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Health Promotion (Workplace Wellness)—PgCert

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Course Overview

NOTE: This course is not on offer for entry 2023.

Postgraduate Certificate in Health Promotion in Workplace Wellness has been jointly developed by University of Galway and the Departments of Health, and Business, Enterprise and Innovation under the Healthy Ireland Framework. The course is suitable for a variety of professions and settings. It is particularly suited to those working in Health Promotion, Human Resources, Management, Public Health, Nursing, Occupational Health and Safety, and the ever-growing corporate wellness industry.  

The programme guides students through the stages of effective intervention design, such as needs analysis,  planning, implementation, and evaluation. This will be embedded in an understanding of the fundamentals of Health Promotion and framed around real world experience and examples. Course participants will gain skills and competencies for the effective implementation of evidence-based Health Promotion interventions and project management. Specialists in workplace health and wellbeing will become essential agents of change within organisations throughout the world.

The programme comprises three modules.

The first two modules include participation in workshops and self-paced instructional materials with assignments for independent study, while the third module focuses on project work. 

1. Concepts and principles of health promotion

This module includes:

  • Definitions of health and health promotion
  • Health Promotion programme development
  • Current issues and discourse in Health Promotion policy and practice
  • Communication training and facilitation skills. 

2. Specialism module

This module includes:

  • Creating a healthy work environment
  • Organisational culture change
  • Psychosocial health interventions
  • Corporate social responsibility. 

3. Project development

Students are guided through the process of designing an intervention in the area of workplace Health Promotion.

Scholarships available
Find out about our Postgraduate Scholarships here.

Applications and Selections

Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System. 

Who Teaches this Course

researcher
Prof. Saoirse Nic Gabhainn
B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Professor of Health Promotion
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researcher
Dr Margaret Hodgins
BA (Mod), MA, PhD
Senior Lecturer
Áras Moyola
National University of Ireland Galway
University Road
Galway
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researcher
Dr. Mary Lavelle
B.A., M.A., Ph.D
Lecturer Above The Bar
Health Promotion
School of Medicine
NUI Galway
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researcher
Dr Helen Dolores Grealish
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Requirements and Assessment

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

1. A primary degree.

2. Relevant professional experience, level of motivation and suitability, assessed via online application.

Each applicant is assessed individually on relevant professional experience, level of motivation and suitability, as per the personal statement submitted in the online application. 


Additional Requirements

Duration

1 year, part-time

Next start date

(This course is not on offer for entry 2023.)

A Level Grades ()

Average intake

25

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date

(This course is not on offer for entry 2023.)

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

30

Award

CAO

Course code

PGC-WW

Course Outline

Course duration
The Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness is a part-time course of one academic year duration. The programme runs from September to the following May. 

Continued Professional Development
This is a Level 9 programme comprising of 30 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) points in total. Each module carries 10 ECTS points. Successful graduates who wish to apply to the MA/Postgraduate Diploma in Health Promotion programme, offered by University of Galway, can carry forward up to 20 ECTS. 

Course delivery
This is a blended learning programme, with a combination of teaching techniques employed to support learning. This includes participatory workshops, project work, self-paced learning using instructional materials, as well as other resources such as articles, websites and research reports.  Academics in the Discipline of Health Promotion, together with contributions from practitioners in the specialist field of study, deliver the lectures and workshops. This course takes place at the NUI Galway campus.

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year.

Year 1 (30 Credits)

Required HP6103: Health Promotion Projects


Trimester 3 | Credits: 10

This module will enable students to design a Health Promotion programme with a specific population group relevant to the programme specialism. This project will give students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of knowledge base and theory underpinning Health Promotion practice as applied to interventions.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Understand theoretical concepts, principles and practices of Health Promotion and critically apply the processes involved to a Health Promotion project.
  2. Design a Health Promotion intervention based on a target population's needs.
  3. Identify and critically address project components, resources and assets to plan a Health Promotion intervention.
  4. Understand the importance of evaluation when designing or implementing a Health Promotion intervention.
  5. Plan, implement and critically evaluate a Health Promotion programme in an organisational setting.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
Reading List
  1. "Promoting Health - A Practical Guide" by Angela Scriven
    ISBN: 9780702066924.
    Publisher: Elsevier
  2. "Foundations for Health Promotion" by Naidoo, J. & Wills, J.
    ISBN: 0702054429.
    Publisher: Elsevier Health Sciences
The above information outlines module HP6103: "Health Promotion Projects" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required HP6102: Concepts, Principles & Practice of Health Promotion


