Early Bird: Save 10% when you enrol before 30th April.

Early Bird: Save 10% when you enrol before 30th April.

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Professional Academy Diploma in Leadership & Management

Live Expert-Led Learning Flexible Start Dates from €1,350

Our Leadership & Management course will develop your ability to coordinate and motivate teams through the highs and lows of doing business in Ireland, and internationally. Learn how to attract and retain the right people, coaching, career development strategies, change management and business continuity planning on a management course that will take your leadership skills to the next level.

Hurry! Early Bird 10% off. Enrol before 30th April. Download the brochure now to reveal your discount code.

Choose Your Start Date

Browse our live classes, delivered online or on campus, or study on demand. Download your brochure to learn more.

Select a Study Option below:

Start Today – 100% Self Paced Learning

On Demand
  • Choose your own schedule
  • Complete within 18 weeks (average 6 weeks)
  • Attend optional live Q&A sessions
  • €1500, €1,350 with discount code

Starts 13 May — Ends 17 May 24

Full-time
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 1-week bootcamp: Monday to Friday, 9 am - 4 pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 21 May — Ends 06 Aug 24

Part-time / morning
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Tuesdays, 9:30am - 1pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 21 May — Ends 06 Aug 24

Part-time / evening
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Tuesdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 10 Jun — Ends 14 Jun 24

Full-time
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 1-week bootcamp: Monday to Friday, 9 am - 4 pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 19 Jun — Ends 04 Sep 24

Part-time / evening
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Wednesdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 08 Jul — Ends 12 Jul 24

Full-time
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 1-week bootcamp: Monday to Friday, 9 am - 4 pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 18 Jul — Ends 04 Sep 24

Part-time / evening
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Thursdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 12 Aug — Ends 16 Aug 24

Full-time
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 1-week bootcamp: Monday to Friday, 9 am - 4 pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 20 Aug — Ends 05 Nov 24

Part-time / evening
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Tuesdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 09 Sep — Ends 13 Sep 24

Full-time
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 1-week bootcamp: Monday to Friday, 9 am - 4 pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 24 Sep — Ends 10 Dec 24

On Campus
  • ON CAMPUS: Live lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Tuesdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 25 Sep — Ends 11 Dec 24

Part-time / morning
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Wednesdays, 9:30am - 1pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 25 Sep — Ends 11 Dec 24

Part-time / evening
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Wednesdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code
+ 10 more start dates

Starts 21 May — Ends 06 Aug 24

Part-time / morning
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Tuesdays, 9:30am - 1pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 21 May — Ends 06 Aug 24

Part-time / evening
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Tuesdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 19 Jun — Ends 04 Sep 24

Part-time / evening
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Wednesdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 18 Jul — Ends 04 Sep 24

Part-time / evening
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Thursdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 20 Aug — Ends 05 Nov 24

Part-time / evening
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Tuesdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 25 Sep — Ends 11 Dec 24

Part-time / morning
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Wednesdays, 9:30am - 1pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 25 Sep — Ends 11 Dec 24

Part-time / evening
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Wednesdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code
+ 3 more start dates

Starts 13 May — Ends 17 May 24

Full-time
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 1-week bootcamp: Monday to Friday, 9 am - 4 pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 10 Jun — Ends 14 Jun 24

Full-time
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 1-week bootcamp: Monday to Friday, 9 am - 4 pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 08 Jul — Ends 12 Jul 24

Full-time
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 1-week bootcamp: Monday to Friday, 9 am - 4 pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 12 Aug — Ends 16 Aug 24

Full-time
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 1-week bootcamp: Monday to Friday, 9 am - 4 pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Starts 09 Sep — Ends 13 Sep 24

Full-time
  • LIVE ONLINE lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 1-week bootcamp: Monday to Friday, 9 am - 4 pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code
+ 1 more start dates

Starts 24 Sep — Ends 10 Dec 24

On Campus
  • ON CAMPUS: Live lectures with an Industry Expert
  • 12 weeks: Tuesdays, 6.30pm - 9.30pm
  • €1700, €1,530 with discount code

Start Today – 100% Self Paced Learning

On Demand
  • Choose your own schedule
  • Complete within 18 weeks (average 6 weeks)
  • Attend optional live Q&A sessions
  • €1500, €1,350 with discount code

Secure your place with a 50% deposit and the rest after your course commences. For full-time Bootcamp courses, 100% of the course fee should be paid before starting. Save an additional 5% when you pay in full at time of booking.

Why UCD Professional Academy?

  • Valuable, trusted certification
  • Industry expert lecturers
  • Flexible learning options

Leadership & Management Course Modules

Organisations are only as good as their people, which is why great business leaders are in demand. Learn approaches and frameworks that will help you meet this challenging responsibility. This career-transforming management course will help you develop your leadership skills and learn how to encourage others to flourish while driving real business results. There is plenty of opportunity to put the theories you learn into practice with group discussions and exercises. You’ll learn up-to-date skills including how to manage, lead and conduct performance reviews for hybrid and virtual teams, as well as diversity and inclusion practices.

