Overview
The Graduate Certificate in Women’s Health (Sport and Exercise) (Level 9 NFQ, 30 ECTS) is a one year part-time, online programme.
This Graduate Certificate facilitates learners to gain advanced knowledge and skills related to women’s health and wellbeing across the lifespan. It focuses on advancing learners’ knowledge, skills and critical awareness into current issues, new insights and advanced concepts in women’s health including how women’s bodies, hormones and physiology changes across the lifespan (puberty, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause), pelvic floor function and dysfunction and advanced rehabilitation on how to support, maintain and adapt exercise in women across the lifespan.
Embedded within the Graduate Certificate in Women’s Health are three Micro-Credentials and further information on these can be found on the Micro-credential Course Page.
DCU People
Careers & Further Options
Careers
This online programme is designed for those wanting to engage in education while working full-time and is suitable for any healthcare professional or sports practitioner who works with active women. Suitable professions include: physiotherapists, athletic therapists, public health nurses, practice nurses, and other specialist nurses or midwives, general practitioners, sport and exercise medicine physicians, osteopaths, chiropractors, sports scientists, strength and conditioning coaches, athletic development coaches, exercise physiologists, Pilates instructors, and coaches.
Entry Requirements
Candidates will be expected to hold a primary Level 8 (NFQ or equivalent, minimum 2.2) in an area of sport, healthcare profession, health sciences or cognate area e.g. health or science teacher. Those who do not meet this entry requirement will be considered on a case by case basis.
In line with DCU policy, students who do not have the appropriate level of academic attainment for direct entry may apply via the Recognition of Prior Learning process (RPL). Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) applicants are required to submit a cover letter along with their application under the Transcripts section of the portal, affirming their intent to apply for RPL. For more information on RPL see here
Candidates applying through RPL will be shortlisted for interview.
Programme Structure
The Graduate Certificate in Women’s Health (Sport and Exercise) comprises of three individual modules (10 ECTS credits each) that focus on women’s health and female athlete health in a cohesive holistic manner throughout their lifespan.
They include The Active Female: Through the Lifespan module, which is a year-long module and covers the significant physiological events that can occur throughout the female lifespan, from teenager to post-menopause. It will provide an insight into the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postnatal, and menopause discussing clinically applicable physiology and demands and how each stage impacts rehabilitation and exercise in active women. The Active Female: Pelvic Floor Function and Dysfunction module takes place in semester 1 and presents and discusses advanced current concepts and practical skills relating to pelvic floor muscle anatomy, function and dysfunction within female sports and exercise. It will teach the learner how to enable their clients/patients to prevent, navigate, and manage pelvic floor dysfunction (such as prolapse, hypertonic pelvic floor, incontinence, etc) and related musculoskeletal complaints within a context of keeping physically active and achieving high performance in sport and exercise. Finally, the Rehabilitation of the Active Female and the Pelvic Floor module takes place in semester 2 and provides practitioners with advanced rehabilitation knowledge and applied skills on how to support, maintain and adapt exercise in active females and in those with a dysfunctional pelvic floor.
This programme will provide in-depth knowledge of women’s health through the lifespan and provide practitioners with the skills to understand and adapt exercise in women who exercise.
Fees and Funding
Fees
How To Apply
To apply for this programme:
All Applicants must apply through DCU's Student Application Portal which is available here. Here's a quick step by step guide if you need help with your application:
• Provide Academic Transcripts for each and every year of study with English translation, if applicable.
• If applicable, provide evidence of competence in the English language as per DCU entry requirements. Please see link http://www.dcu.ie/registry/english.shtml
Application Deadlines
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the programme is full or until the following dates:
- Closing date for non EU applicants is 1st July 2025
- Closing date for EU applicants is 30th August 2025
Note applicants who require a study visa for the purposes of studying at DCU, are advised to apply as early as possible.
All entry requirements should be met before the commencement of the programme.
Application Queries
For EU applicant queries, please visit https://www.dcu.ie/registry/eu-postgraduate-taught-admissions or email postgraduateadmissions@dcu.ie
For non EU applicant queries, please visit https://www.dcu.ie/registry/international-admissions-undergraduate-and-postgraduate or email internationaladmissions@dcu.ie
Life On Campus
At DCU, our students can expect a unique campus experience. We are known for our excellent teaching and learning facilities, our active clubs and societies, and our great social and sporting facilities. All this makes DCU an exciting place to be.
