Why is this course for me?
If you want to care for the psychological, social, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of others, becoming a mental health nurse is the ï¬rst step towards a highly rewarding career.
This exciting degree prepares you to meet the mental health needs of adults and their families in the 21st century.
You will study in university and across a wide range of mental health services. Most importantly you will learn from those who are experts by experience: people living with or who have experienced mental health difficulties. You will develop the skills to engage with those suffering mental distress or illness, as well as their families, in a positive and collaborative way, empowering them to cope and recover.
Caring for others requires you to learn how to care for yourself; we will support your learning through instruction in mindfulness, self-awareness and reflection skills.
You will also learn from Professors, Researchers, Lecturers, Registered Psychiatric and other Nurses who work across mental health and associated specialist services in the Dublin and wider East Coast region.
Career & Graduate Study Opportunities
You will have the opportunity to work as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse to consolidate your learning and further develop your knowledge and expertise. You can later specialise and practice as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in a wide array of areas including for example: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Addictions, Recovery, Eating Disorders, Rehabilitation and Psychiatry of Later Life.
What Will I Study
You will study a diverse range of subjects related to understanding yourself and others emotionally, psychologically, physically, spiritually and socially. You will learn how to communicate in a therapeutic way and to support and assist people to self-manage their recovery.*
First Year
Scholarship of Enquiry
Foundations of Mental Health Nursing
Scientiï¬c Principles
Psychology & Communication
Nursing practice experience in mental health services for 11 weeks
Second & Third Year
Health Promotion
Ageing and Health
Pharmacology and Specialist Clinical Placements such as Forensic Psychiatry
Substance Misuse
Dual Diagnosis: Mental Health and Intellectual Disability
Child and adolescent psychiatry
Including a module in General Nursing.
Further clinical placements will also occur each year.
Fourth Year
Leadership and Management
Evidence-based Practice in Healthcare
Clinical Placement/Internship
Preparation for the Professional Role.
Assessment is through a combination of end-of-trimester exams and continuous assessment, including assessment of performance on clinical placements.
International Study Opportunities
In second year, you have the opportunity to study in Europe for a trimester.
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please
September 2025
UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences
BELFIELD,
Dublin,
Republic of Ireland
Students must have completed their secondary level/high school studies or have never studied at university before are eligible to apply bachelor’s degree at UCD. Requirements vary from country to country.
There are minimum entry requirements that all applicants, applying based on school leaving results, must meet.
IELTS - An average score of 6.5 over all components and a minimum of 6.0 in each band on the Academic Version;
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): A minimum score of 90 is required in the Internet based TOEFL (iBT) with no less than 21 in writing and at least 19 in every other section;
English language examinations administered by the University of Cambridge: 176+ on Cambridge English scale (with no less than 169 in each skill and use of English), Acceptable Examinations:
Proficiency Certificate, Grade C (i.e. CEFR Level C1 or C2).
Advanced Certificate, Grade C (i.e. CEFR Level C1 or C2)
First Certificate, Grade A (i.e. CEFR Level C1)
Pearson English Language Text: Minimum of 63 and at least 59 for each item in the Communicative Skills section.
Duolingo English Test (DET) - The minimum requirement will be a DET score of 120 is required with at least 110 in each subscore.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
UCD is the most international and diverse university in Ireland, and is the destination of choice for over 10,400 international students.
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