Infection Prevention & Control - Online

Course Outline

Our Postgraduate Certificate in Infection Prevention & Control is a structured part-time QQI Level 9 certificate which is taught online. There is no requirement to attend face-to-face lectures on this programme.



Our innovative online Certificate in Infection Prevention & Control provides students with the core knowledge, theory, and skills that are necessary for the management and implementation of infection prevention and control in a clinical setting. We emphasise the use of evidence-based practice that enables our students to work and flourish in an infection prevention and control setting, while also emphasising the importance of patient safety principles, in both the research and professional context.



The PG Certificate in Infection Prevention & Control has Category 2 approval from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).



Programme Details

10-credit modules are delivered over 8 weeks and 5-credit modules are delivered over 4 weeks. Modules are delivered one after the other according to the pre-determined course calendar each year. The PG Certificate typically commences around the second week of September, and it runs for a full 8 months.

Modules (30 credits total)

Semester 1 (15 credits total):

• EH6146 The Principles and Clinical Practices of Infection Prevention and Control (10 credits)

• MB6009 Principles of Microbiology (5 credits)

Semester 2 (15 credits total):

• BU6010 Leadership and Management of Infection Prevention & Control (10 credits)

• EH6147 Infection Prevention & Control Quality Improvement & Patient Safety (5 credits)



The PG Certificate (30 credits) must be completed within 36 months (3 years) of the programme commencement.

Applicants must have a minimum of a Second Class Honours Grade 2 in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in one of the following subject areas: biological sciences, nursing, medical and health sciences, public health, and social sciences. Qualified nurses and midwives without a primary degree and who are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland are also eligible to apply.



Applicants who do not meet the above entry requirements may be recommended for entry to the programme following a review of their individual qualifications and experience under the University Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL) policy.



Technical Requirements

This programme will be delivered wholly online. As such, there are specific technical requirements that you need to meet.

• You will need access to a laptop or desktop (either Mac OS or Windows) running a relatively recent operating system (Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, or Mac OSX 10.8, 10.9, 10.10, or later). Access to the Canvas Virtual Learning Environment is supported by UCC through IOS and Android apps, which are available from the respective App stores.

• You will need access to a reliable broadband connection with at least 2MB download speeds. You can test your broadband or 4G speeds by visiting http://www.speedtest.net.

• You must have a modern web browser installed. The most reliable options for use with UCC online learning are Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. Download and installation instructions will be provided. Safari is not suitable.

• You must have Java and Flash Runtimes installed. Download and installation instructions will be provided.

• You will require an Office suite of software (Microsoft Office 2003 or later or equivalent) and a PDF reader (preferably Adobe Acrobat Reader XI or later). Please note that registered UCC students have access to discounted software from Microsoft and Adobe.



To engage productively and successfully with the content, basic technical computer skills such as familiarity with word processing, web browsing, and email is recommended.



For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.



International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.



English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.

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.

8 months part-time online.

Start Date: 8 September 2025

Skills and Careers Information

This course will equip healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills to implement infection prevention and control measures in the healthcare setting.



Students who have successfully completed the UCC Postgraduate Certificate in Infection Prevention & Control with a minimum Second Class Honours Grade I will be eligible to apply for the MSc Infection Prevention & Control.