DCU has three academic campuses; Glasnevin, St. Patrick’s and All Hallows (both in Drumcondra), all close to Dublin City centre.
They can be reached by public transport, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, with our Drumcondra campuses a ten minute walk from Drumcondra Train Station. Glasnevin is a 20 minute walk from St Patrick’s and All Hallows. They are also linked by Dublin Bus.
Each campus has a library (O’Reilly, Cregan and Woodlock Hall), study spaces, restaurants, and on-campus residencies. There are sports facilities on Glasnevin and St. Patrick’s, and there is a dedicated sports campus, St Claire’s, located near Glasnevin on the Ballymun Road.
DCU’s 19,000 students have access to exceptional teaching and learning facilities across our three academic campuses.
These include modern learning theatres, research centres, a new media and TV studio, radio/podcast studios, computer suites and advanced labs in the areas of Languages, Engineering, Physics, Chemistry and Biotechnology, as well as a Sports Performance centre and a training hospital ward. In 2021, we opened our first virtual reality ‘Leadership Lab’, which is located in our Business School.
We continue to improve and update our facilities. For example, construction of a new world-class STEM facility is underway on the Glasnevin campus. With capacity for an extra 3,000 STEM students, this facility will advance DCU’s international reputation for excellence in science and health, computing and engineering disciplines.
Studying in DCU isn’t just about course work. The university is rich in student life and activities.
There are more than 140 clubs and societies for students in DCU, with ‘Clubs & Socs’ days taking place on both the Glasnevin and Drumcondra campuses at the start of the academic year. They span everything from rugby to rock climbing, anime to jazz.
For many students, sport is an important part of the DCU experience. DCU’s Sports Complex boasts a 25 metre swimming pool, fitness centre gym, all-weather pitches and squash courts, as well as soccer, GAA and rugby pitches. DCU Dóchas Éireann, the university’s GAA club, is the largest third level Gaelic Games club in the country. Meanwhile, DCU Athletics has been Ireland’s highest achieving university club for many years. And DCU has dozens of other clubs to get involved in, from Archery to Weightlifting.
The Glasnevin campus is home to our purpose built, state-of-the-art student centre, The U, which serves the needs of a rapidly growing student body. Here, you will find the Student Leadership and Lifeskills Centre, performing arts and cultural spaces for students and the wider community, and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub. Also located on our Glasnevin campus is The Helix, our renowned performing arts centre.
On our St Patrick’s campus, we have the Java Student Hub, a vibrant, warm and welcoming space where students can meet for coffee, play music, use the projector to watch events, or just relax. The walls of the Java Hub were designed based on the cultural history of St Patrick’s Campus, including the special references to the notable sporting history and history of the arts.
We have a number of academic, professional and social supports for students.
Student Advice Centre - Offers a wide range of supports and services to students and advice
The Writing Centre - drop-in writing workshops for students through the academic year
Maths Learning Centre - provides maths support for students of all ability levels with maths modules
Student Learning - facilitate the transition from passive to active learning for students at DCU, by teaching study skills, nurturing critical thinking and building student confidence.
Careers work with students to help them on their professional journey into graduate employment.
Our student support team offers a comprehensive support programme, helping students make that all important transition into university life and focusing on building confidence and skills which are key to success at third level.
DCU Glasnevin Campus
FAQs
Is DCU all one campus?
DCU is a multi campus university - the Glasnevin, St Patrick's and All Hallows campuses. The St Patrick's campus is where the Education courses are taught and some of the subjects from the BA Joint Honours degree. There is a 20-25 minute walk between the campuses but there are buses and bikes available to go between them also.
Click here to see maps of all of our campuses
If I'm studying on the St Patrick's campus, can I use the library and sports centre on the Glasnevin campus?
Yes, all facilities such as sports and accommodation are open for all DCU students to avail of.
Are there libraries in DCU and if they have wifi and work stations?
We have a brand new state of the art four floor library on our St. Patrick's Campus which complements the existing library on the Glasnevin campus. There is free wifi, work stations as well as desktop computers.
Does DCU provide accommodation?
DCU does have on-campus accommodation for undergraduate and postgraduate students, and you can find out more and apply via the Accommodation Office webpage.
