MSc in Leadership in Healthcare

Application closed

The application process is now closed for the MSc in Leadership in Healthcare.

The Guide to Submitting Your Application and the application support and endorsement form may be helpful to read for those who intend to submit an application in the future.

Note: The MSc in Leadership in Healthcare is currently operating as a virtual programme.

• Overview
• Eligibility
• Programme overview
• Learning methods
• Key information
• Apply
• Contact
• Participant login

Overview

The MSc in Leadership in Healthcare is a programme for those who are looking for development and stimulation to rapidly improve their service and enhance their leadership capability. The programme is open to clinical and non-clinical colleagues.

It is aimed at those who:

• lead teams or complex projects
• lead services or systems of care
• aspire to be responsible for a broader role and contribute to the wider organisation
• are seeking to apply new skills and behaviours to real-time work-related improvements
• are excited by the opportunity to develop their leadership practices and apply new skills, learning and behaviours directly to real-time work related improvements
• are willing to commit to at least 15 hours learning per week over a 24 month period
• are willing to commit to full attendance at all face-to-face aspects of the programme

The twelfth cohort of this two year programme commenced in autumn 2025.

Should it be decided that any elements will take place face to face, we will advise you accordingly.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the programme you must hold a minimum of:

• 2.2 undergraduate degree, or
• an equivalent professional qualification, or
• relevant experience leading teams or services

You must also:

• be an employee of the HSE or a body which provides service on behalf of the HSE under Section 38 of the Health Act 2004
• be up to date with your mandatory training​
• have completed a performance achievement meeting with your line manager in the last 12 months
• satisfactorily complete the application process

Selection criteria will include:

• your personal statement
• your experience leading teams or complex projects or leading services or systems of care
• your senior line manager's supporting statement
• previous leadership/management development programmes you’ve undertaken
• creation of the best possible mix of participants from eligible applicants

The Health Service Leadership Academy reserves the right to prioritise applicants with the most experience as health service managers. This is to facilitate the greatest benefit for the health service in the shortest amount of time.

To maximise the learning within each cohort, the Health Service Leadership Academy seeks to create the best possible mix of participants from eligible applicants.

This will include having a mix of:

• clinical and non-clinical participants
• disciplines and professions
• locations and types of health service organisations

In striving to achieve a strong mix for each cohort, this may result in some eligible participants not being offered a place. A waiting list will not be created in the event of over subscription.

You may be contacted by the programme director or a member of the Health Service Leadership Academy if clarification is required on any aspect of your application.

Programme overview

The MSc in Leadership in Healthcare is designed to meet healthcare challenges now and into the future. It will enable you to bring about change and real improvement, providing opportunities to put your new skills into action where you work.

The focus of the programme is firmly on patient experiences and outcomes. Whether you work on the frontline or you indirectly focus on patient care, patients and service users will benefit as a result of your learning.

The programme involves providing work-based evidence, meaning you can start making a difference to patients and services immediately rather than having to wait until after you graduate.

The programme supports you in your role and future career by:

• providing you with intensive personal leadership development
• improving your personal impact and helping you drive progress with your team and organisation to build a culture of patient-focused care
• enabling you to make a real difference to patients, staff and services
• helping you to take up your leadership role and lead others more effectively
• helping you develop quickly by immersing you in innovative and intensive leadership development
• helping you make an immediate and tangible difference to your workplace by applying your learning to develop practical innovations for immediate use
• helping you build a powerful national support network within the healthcare system who are all driving to achieve real change for patients

Programme structure, modules and assignment information can be found in the applicant guide

Learning methods

Learning is via virtual campus, residential workshops, face-to-face meetings and online tutor support. All elements take place virtually at present.

The programme is delivered:

• 50% work based-application (where set activities on the virtual campus are put into practice at work)
• 35% online learning (academic content, assignments and discussion groups)
• 15% face-to-face residential behavioural development workshops and action learning sets (delivered virtually at present)

Work-based learning

Work-based learning (WBL) is an important part of how the learning methods are applied in practice. WBL focuses on the work you are already doing and uses this as the basis for your learning. Much of your online learning will relate to your work place. It focuses your attention on what is practical and works. It helps to lighten the study workload, as some of the learning is within your day-to-day job.

Action learning set meetings

Your action learning set meetings, delivered virtually, provides a forum to explore the links between individual, group and organisational dynamics. This equips you with the practical skills to craft your leadership role, style and skills. Your action learning set meets a minimum of eleven times, for full day working sessions, during the programme.

Residential experiential workshops

There are four residential workshops during the course of the programme, delivered virtually. The focus of these workshops will be on your personal and behavioural development in context. They take full advantage of face-to-face group work, experiential and simulation learning activities as opposed to any academic theory or knowledge learning.

Online learning through the virtual campus

The Health Service Leadership Academy virtual campus has been designed to feel like an inviting space; delivering what you need in an interactive learning environment. It can be accessed at any time and on any device, at a time and place which suits you

The virtual campus is where you can find the resources you will need for your studies. It provides a range of different learning formats such as e-learning nuggets, simulation events, webinars, videos, psychometric assessments, surveys, electronic journals, books, tutorial and discussion boards, learning journals and more.

Individual and group tutorials

You will have individual and group tutorials over the duration of this programme. These will take place during specified weeks, but the day and time of tutorials (including evenings and weekends) will be mutually agreed with groups/individuals. Tutorials will take place either online or by telephone.

Key information

Commitment to the programme

You must make a commitment of at least 15 hours per week to programme work. It is up to you to fit this time in. It is likely that most of this will be undertaken in your own time. There is a strong focus on practical application of new learning and you are encouraged to practice developing your range of leadership behaviours in your workplace. We would ask line managers to support you in doing this so that you can become a more effective leader.

Attendance is mandatory at four residential sessions, totalling a minimum of 12 days over the 24 months of the programme. You will also attend a minimum of 11 days at action learning set meetings throughout the programme. Line managers are asked to treat time spent at residential workshops, learning set meetings and tutorials (approximately 1 hour in duration) as time spent at work.

Attendance requirement continues to apply whether these elements are delivered virtually or face-to-face.

Programme costs

There are currently no programme fees for participating in this programme. If the programme is delivered in person rather than virtually in the future, participants may incur travel and subsistence costs for attending residential and face-to-face programme components. Travel and subsistence costs for residential and face-to-face programmes must be paid for by you and recovered through your local travel and subsistence procedures. The Health Service Leadership Academy is unable to refund other areas of the HSE, or external agencies for costs incurred in this regard.

Apply

• read the Guide to Submitting Your Application
• complete the application support and endorsement form
• complete the electronic application form for your health region - the link is in the guide
• submit your application using the UCC online application portal - the link is in the guide

You must complete the 4 steps listed above to successfully submit your application. Incomplete applications or applications submitted after the closing date will not be considered.

You can only apply for 1 of the Health Service Leadership Academy programmes. The Health Service Leadership Academy will not accept more than 1 application per person. Priority will be given to applicants who have not completed a Health Service Leadership Academy programme previously.

You will receive notification of the outcome of your application by email by the end of July 2026.

Application supporting documents

Guide to Submitting Your Application

Application Support and Endorsement Form

Applicant Guide for MSc in Leadership in Healthcare

Dates for cohort commencing in September 2026 are available in the programme schedule for MSc in Leadership in Healthcare

Contact

If you require additional information about the MSc in Leadership in Healthcare or you need any help with submitting your application:

Email: leadershipacademyhse@imi.ie

Phone: 01 207 8412 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.