Nursing & Midwifery - Advanced Leadership - Nursing

Advance your theoretical knowledge and develop a critical and questioning approach as you explore professional, clinical and managerial issues relevant to leadership roles.



You will develop research skills, enhance your capacity for leadership by developing your knowledge in key areas of leadership, management, strategy and change management and explore concepts of quality improvement and risk management.



This RCSI School of Nursing and Midwifery programme is delivered part-time via an active blended learning approach including self-directed learning and live online classes approximately once every week.



Further support is provided through the module lead, programme director and regular online drop-in sessions.



The award title for this course is Postgraduate Diploma Nursing (Advanced Leadaership).



This course is a Level 9 award on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications



Suitable for

This programme is aimed at nurses who wish to advance their academic and professional knowledge in the area of leadership. The programme welcomes nurses at all levels of their career – from those who aspire to enter management to nurses in managerial positions who want to develop key leadership competencies.

What you will learn

Advanced Leadership and Management – Professional and Clinical

Advanced Management and Strategy

Change Management: Theory and Practice

Education and Training

Contemporary Issues: Clinical Governance, Safety and Risk Management

Advanced Research Methods

Applicants must hold an NFQ Level 8 qualification. However, applicants who do not hold a Level 8 qualification may still be eligible to join the programme through our supported-entry pathway programme. This is subject to an assessment of prior learning and experience.



Must have an active registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland. International applicants must be registered with their national nursing board.



Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Learning occurs in many contexts including work, involvement in social and community activities, and learning through life experience generally.



Recognition of prior learning (RPL) does not give credit for experience as such – rather, it considers learning that was acquired as a result of the experience. RPL may be used to gain admission to programmes where you may not have obtained the standard entry requirements. This is considered on a case-by-case basis.



Exemptions from programme modules that duplicate learning already demonstrably acquired through prior learning may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.



English language requirement exceptions

English language requirements for Postgraduate programmes are published at https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/postgraduate/policies-and-guidelines/english-language-requirements



If you have completed undergraduate/postgraduate full-time studies in the medium of the English language (three or more years cumulatively) or are registered with the NMBI, you are exempt from these requirements.

1 year



Mode of delivery

Online - Part-time

Next start date September 2025

Graduates of this postgraduate diploma who wish to take a further step, may enrol onto the master's programme – the MSc Nursing (Advanced Leadership) – and undertake Year 2 of the full programme, completing a systematic review.