Postgraduate Steps

Postgraduate Steps is a radically new approach to postgraduate education developed by the Department of Humanities at Athlone Institute of Technology. Recognising that people’s higher educational needs are diverse, Postgraduate Steps enables learners to undertake modules (subjects) that address their professional development needs, in a fashion that suits diverse lifestyles.

Any learner who enrols will have three potential avenues open to them as follows:

• Completion of 6 modules, including the mandatory module on Research Methods and a Dissertation, plus four elective modules leading to a Master of Arts in Advanced Social Care Practice.

• Completion of 6 elective modules over time, leading to an award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Social Care Practice.

• Completion of 1 module (10 ECTS credits) leading to a minor award at postgraduate level.

New modules will be introduced in response to developments in the area of social care. This innovative new process is designed to respond to the sector’s education needs in a flexible, timely and appropriate manner. It is demand driven. Content will evolve along with the sector and the changing environment. The awards will be built module by module, as required.

It is the intention to run the following modules Promoting Inclusion through Person Centred Planning and a new module Approaches to Care with Older People in January 2013.

Other modules previously offered through Postgraduate Steps were (i) Mental Health, Law and Policy, (ii) Preventing and Resolving Interpersonal Conflict, (iii) Approaches to Supporting Families, (iv) Behaviours that Challenge, (v) Research Methods and (vi) the dissertation.

Postgraduate Steps is supported by Work-Based Learning at AIT and by the Education in Employment initiative.

Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date on Postgraduate Steps happenings and news.

Development of future modules

The School of Humanities is currently developing new modules for the Master of Arts/Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Social Care Practice. We would very much appreciate your time and input by completing the online survey to ensure currency of our modules. The survey will take approximately ten minutes to complete. Your input will help to support the development of these future industry-driven modules. If there are other colleagues, who you feel would like to have an input into this new social care programme, please feel free to inform them about the survey. 

Downloads: 

Postgraduate Steps application form