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Professional Diploma Education - Leadership

ProfDip (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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The Professional Diploma in Education (Leadership) deploys a broad concept of leadership that can be applied to teachers at different stages of their career within schools as organisations. The Professional Diploma in Educational Leadership (PDEL) is aimed at primary and post-primary teachers in the Irish education system.

The Professional Diploma in Educational Leadership (PDEL) is aimed at teachers in the Irish education system. Programme participants are required to have teaching experience in either primary or post-primary schools in Ireland and should be  motivated to move into a leadership position  as well as to challenge the way they think about their work in a variety of ways. The concept of leadership employed is broad and can be applied to teachers at different stages of their career within schools as organisations. The programme draws on a wide-ranging international literature to focus on contemporary policy, practice and leadership challenges.

The programme includes some face-to-face sessions (typically on Saturdays to accommodate travel and attendance from all corners of the country). Our experience is that the combination of on campus days and online teaching and learning provide a dynamic and transformative learning experience for all students.The programme is intended to provide a dynamic and transformative learning experience for all students. We are committed to developing our students’ critical voice through reading, discussion, peer learning, presentations and critical review. These participative learning experiences have been tried and tested by us and ensure that high quality learning outcomes are achieved.

If you have any queries on the PDE/MEd Leadership, please do not hesitate to contact us at educationenquiries@ucd.ie.

The application for this programme has a rolling deadline meaning that applications will close when all places have been filled. For this reason, early application is advised. This course tends to be oversubscribed annually.


About This Course

The PDEL and the Masters (year 2) deploy a broad concept of leadership that can be applied to teachers at different stages of their career within schools as organizations. Each of the programmes will include some face-to- face sessions (typically on Saturdays to accommodate travel and attendance from all corners of the country). Our experience is that the combination of on campus days and online teaching and learning provide a dynamic and transformative learning experience for all students. We are committed to developing our students’ critical voice through reading, discussion, peer learning, presentations and critical review. Furthermore, these participative learning experiences will ensure that high quality learning outcomes are achieved.  The programme encourages students to become autonomous learners and critical thinkers who  will contibute to school and system leadership in education.  The programme employs a wide variety of teaching and learning approaches, including lectures, tutorials, collaborative groupwork and problem-based learning activities delivered in a blended /online format using a jusdicious mix of on-campus weekend end seminars  and syncronous online tasks and activities. A range of  assessment strategies are used including individual and group class presentations, group assignments, case study and applied analytical studies.

  • 1) Make explicit connections between module content, coursework and professional practice.
  • 2) 
 review and evaluate a range of policy measures and initiatives and critique these in the context of the school improvement and effectiveness.
  • 3) reflect purposefully and critically upon their own skills and limitations as leaders, evidenced by their performance in working with groups and their overall learning outcomes on the programme.
  • 4) demonstrate a thorough understanding of key theories of organisational behaviour and change and apply these theories in an organizational setting.
  • 5) Demonstrate a well developed understanding of the limits, contradictions and emerging issues within the professional field.
  • 6) Evidence an enhanced aptitude for continued self-directed learning as well as collaborative learning in professional settings throughout their careers.
  • 7) Cultivate a disposition that combines passion with purpose, empathy and understanding with cognitive challenge, resilience and hardiness in the context of professional practice.
  • 8) Demonstrate the skills of interrogating practice using theoretical perspectives, thus generating new ideas and/or reformulating existing ideas and practices in relation to professional roles.
  • 9) Evidence the significance of reflection in the development of expertise and innovative practice thus providing leadership within schools and the wider education community.
  • On successful completion of the programme, students will be able to: 1) critically explore and interrogate prominent leadership theories and apply these theories in the course of addressing a variety of organisational issues and problems.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
EDUC41620 Contemporary Issues Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
EDUC41640 School leadership and the quality of teaching and learning: actors, agency, activities Autumn  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
EDUC41800 School Transformation Spring  10

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Professional Diploma Education - Leadership (W342) Part Time
EU/NONEU    fee per year - € 4010

***Fees are subject to change

Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.

Applicants must hold an honours degree at undergraduate level (or equivalent) from a higher education institution, a recognised teaching qualification and have a minimum of three years’ teaching experience in either the primary or post-primary sector.

You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No


Applicants must hold an honours degree at undergraduate level (or equivalent) from a higher education institution, a recognised teaching qualification and have a minimum of three years’ teaching experience in either the primary or post-primary sector.



The PDE in Leadership (blended) is aimed at primary and post-primary teachers in Irish schools who would like to either move into a leadership position or challenge the way they think about their work in a variety of ways. The concept of leadership employed is broad and can be applied to teachers at different stages of their career within schools as organizations. The PDEL course also corresponds to year one of the Masters in Education (M.Ed Leadership) course. Students who successfully complete the PDEL can transfer to year two of the MEd leadership.


General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Professional Diploma Education - Leadership:

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W342
Professional Diploma Education - Leadership
Professional Diploma

Part-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
* you can change options at the top of the page