Programme Directors

Grainne O’Donoghue (PhD, MSc, BSc Physio)

UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Sports Science

Karen Cradock (MSc, BPhysio)

Heart2Heart Cardiac Physiotherapy Director (& Clinical Lead)

Programme Description

The overall aim of this professional certificate is to equip

students with the knowledge and skills to effectively promote

the uptake of exercise, both as a prescriptive medicine and a

preventative therapy for clinical populations (cardiovascular,

metabolic, pulmonary and other lifestyle related diseases).

Material covered on this course addresses the fundamentals of

physical activity, clinical exercise testing and prescription with a

specific focus on exercise training in clients with cardiovascular

disease. The module will integrate anatomy, physiology,

pre-participation screening, exercise testing and exercise

programme design. Students will develop their knowledge base

and gain experiential practice to allow them to assess and

generate exercise programmes for clinical populations based on

sound clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice and safety.

Professional Certificate in Clinical Exercise (Level 9 NQF)UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science

Proposed Start Date

January 2021

What will I learn?

Core subjects include:

• Fundamentals of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour

• Effect of exercise on cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic

and musculoskeletal systems

• Clinical Exercise Testing and Prescription

• Contraindications to Exercise

• Risk stratification of cardiac clients within the cardiac

population

• Cardiac Rehabilitation

• Clinical Exercise Programme design and progression

• Exercise Prescription for other chronic conditions (obesity,

type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis)

• Facilitating Physical Activity and Exercise Behaviour in Clinical

Practice

Entry Requirements

1 / Graduate Healthcare Professionals with a recognised

degree in physiotherapy or medicine

2 / Exercise Science / Athletic Therapy / Exercise Physiology

Graduates

How to Apply

Email your CV to:

cardiacrehab-clinicalexercise@ucd.ie

* All applications will be reviewed by Dr Grainne O’Donoghue

and Ms. Karen Cradock to ensure they fulfil the entry

requirements for admission.

How will I learn

Didactic learning: 25 hours

Tutorials / workshops: 25 hours

Practical Sessions: 10 hours

Self-directed learning: 140 hours

Total scheduled learning** 200 hours

Autonomous student learning

(non-scheduled learning) 120 hours

Total student effort hours 320 hours

** If necessary, all lectures/ workshops can be delivered

remotely. Practical sessions will be delivered face-to-face.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategies

30% / MCQ (1.5 hour) – broad assessment of knowledge

based on core course content

30% / 20 minutes oral assessment

40% / Written assignment: Case Study

Fee Rate

The EU fee is c1,800

The non-EU fee is c3,200