Trimester 3 | Credits: 10

This module provides a theoretical background to concepts, principles and practice of Health Promotion as a foundation for policy and practice. It references evidence-based practice and the development of Health Promotion interventions. The module also incorporates effective communication for health and consideration of mass media approaches.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Demonstrate critical understanding of theoretical concepts, principles and practice of Health Promotion and health communication.
  2. Apply critical understandings of theoretical concepts, principles and the practice of Health Promotion to the promotion of Health in specialist area.
  3. Understand how and why health is a contested concept and critically discuss implications for communicating good health practice.
  4. Design, implement and evaluate good evidence interventions for Health Promotion.
  5. Critically understand challenges and ethical dilemmas facing health practitioners.
  6. Demonstrate effective communication skills and understanding of group dynamics.
  7. Critically analyse the contribution of mass and electronic media in health communication.
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
Reading List
  1. "Promoting Health - A Practical Guide" by Angela Scriven
    ISBN: 9780702066924.
    Publisher: Elsevier
  2. "Understanding Health: A determinants approach" by Keleher, H., & MacDougall, C.
    Publisher: Oxford University Press
  3. "Foundations for Health Promotion" by Naidoo, J., & Wills, J.
    Publisher: Elsevier
  4. "Health Promotion: Planning and Strategies" by Green, J., Tones, K., Cross, R. & Woodall, J.
    Publisher: Sage
The above information outlines module HP6102: "Concepts, Principles & Practice of Health Promotion" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Required HP6106: Workplace Wellness


Trimester 3 | Credits: 10

The module explores the application of the settings approach in workplaces and the special challenges posed by the promotion of health and wellness in work organisations. The settings approach focuses on system-level change in order to facilitate an environment that is supportive of employee health. Examples of evidence-based practice will be considered together with the importance of policy directives and the legislative context.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. To demonstrate an understanding of the complexity the relationship between work, workplaces and physical, mental and personal health
  2. To critically describe the way in which the physical environment influences the health of workers, and the interventions required to create a supportive physical environment
  3. To identify the psychosocial risk factors and interventions required to address them
  4. To demonstrate a critical understanding of the link between the enterprise and the community, and the importance of to creating a positive relationship with the community
  5. To identify the evidence base for effectiveness of various workplace health initiatives and interventions for personal, physical and psychosocial risk factors
  6. To identify interventions for facilitating voluntary health behaviours and the strengths and limitations of these approaches to improving worker health and well-being
Assessments

This module's usual assessment procedures, outlined below, may be affected by COVID-19 countermeasures. Current students should check Blackboard for up-to-date assessment information.

  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Module Director
Lecturers / Tutors
Reading List
  1. "Promoting Health and Well-Being in the Workplace" by Hodgins, Fleming, Griffiths
    ISBN: 978-1-137-375.
    Publisher: palgrave macmillan
    Chapters: 2022-01-11T00:00:00
  2. "Health Promotion Settings" by Angela Scriven (Editor), Margaret Hodgins (Editor)
    ISBN: 9780857025463.
    Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd
  3. "Creating Healthy Organizations" by Graham Lowe
    ISBN: 9780802099808.
    Publisher: University of Toronto Press
  4. "Promoting Health - A Practical Guide" by Angela Scriven
    ISBN: 9780702066924.
    Publisher: Elsevier
  5. "Health promotion in the workplace" by edited by Michael P. O'Donnell... [et al.]
    ISBN: 0766828662.
    Publisher: Delmar Thomson Learning
The above information outlines module HP6106: "Workplace Wellness " and is valid from 2020 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Workplace wellness is an area that is becoming more prevalent and topical in Ireland at present, as reflected in a national workplace wellness programme, which is coordinated and lead through the Department of Health under the Healthy Ireland framework. 

The Department of Health Promotion at University of Galway are being contacted by public and private companies who see the importance of upskilling and training their staff in this area to become workplace wellness leaders and managers in their organisations. 

Students registered on the course came from a wide range of academic backgrounds and professions including nursing, physiotherapy, HSE management, pharmacy, prison services, CSO, private organisations such as insurance and health and fitness as well as health promotion. 

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€2,120 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Tuition

€2,050 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Student levy

€70 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Non EU

€
Mary

Mary Malone |   Wellbeing Co-ordinator & Staff Engagement Officer, CSO

This programme has given me plenty of opportunity to practice and discuss various ways of improving the health of our working populations. The course material itself is an invaluable resource in guiding and directing the implementation of a workplace wellness programme. Because I work full-time, the flexibility of monthly workshops and independent online reading and learning materials made the course more accessible and manageable.
Nollaig

Nollaig O’Sullivan |   Exercise Psychologist & Community Facilitator

This programme helped to build my knowledge and expertise on Health Promotion in the workplace and in gaining a greater insight into the psychosocial work environments. It has been a great compliment to my existing work; I found it engaging, interesting and varied; I found the networking and knowledge sharing with other candidates from a range of different disciplines on this course an added complimentary component.

Downloads

  • Postgraduate Prospectus 2023

    Postgraduate Prospectus 2023 PDF (20.6MB)

  • Brochure

    Brochure PDF (2MB)