Or browse our wide range of expert-led online courses and grow your career potential today.

1. Organisations

Look at the characteristics of organisations and stages of organisational development. You will discuss the environmental complexity of organisations. Understand the structure of your organisation and your place within it.

  • Why organisations form
  • Why they deliver

2. Getting The Right People

Learn about resources for people planning and how to attract the right applicants with proven recruiting methods. Learn to understand competencies and identify the best competencies to fit your company culture.

  • What is competence?
  • Getting the right person

3. Change

Organisations are constantly changing and evolving. Dive into how change affects an organisation and how to survive it. You will look at reasons to introduce change and the major models of change management to lead your team or organisation through it successfully.

  • Why change?
  • How to survive change

4. Management & Leadership

Explore the different styles of leaders and managers. Learn about the ‘big three’ leadership attributes as defined by Benjamin Biermeier-Hanson. Learn about emotional intelligence, and how to build strong working relationships to achieve mutual goals.

  • What is the difference?
  • Why leadership works

5. Coaching & Mentoring As Managers

Discover the eight competencies of coaching and the GROW model of mentoring. Understand organisational behaviour and positive reinforcement and discover how to make your objectives SMART.

  • Models of coaching
  • Coaching vs. mentoring

6. Teamwork & The Management Of Teams

Look at the attributes of effective team reinforcement and Hackman’s team coaching model. Uncover causes of dysfunction within teams and how to address them with empathy.

  • Teams are not work groups
  • Management of teams

7. Getting The Best From Your People

Learn about defining and planning for effective performance, setting realistic expectations, and building in quantitative and qualitative feedback. Discover strategies to build employee capability.

  • Managing performance
  • Setting goals
  • Enhancing performance

8. Networking

Discuss the political skills of social awareness, networking, interpersonal influence, and sincerity. Learn about influencing styles and the characteristics of effective influencers. Work on direct and indirect communication.

  • Who is your network?
  • Why network?
  • How to go about it

9. Developing Others

Learn to recognise and manage the talents of others, including setting up development interventions. Understand how motivation works with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

  • Development plans
  • HiPo identification

10. Difficult Conversations

Master the art of difficult conversations, defining reality vs. individual viewpoints. Discover how to understand and influence professional attitudes and learn about the DESK model of intervention.

  • Why they are stressful
  • Rules for having difficult conversations
  • Feedback models

11. Business Continuity Planning

Discover the six aspects of planning for business continuity and learn how to step up into a leadership role. Explore behavioural leadership and how to be an authentic leader.

  • Succession in family business
  • Succession in organisations
  • Being part of the plan

12. Career Planning

Discover the ‘five most important questions’ that Drucker suggested managers ask. Learn about SWOT analysis and the skills of self-management and planning for your future.

  • 5-year plans
  • Choosing a pathway
  • Acting on the plan

Study Options

All formats cover the same course content. You now have more choice in how you learn with us:

Live Online

Choose between weekly evening classes, usually over 12 weeks, or a 5-day intensive bootcamp

Live online learning with industry-expert lecturers

Interact with lecturers and classmates

Convenience of studying from home

On Campus

Choose weekly evening classes on UCD Belfield Campus, D4.

In-person learning with industry-expert lecturers

Meet peers in a friendly environment

Access to state-of-the-art facilities

On Demand

Fit your learning into your own schedule, and learn at your own pace

100% self-paced learning

Average completion: 6 weeks (up to 18 weeks)

Optional live tutorial sessions

Built Around You

What our Alumni Say about Leadership & Management

I would certainly recommend this engaging and well structured course. You come away with the right tools and skills which will help you both in your workplace and in your career going forward.

Peter Madden

Audit Senior, EY

The course was really beneficial and I got a great understanding of how leadership and management works, how different organisations work and how they begin. I also was able to learn what my own leadership style was and I got a good understanding of what the qualities of a good leader are. You act like a leader before you think like a leader because when you act like a leader you do not limit yourself.

Mary Ojo — Watch Video

Addiction Nurse

The Professional Academy Diploma in Leadership & Management had a good variety of topics and a great teacher with huge knowledge and experience. The classes were well managed with breakout rooms so the days flew by and allowed you to get insights from others in various work backgrounds.

The course was presented very well by the lecturer who was outstanding in their field. They clearly have a wealth of information, which was expertly imparted to the students in a very interesting and engaging fashion. I would recommend studying for a Professional Academy Diploma in Leadership and Management.

Leadership & Management

I had very high expectations and I was not disappointed. I have gained some excellent and relevant skills, which I have already started to put into practice, it has been a tremendously enjoyable experience from start to finish.

Andrew Doyle

Environmental, Safety & Health Manager, Egis Projects Ireland.

My experience studying for a Professional Academy Diploma in Leadership and Management was just fantastic! I recommend this course not only to academic people but also to everyone who is involved with an organization and who wants to bring a better version of themselves into their work, interaction and life.

The experience I had has been nothing but positive. When the course went from in classes, in UCD, to online lectures, this worked well with my busy schedule. I would definitely recommend UCD Professional Academy.

