 module that runs from the first week of January to the end of May each year. This core teaching is delivered with scheduled virtual tutorials and workshops taking place typically 1-2 Thursday/Friday evenings (3 pm -8 pm) and 1 Saturday per month (10 am – 3 pm). Between these sessions students are expected to complete directed study tasks, extended learning and complete the assessments associated with this module.

• Unit 1: Evidence, Guidelines and Practice of Cardiac Rehabilitation

• Unit 2: Health Behaviour Change

• Unit 3: Lifestyle and Medical Risk Factor Management in Cardiac Rehabilitation

• Unit 4: Current Perspectives and Future Advances in Cardiac Rehabilitation

Successful applicants will possess at least a Second Class Honours, Grade 1 degree (or equivalent) in a health care discipline or related subject area (e.g., medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, dietetics, sport and exercise science, clinical or health psychology, pharmacy, health promotion, public health etc). For those who do not hold a primary degree at the required level, consideration will also be given to applicants with relevant work experience, background knowledge and skills. 



Overseas students will need to satisfy the University’s English Language requirement of IELTS 6.5 or above (or equivalent).

Closing Date: For Entry January 2025, closing date = 9 December 2024



Applications must be completed online at: https://nuigalway.elluciancrmrecruit.com/Apply/Account/Login.



An application requires a registration fee of €35. You will be asked to upload proof of identification, academic transcripts, a personal statement, an academic reference and documentation to fulfil the English requirement (where English is not your first language).

5 months, part-time.

Next start date: January 2025

Career Opportunities

There is an array of employment opportunities in public health, health promotion, healthcare management, academic and research settings and the pharmaceutical industry. Graduates of the course with a clinical background will also specifically benefit from career advancement in the specialty of cardiac rehabilitation as well as cardiovascular health more broadly.