PgCert in Residential Care Facility Management
€5,400/€600 per micro-credential
Advance your career with the PgCert in Residential Care Facility Management, designed for professionals leading residential care services.
Postgraduate Certificate
9 months
Online - Part-time
30 ECTS
16 March 2026
About
Advance your professional knowledge and develop a critical, strategic and reflective approach as you explore the leadership, governance and regulatory issues central to residential care facility management.
Enhance your managerial and leadership practice by developing in-depth knowledge of contemporary approaches to governance, resource management, quality improvement, safeguarding and clinical risk within residential care settings. Through the development of key analytical and research-informed skills, you will be supported to critically appraise evidence, interpret regulatory frameworks, and implement strategies that promote safe, high-quality, person-centred care for older people and vulnerable adults.
This programme is delivered part-time by the RCSI School of Nursing and Midwifery in collaboration with the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery. It is delivered fully online using an active blended learning approach, incorporating self-directed study, interactive learning activities and live online sessions.
Modules are delivered across the academic year. Students may register for individual micro-credentials (5 ECTS each) or complete 30 ECTS, including the capstone module Leadership in Residential Care Facilities, to achieve the full award.
The programme is designed for professionals working in residential care facility management and integrates leadership theory, governance frameworks, regulatory compliance, infection prevention and control, health and safety, safeguarding, resource management, quality improvement and clinical risk management. A strong emphasis is placed on reflective practice, critical thinking, evidence-based decision-making and strategic leadership in complex and evolving care environments.
The award title for this course is Postgraduate Certificate in Residential Care Facility Management (Special Purpose Award).
This course is a Level 9 award on the Irish National Framework of Qualifications and is aligned to Level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the second cycle of the Bologna Framework.
Leadership and management
Governance for residential care facility managers
Resource management for residential care facility managers
Governance and management of infection prevention and control (IPC) including outbreaks
Managing clinical risk and report writing
Quality improvement and effective auditing
Suitable for
Suitable for registered nurses and health care professionals working in residential care leadership or management roles who wish to strengthen their expertise in governance, regulatory compliance, quality improvement and strategic leadership within residential care settings.
What you will learn
Course information
This programme will provide you with the skills and knowledge to:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of core knowledge in the area of residential care facility management.
- Articulate a critical awareness of the latest evidence-based knowledge in the area of residential care facility management.
- Demonstrate a range of research and specialist knowledge and skills in the area of residential care facility management.
- Understand the basis of selecting from a range of specialist skills and knowledge relevant to residential care facility management.
- Act in a comprehensive and often unpredictable variety of professional and ill-defined contexts in the area of residential care facility management.
- Apply leadership competency in taking significant responsibility for the work of individuals and groups and lead and initiate activity in the area of residential care facility management.
- Critically self-evaluate professional and personal learning needs and those of others within residential care facilities and link to related continuing professional development requirements.
- Present a reflective and questioning approach to residential care facility management and exhibit the professional application of knowledge in an accountable, responsible and evidence-based manner.
Students can register for the programme in whole, or for the individual micro-credentials. On completion of 30 ECTS (to include the 5 ECTS capstone module), students may be eligible for admission to the other programmes and may be exempt from some modules under recognition of prior learning (RPL).
Successful completion of the PgDip would then allow the student entry to the MSc.
Micro-credential modules can be taken at the requisite ECTS value of the modules. Micro-credentials can be used to build towards PgCert, PgDip or MSc.
This programme is assessed through a range of assessment modalities.
All programmes offered by the School of Nursing and Midwifery are accredited by RCSI and the National University of Ireland. Recognition by bodies in other jurisdictions must be determined by individual applicants.
Admissions
Students eligible for this programme must normally hold a level 8 qualification; however, we welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of their qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience.
We may waive formal entry requirements based on prior learning and judgement of academic potential and invite such applications to join our pathway programme.
- If working in a nursing capacity, applicants must have active registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland or other registration board in the case of international students.
- Applicants must be working in residential care facility management for the duration of the programme.
- English language requirements are available here.
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.
For more information, please contact the School of Nursing and Midwifery: Tel: +353 1 402 2445; Email: nursing@rcsi.ie.
English language requirements are published here. If you have completed undergraduate/postgraduate full-time studies in the medium of the English language (three or more years cumulatively), or if you are registered with the NMBI, you are exempt from these requirements.
The fees for this programme are €5,445 (or €600 per module).
Please note:
- Fee includes all resources, access to our award-winning online learning portal and access to extensive RCSI-only databases.
- Fee includes an NUI fee.
- Fee is payable via the above schedule, where relevant.
- If you have outstanding fees you will not be entitled to receive your grades or be eligible to progress and or graduate (VLE and Library privileges will be withdrawn in these cases).
- RCSI accepts no obligation to refund any fee, or part thereof, in respect of a student who chooses to withdraw from a programme.
- If you choose to withdraw from a programme you are liable for full fees owed for the seat on that programme.
- All NUI parchments are issued in Latin; you will be required to pay an additional fee of €50 to NUI if you wish to have a parchment published in English.
- Fees are subject to review annually.
- If you are being sponsored or funded by your employer you should upload a funding confirmation letter in the document upload section on the application portal.)
- Please view our postgraduate fees policy for more information.
How to apply
Applications are now open for micro-credential 1: Leadership and Management for Residential Care Facility Managers and micro-credential 2: Governance for Residential Care Facility Managers.
Closing date: 9 March 2026.