Postgraduate Certificate in Health Project Management

Course Summary

The Certificate in Health Project Management Level 9 programme aims to introduce students to the core concepts within health project management. Students will also gain insights into using leadership skills for the effective management of change. Students will also become proficient in a range of research methods and tools in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research approaches.

This programme is designed to support the upskilling of current and prospective employees in the health and social care sector, who are, or who will be involved in the design, delivery or evaluation of health and social care projects or service improvement programmes, but who do not have formal training or education in this area.

Objectives of this course is:

•  To develop knowledge and analytical skills in the planning and delivery of evidence based health projects. 
•  To develop leadership and health project management competencies and show evidence of using these in health or other settings 
• To develop competencies in quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research design 
• To develop self – reflective and leadership skills in the management of organisational change and in health project management 
• To develop professional practice skills to work autonomously and in collaboration with a broad range of relevant stakeholders.

If you require further information regarding this course, please contact our Admission team on admissions.sligo@atu.ie.

Key Course Information

The online, part-time Certificate in Health Project Management Level 9 is taught over one year on a part-time and online basis. The online delivery of this programmes affords flexibility for those wishing to attain a formal qualification in this area but who are not able to attend campus based or full-time programmes.

Live Lectures: for this course normally take place on two evenings per week and each lecture will last for approximately 1-2 hours. If the Live Classroom scheduled times for the live online lectures do not suit you, recordings will be made available through Moodle (our virtual learning environment), and you can watch back. 

Study Hours: Whether you are studying part-time online, blended, or full-time online, it is very important that you allocate enough study time to your online course to stay focused, reduce stress and achieve your goals. This programme will involve a mixture of live classes, directed learning, self-directed learning, reflective learning, group, and individual module assignments. Approximately 18-20 hours per week study commitment is required (this includes live classes).

Assignments/Examinations: Assessment is via Continuous Assessment through the year. Students must be available for Assignment Group Work outside of Live Class times.  

Online Learning Induction: An online induction will be scheduled for all registered students in September prior to the commencement of the programme. Details of Induction will be communicated to you in September. 

Application Closing Date : 15th August 2025

Entry Requirements

Applicants with a 2.2 Honours award in a relevant discipline may apply.

Applicants with other qualifications and with relevant work experience may also be considered through ATU Sligo’s Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) process. RPL is a process that may allow you to gain admission to a programme or to receive exemptions/credit from some parts of a programme based on demonstrated learning that you may have achieved through another programme of study or through your work and career. Further information is available through www.atu.ie/recognition-of-prior-learning which our dedicated RPL portal or by contacting our admissions team at admissions.sligo@atu.ie

Applicants are welcome from all areas of the health and social care sector who have responsibility for, or an interest in leading/managing or working on health projects and service improvement programmes. Not limited to but including digital health, medicine, public health, nursing and midwifery, health and wellbeing, acute care, health education, health promotion, primary care, disability services, services for older persons, mental health services, emergency management, quality improvement services, patient safety, and human resources, in the statutory, voluntary and community sector.

Career Opportunities

The Certificate in Health Project Management course, has been designed in consultation with Portfolio Managers, Programme Leads, Project Managers and Service Managers in health and social care sector in recognition of, and in response to the demand for a workforce equipped with project management, research, and leadership skills, required to effectively lead, and manage projects and service/quality improvement programmes in contemporary health and social care. 

This programme will equip graduates with the skills and knowledge to work in a variety of project and service improvement roles in the statutory, community and voluntary health and social care sector. Graduates may pursue work opportunities as Project Managers, Project Team Leads, Project Officers, Programme Managers, Portfolio Leads, Programme Support Officers, Researchers, Quality Improvement Leads, and related service improvement roles within the health and social care sector.

Further Study

Students who wish to continue their studies following completion of this programme can enrol on the Postgraduate Certificate in Health Promotion and Wellness Practice. Both awards combined with a completed thesis module leads to a Master of Science in Health Promotion and Project Management. 

If you would like to apply for the thesis module, please apply here and select ‘Health Promotion and Project Management Thesis – Restricted Entry’ in the drop-down box for the course you are applying for. 

Students can also enrol directly onto the Masters of Science in Health Promotion Practice.

