Palliative Care

Course Outline

Our Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care is the first of three courses providing postgraduate training in Palliative Care at UCC. The suite of courses comprises a blended learning, interdisciplinary Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, and MSc in Palliative Care.



The Palliative Care programme at UCC is an innovative collaboration between clinicians at the world-class Marymount University Hospital & Hospice and UCC. It aims to provide students with a flexible educational experience and offers a number of elective module choices to allow each student to tailor the course to their own learning needs, work setting, and role.



The programme aims to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to provide high-quality care to people with palliative care needs and their families. Course content includes practical information on holistic symptom assessment and management, a strong focus on communication, leadership, ethical approaches and interdisciplinary teamwork, decision-making and care planning, translation of evidence to clinical practice, and reflection on legislative, policy and societal influences on palliative care across health and social care settings. The impact and benefit of palliative care for patients with both cancer and non-cancer diagnoses is also included.



Pathway

All students register for a Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care in the first instance. On successful completion of the Certificate, you will be eligible to progress to the Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care in the following year. You can progress to the MSc Palliative Care course after successful completion of the Diploma.



In addition, we believe that many established professionals from multiple disciplines will benefit from this suite of courses as part of their Continued Professional Development (CPD) including the Marymount University Hospital & Hospice Palliative Care programmes.



Placement or Study Abroad Information

The three-year programme includes a Clinical Practicum in Palliative Care module (IP6011), where you can experience palliative care across a range of settings and services, enhancing your appreciation of interdisciplinary team-working in the provision of palliative care for patients with cancer and non-cancer diagnoses. This module is taken as part of the postgraduate Diploma.



The module coordinator works closely with you to develop a tailored placement timetable and placement sessions can be undertaken as appropriate in your usual place of work, elsewhere in Ireland or abroad, as practical for you. This module is highly valuable for developing yourself as a reflective practitioner, enhancing personal clinical practice and for supporting quality improvements in your own work setting.

Year 1 - Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care (NFQ Level 9, Minor Award) (30 credits)



The Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care is a part-time, blended learning programme that runs over one academic year (nine months) from the date of first registration. There is no work placement element to the Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care.



Students take taught modules to the value of 30 credits over 9 months.



Core Modules (20 credits)

IP6007 Philosophy, Development and Principles of Palliative Care (10 credits)

IP6008 Interprofessional Approaches to Pain and Symptoms in Palliative Care (10 credits)



Elective Modules (Choose 10 credits)*

IP6009 Psychosocial and Spiritual Aspects of Palliative Care (5 credits)

MH6032 Effective Communication in Healthcare (5 credits)

IP6013 Pharmacotherapeutics in Palliative Care (5 credits)

IP6010 Care of the Dying Patient , Grief and Bereavement(10 credits)

EH6157 Qualitative Research in Public Health (5 credits)

NU6053 Professional, Ethical and Legal Decision-making in Specialist Practice (5 credits)

MH6016** Advance Care Planning (5 credits)

CG6016 ** Advanced Issues in Dementia Care (10 credits)



*In consultation with the programme director, students may take up to a maximum of 10 credits in elective modules in lieu of 10 credits listed above, relevant to palliative care from other programmes in UCC, in related disciplines. Such electives will be approved on a case-by-case basis and are dependent on the permission of the relevant department and module coordinator, timetabling and workload considerations.

Applicants for the PG Cert must have a Primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) or equivalent qualification in an appropriate healthcare profession* to be approved by the programme team.



In some circumstances, applicants who do not meet these requirements, by virtue of their training and experience may, at the discretion of the programme team, be deemed suitable for entry to the programme. Such candidates may be requested to undergo an interview.



*A relevant healthcare profession includes but is not limited to medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and hearing science, psychology, social science, pastoral care, and art therapy.



Following successful completion of the Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care, and subject to the approval of the programme team, a student may progress to the Postgraduate Diploma. Following successful completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care, and subject to the approval of the programme team, a student may progress to the MSc, with exemptions granted for modules already taken in the Postgraduate Certificate and the Postgraduate Diploma within the previous 5 years. This does not require a new application by the student.



Garda/police clearance is required for registration for the Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care.



Recognition of Prior Learning

In accordance with UCC’s policy on Recognition of Prior Learning, a student who has successfully completed modules for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) within the MSc in Palliative Care programme, and/or has completed relevant university postgraduate modules in a cognate area at a similar NFQ level (subject to the approval of the Programme Team), and who meets the entry requirements for the Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care, can apply to register for the Postgraduate Certificate. On completion of the PG Cert, you can progress to the Postgraduate Diploma, and subsequently the MSc in Palliative Care, with exemptions granted for modules taken within the previous five years. This will require an application by the student.



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.

9 months part-time.

Start Date 8 September 2025

Skills and Careers Information

In today’s competitive workforce, higher professional qualifications are an essential part of continuous professional development and career advancement.



The Postgraduate Certificate supports students from a range of professional backgrounds in developing knowledge, skills and competencies to assist them in delivering palliative care to patients and their families at a generalist level.



The Postgraduate Diploma supports students to take on the delivery of palliative care at the specialist level and leadership roles in palliative care.



The MSc provides the knowledge and skills required to critically evaluate the available evidence and develop and undertake research in palliative care and is particularly suitable for those who want to assume a management and leadership position in the delivery of palliative care.