Nursing (Mental Health)
DC216

Nursing (Mental Health)

Course Details

CAO Code:
DC216
Course Type:
Undergraduate
NFQ Level:
8 - Please see www.qqi.ie for further information
Placement:
Yes
Delivery Modes
Full-Time
Minimum Points
330
Duration
Four Years
Phone:
+353 (0) 1
700 5947

Are you interested in mental health? Do you love working with people of all ages and from diverse backgrounds?

Overview

Overview Icon

Are you interested in mental health? