Course Summary
Professional leadership moves beyond more traditional leadership and management ideas to acknowledge that change is needed, that leaders now, more than ever, must be authentic, ethical, financially aware, strategic, and ambitious for their organisation. All of which has been considered within ATU Sligo`s new Masters in Professional Leadership.
The MA in Professional Leadership covers both core and elective learning. Learners will get the opportunity to gather core knowledge, skills and competencies in Leadership; Organisational Psychology; Strategy; Financial Management and Research Methods. The learner can also choose one elective each term. The award will cumulate in a Research Project where students are given the opportunity, under supervision, to explore and examine ways to implement their learning within a real-life context.
Overview
The MA in Professional Leadership is delivered fully online and part-time over two years. In year one, live lectures occurs weekly. In year two, students work with their supervisor to complete their Research Project.
Live lectures normally take place between 6pm and 10pm, Monday to Thursday but this may vary depending on the availability of specific lecturers. If the Live Classroom scheduled times for the live online lectures do not suit you, recordings will be made available through Moodle. For the MA in Professional Leadership students are expected to attend 2 evenings a week which are approximately 2 hours each live class
Students are also invited to the campus once per term to meet colleagues and engage in some onsite activities. This is not compulsory and the sessions will be broadcast live where possible (and recorded) for students that cannot make it to Sligo.
Examinations:
For Examinations, students may have to attend at the ATU campus through which they completed their studies. For some programmes it may be possible for the Exam to be taken remotely via online proctoring. ATU Students resident in the Republic of Ireland will be invited to attend exams at an exam centre located in Ireland. Students’ resident outside of Ireland or with exceptional circumstances may be eligible to attend remotely via online proctoring, where examinations are taken online and supervised virtually, subject to availability.
Structure
Year 1 - Year one of the programme is delivered through weekly live online classes. These classes are recorded for those who cannot attend the live session.
Year 2 - Year two is devoted to the students Research Project. Students work with their supervisor to complete their project.
Download the MA in Professional Leadership programme brochure
Potential Funding Opportunities
This programme has been approved for Next Level Skillnet ESF+ funding.To be eligible, a company must be paying the fees for their employee, and they should be a private company based in Ireland. Next Level Skillnet can also fund Sole Traders. For eligibility queries, contact Sue Davies at sue@nextlevel.ie, to confirm that you are eligible for support. Subject to terms and conditions.
Key Course Information
Application Closing Date : 15th August 2025
Entry Requirements
Applicants should normally hold a 2.2 honours degree award in any discipline.
It is preferable applicants will have a minimum of 3 years of postgraduate experience.
For applicants with no formal third level qualification but do have significant experience of leadership in organisations then ATU Sligo’s formal RPL process can be used to assess the suitability of applicants for entry into the programme. 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 is our dedicated RPL portal or by contacting our admissions team at admissions.sligo@atu.ie
Career Opportunities
This programme has wide appeal for both early career leaders and more established professionals, attracting students from many industries both nationally and internationally. The programme has attracted students with significant management experience who wish to pursue an academic award to assist with career progression, demonstrate a commitment to continued learning, gain a competitive edge and to expand knowledge and skills in professional leadership and those who are changing/ diversifying in their career.
Further Study
Students may decide to progress to Doctoral studies in ATU Sligo or other Higher Education providers.
Programme Fees
Academic Year 2023/24 Fees
Total Programme Fees: €9000.00
Potential Funding Opportunities
This programme has been approved for Next Level Skillnet ESF+ funding.To be eligible, a company must be paying the fees for their employee, and they should be a private company based in Ireland. Next Level Skillnet can also fund Sole Traders. For eligibility queries, contact Sue Davies at sue@nextlevel.ie, to confirm that you are eligible for support. Subject to terms and conditions
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
| Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Organisational Psychology | 05 |
| Financial Management | 05 |
| Understanding Leadership | 05 |
Semester 2
Semester 3
| Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Research Thesis | 55 |
[E] = Elective Module. Modules subject to availability.