Course Summary
The interdisciplinary Postgraduate Certificate in Dementia provides healthcare professionals with the skills to expertly care for a person with dementia from diagnosis to end-of-life.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
Requirements:
Candidates must have the following:
- A Primary Degree in a relevant health care discipline* or an equivalent academic qualification and professional experience to be approved by Programme Team;
- Ideally, candidates should have at least one year's practical experience in their area of qualification post-registration;
- In some exceptional circumstances, candidates, 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 health care discipline includes but is not limited to medicine, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, speech and hearing science, audiology, physiotherapy, psychology, and social studies.
Garda Vetting
Students or applicants in receipt of an offer, on this programme will be subject to Garda Vetting as relevant. Students will be prohibited from engaging in a relevant work placement unless the vetting process has been cleared. Click here to view UCC's Student Garda Vetting Policy.
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 within the Postgraduate Certificate in Dementia 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 meet the entry requirements for the Postgraduate Certificate in Dementia, can apply to register for the Postgraduate Certificate in Dementia with exemptions granted for modules taken within the previous five years. This will require an application by the student for the Postgraduate Certificate.
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. Visit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.
Application Details
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.
Start Date: 2nd September 2025.
Fees
The EU fee for this course is €3,115.
The Non-EU fee for this course is €6,700.
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Investigative
The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.
Career Progression
In today’s competitive workforce, higher professional qualifications are an essential part of continuous professional development and career advancement. The Postgraduate Certificate in Dementia gives Healthcare Professionals key skills and competencies to confidently care for a person with dementia, of any age and in any setting.
This course can also be used as a stepping stone to the MSc in Dementia, or to a research MSc or PhD. It can also be taken as an adjunct to a Diploma or MSc in a related area (e.g. Gerontological Nursing or Intellectual Disability studies), giving specialist expertise in dementia.