Clinical Education

The Diploma and Masters in Clinical Education have been designed to equip all health professionals, regardless of disciplinary background, with the knowledge and skills required to be effective clinical educators. When the courses commenced in 2005 they were the first multidisciplinary programmes for clinical education in Ireland, and among the first worldwide. Over the intervening number of years, the programmes have grown, developed and evolved to continue to help participants to become effective clinical supervisors and motivators of student learning in various roles, disciplines and settings, both nationally and internationally. The Diploma and Masters programmes are delivered entirely online, thus making it possible for applicants in full-time work, based in Ireland or abroad, to participate.

The Masters Course:
The Masters in Clinical Education is a one-year Level 9 course designed to support health professionals who are interested in taking on leadership or scholarship roles within health professions education. NB. Applicants need to complete the Diploma in Clinical Education course before being deemed eligible to apply for the Masters course. Alternatively applicants can present evidence or recognition of prior learning of having achieved a graduate diploma level qualification in a programme dedicated to health professions education, taken elsewhere.

(Note: the programs have been designed to fit in with the working and home life of candidates who are in full-time employment)

Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Students are provided with a certificate of participation for course component modules which they can present to their individual professional training and regulatory bodies as proof of engagement with external Continuous Professional Development.

Course Outline
The courses are delivered mostly by distance learning, with some face-to-face workshops in Galway. The combination of distance learning and face-to-face workshops allows you to engage in learning at a time and place that suits your lifestyle. All programmes commence with a two-day introductory ‘Summer School’ in Galway in early September. Additional face-to-face sessions occur as follows:

PDip: eight days (two consecutive weekdays in September and six Saturdays between October and May).
Masters: in addition to the Diploma days, ten days (two consecutive weekdays in each of Sept., Oct., Nov., Feb., and March).

Module details for 1MCT1 (Masters)
Module details for 1MCT2 (PDip) full-time
Module details for 1MCT3 (PDip) part-time

Applicants must be registered healthcare professionals with at least two years’ post-registration experience and be actively involved in clinical education. General computer literacy is essential as parts of the programme are delivered via distance-learning. In addition, for the Master’s, at least 60% in the PDip in Clinical Education or equivalent is required. Selection is based on ability/opportunity to apply learning to your daily work, relevant experience and academic record.

Masters; 1 year (must have previously completed PDip or equivalent), full-time
PDip: 1 year, 2 years, part-time
Professional Credit Awards: 6 wks varying start points in academic year

Next start date September 2024

Career Opportunities
Educational benefits
This course will help you to design, implement and evaluate effective learning in your clinical discipline. As part of the programme you will study:

teaching small and large groups
giving constructive feedback
using questions appropriately
assessment design and implementation
individual and group supervision techniques
designing and managing effective continuing professional development
self-evaluation
The course is founded on a practical application of the essential psychological and sociological theories in education and is also suitable for those who teach in classroom or simulated settings.

Career opportunities

Our clinical education focus leads to major changes in how you will be able to facilitate the learning and development of your students in clinical settings. You will know more about how learners learn, how to create safe and effective learning environments, how to assess learners and how to support their professional development. These courses will help you create new pedagogical approaches and improve the clinical education experience for learners. The Masters Programme represents an opportunity to develop an area of specialist expertise, as well as answer research questions of importance to Irish healthcare education. Our unique 4,000-word 'ready-for-publication' thesis design increases the likelihood of publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Personal and professional development
The genuinely multidisciplinary nature of the programme allows students to cultivate educational liaisons with other healthcare practitioners involved in education, both within their own professional discipline and other disciplines. Students enjoy expert leadership and mentorship from tutors with experience in diverse professional and educational fields throughout the programmes, with the possibility of engagement with a wide-reaching programme alumni network beyond graduation.