Testimonials

Jim:

"I found this course very enjoyable and challenging. As a service engineer, I loved the interaction between students and lecturers, seeing both sides of the challenges of health project management from a different perspective to my own.  There were good debates and challenges throughout the course, and I have met a few interesting people and friends along the way. The health project management course has given me a structure which I can use in my job.  I would have no problem recommending this course to anyone."

Sinead:

"I decided to take this course during the first Covid lockdown. It was so timely and hugely beneficial to me as the change management and leadership modules gave me valuable insights, knowledge, and skills in working as part of a project team during an unprecedented change in healthcare. The course has given me great confidence and has helped equip me with the skills and competencies to carry out my current nursing role which involves planning and implementing a primary care project.  I have also been able to brush up on my research skills. Because it was part-time and delivered online with classes recorded, it worked well with family and work life.  The lecturers were hugely experienced and supportive throughout the programme and the course was delivered to a very high standard. I no longer fear the words “project management” and would recommend this course to any healthcare staff involved in health and social care project delivery."

Helen:

"I signed up for the course hoping to gain the skills required to work in health project management and move on from my clinical role. It was a significant time commitment, but I felt supported by ATU throughout and understood the purpose of each assignment in achieving clearly defined learning outcomes. I was successful with a recent application for a project manager role and found I applied a lot of the language and learning at the interview. I am confident the course has equipped me to take on this new challenge."

Norma:

"The Health Project Management course at Atlantic Technological University is a wonderful theoretical and practical learning experience. Lots of the course contents including project management, leadership, change management, and qualitative and quantitative research can be applied daily in various healthcare roles. I would highly recommend this course to anyone wishing to "sharpen the saw" to learn new skills, improve existing ones and increase their professional effectiveness."

Fiona (Physiotherapist )

"I enrolled in the Certificate in Health Project Management through Springboard in August 2021 As it had been every thirty years since I had been at college, there was some trepidation as I started the classes.  The whole experience was hugely enjoyable, and the online facilities were extensive and so easy to access. The lecturers and support staff answered all queries quickly and no query was too simple.  I have gained so much professionally and am now leading a Paediatric project in my care area.  I do not doubt that I would never have made this progress without the confidence that the Certificate has given me.  I would say to anyone thinking of applying, take the leap of faith, you will not be disappointed"

Patrick (HSE Service Manager)

I have been working on projects for the past number of years without having any formal qualifications, aside from the odd workshop here and there. I have found this course has helped to consolidate my learning and provide the bigger picture when it comes to health projects. The course also has a real-world pragmatic focus so that you can easily apply learning to your current role. I found I was utilising learning within a few weeks of starting the course. Additionally, the course helped me prepare and panel for several roles one of which I have since accepted.  I would strongly recommend the course to any health professional looking to increase their knowledge, skills, and abilities in project management.

Katie

"I undertook this course with the view of upskilling and ideally finding a new job in the area of project management within the health care sector. I learned a tremendous amount of practical and theoretical information that I was instantly able to put into practice, as well as information to bank for the future. I suggest keeping up with the learning as you go along to keep on top of the workload, if you do this the learning is enjoyable and manageable. I recommend this course for anyone in the healthcare sector who wants to improve their knowledge or skillset, or for those who wish to change their career trajectory."

Programme Fees

Fees for 2024/25 academic year: €2,500

The Total Fees (EU Fees) for this programme can be found on our Fees & Funding webpage - Fees & Funding | ATU - Atlantic Technological University.

Funding Opportunities 

Next Level Skillnet funding may be available to successful applicants who fulfil eligibility criteria. Please email Sue Davies in Next Level Skillnet to find out more information: sue@nextlevel.ie 

To help make the payment of fees more manageable for students who are self-funding their studies, tuition fees can be paid through payment instalment plans at ATU Sligo. For further information on instalment plans, please visit our Fees and Funding webpage. 

If you apply and are approved for an online course at ATU Sligo, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of €250 to secure your place. Your deposit will then be credited against the course fees once you are registered as a student. Students at ATU Sligo are also eligible to claim tax relief at the standard rate for tuition fees.

For further information and guidance about Fees and Funding for online and part-time courses at ATU Sligo, click here.

If you are seeking to take your exams online, and you meet the eligibility criteria (overseas students and those with extenuating circumstances), an additional examinations fee will apply. For further information, please visit our Examinations webpage. 
 

Course Format

Semester 1

Semester 2