Ivan Cunnane

An Garda Síochána, An Garda Síochána / Laois/Offaly division

I would definitely 100% recommend UCD Professional Academy to anyone. Everything was so organised and it was such an enjoyable experience. The only regret I have is not learning about the UCD Professional Academy sooner and completing the course sooner.

Fiona Nolan — Watch Video

Support Worker, Resilience Care

Studying for a Professional Academy Diploma has helped to reinvigorate me as I seek a new leadership role. It afforded me the opportunity to consider insights shared by the lecturer and classmates and to review some of the academic literature which tends to get ignored in the BUSY day to day.

Exclusive

Access to thousands of journals, articles and papers. Free of charge.

Students taking part in this course will now have access to the EBSCO Online Library, free of charge, for the full duration of the course. Here you can browse thousands of relevant journals, articles and other reliable academic and commercial texts like the Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg Businessweek and Forbes Magazine, to supplement your learning and assignments.

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We've trained the employees of

For Business

Relevant skills for your team, results for you.

Whether you’re interested in making your training budget work harder with volume discounts across our standard portfolio, or have bespoke training needs to be addressed, we’ll help you level up. Our team of upskilling experts are ready to take the pain out of meeting your training targets.

Talk to our experts

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this course right for me?

This course is ideal for ambitious professionals who want to accelerate their career track with proven, practical leadership and management skills.

You may be:

• A business executive

• A manager

• A team leader

• A business owner

• An HR professional

• Going for a promotion to a managerial role

How will this course help with my career?

The course will give you the communication and leadership skills necessary to advance in your career. With this certification on your CV, you demonstrate that you are ready to effectively lead and manage people to get real business results.

What is the learning experience like?

Many of our courses are now available in a variety of formats. All formats cover the same course content. You now have more choice in how you learn with us:

Live Online

Our online experience is designed to be just as interactive, supportive, and inspiring as the UCD Professional Academy campus experience.

Online courses can be accessed from any computer or laptop with an internet connection.

Live lectures are delivered using Zoom. During these lectures, your teachers will use technology interactively to ensure an engaging learning experience. When appropriate, students will be encouraged to activate their microphones so that they can ask questions and communicate with other students.

On Campus

UCD Professional Academy is delighted to welcome learners back on the UCD Belfield Campus. On Campus courses are delivered in-person with our industry experts in the O'Brien Science building.

On Demand

On Demand courses enable you to complete your course on your own schedule. Course modules are delivered in the form of one “lesson”. The lesson is broken up into short videos followed by activities designed to put the new information and concepts into practice through exercises, quizzes, forum participation and other activities.

What is the student experience like?

Student care is a high priority at UCD Professional Academy, which is why our Student Services team is on hand to support you throughout your time with us. They will respond to any queries you have, help you with any technical issues, and facilitate your learning experience at every point. All students are given access to our Student Portal, where you can see your timetable, access all your study materials, and manage your account.

How is this course assessed?

If you are studying an online course, your assessment will also be submitted online.

This course is assessed through a written project/paper and reflection log. You will have two weeks following the end of the course to complete and submit the final assignment. The written project is generally around 3,000 words (that’s about 5 pages of a standard Word document).

What are the benefits of a Professional Academy Diploma?

UCD Professional Academy Diplomas and Certificates are designed to give your career an advantage. Developed in conjunction with industry thought leaders our courses teach practical, applied skills to support you to achieve your career and business goals. Professional Academy Diplomas are suitable for career minded learners wishing to advance their professional skills and prospects rather than their academic credentials.

The Professional Academy is an independent wholly owned part of UCD designed to address the need for skills development in the workforce. Courses tend to be short, designed and delivered by industry practitioners, and are not part of nor do they lead to a traditional University award such as a degree or a masters. They are widely accepted by employers and many students are sponsored to study by their organisation.

For full details of UCD Professional Academy’s Certifications & Governance please visit https://www.ucd.ie/professionalacademy/governance/

How do I get my Professional Academy Diploma?

Your UCD Professional Academy Diploma will be issued electronically on a secure platform, with a link that you can share with employers and others wishing to verify your credentials. You can also add this certificate to your LinkedIn profile.

What payment options are available?

A place on any of our part-time & on demand courses can be secured with a 50% deposit with the remaining balance due within 30 days of the course commencing.

For full-time Bootcamp courses, 100% of the course fee should be paid before starting.

Please note that standard terms and conditions apply, which you can review here: https://www.ucd.ie/professionalacademy/terms-and-conditions/

Still have more questions? Download the brochure

Ready to start?

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On Demand

  • Choose your own schedule
  • 36 hours of pre-recorded course material
  • Complete in 18 weeks or fewer (avg 6 weeks)
  • Attend optional live Q&A sessions
€1500 €1,350 Enrol Now
Save 10%

Live Classes

  • Weekly Live Classes, online or on campus
  • 36 Hours of Course Material
  • Complete in 12 Weeks
  • Online classes delivered via Zoom
€1700 €1,530 Enrol Now
Save 10%