The Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Trials is a part-time programme delivered wholly online and runs for three 10-week blocks (comprising 8 teaching weeks and 2 weeks' reflection and absorption) beginning in late September.

• Applicants accepted on the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Trials are expected to hold an honours Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Trials (minimum Second Class Honours Grade Two from UCC).
• Applicants applying for the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Trials and who have obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Trials or Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Research (or equivalent Postgraduate Certificate) from an institution other than UCC (minimum Second Class Honours Grade Two) will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Clinical Trials Programme Team. Such applicants must:
1. produce the relevant module syllabi from the awarding institution, and proof of their grades for comparison purposes,
and
2. write a 500 word personal statement on why they wish to pursue a career in clinical trials.
• Such applicants may also be asked to participate in an interview. Decisions on selection to the programme will be made on the basis of academic qualifications, personal statement and possibly interview.

This programme will be delivered wholly online. To access and interact with the course content, assignments and assessments etc., students will require:

1. Access to a laptop or desktop (either Mac OS or Windows) running a relatively recent operating system (Windows 7 or Mac OSX 10.8 or later). Access to the Virtual Learning Environment is supported by UCC through IOS and Android apps, which are available from the respective App stores.
2. Access to a reliable broadband connection with at least 2MB download speeds.
3. A modern standards compliant web browser. The most reliable options for use with UCC online learning are Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. Download and installation instructions will be provided. Safari is not suitable.
4. Common plug-ins such as Java and Flash Runtimes. Download and installation instructions will be provided.
5. An Office suite of software (Microsoft Office 2003 or later or equivalent) and a PDF reader (preferably Adobe Acrobat Reader XI or later).

Students must satisfactorily complete modules to the value of 30 credits.

Core modules
EH6126 Advanced Clinical Trial Design and Analysis (10 credits)
EH6127 Regulated Clinical Trials and Pharmacovigilance (10 credits)
EH6128 Management of Multicentre Studies (10 credits)

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2020/2021 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2020/2021.

Two Year Rule
The Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Trials must be completed within a maximum of 24 months from the date of initial registration.

Progression to MSc in Clinical Trials
Students who successfully complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Trials and who attain a minimum of Second Class Honours Grade One (2.1) will be eligible to register for the MSc in Clinical Trials.

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Trials (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate application of complex clinical trial design and analysis;
• Identify and apply the practical and management issues in the design and implementation of clinical trials;
• Apply clinical trial regulations to the conduct of clinical trials;
• Apply key ethical principles when conducting clinical trials;
• Critically evaluate all aspects of how clinical trials are managed, reviewed and reported;
• Demonstrate effective communication and discussion skills and write effectively through ongoing participation in online discussions.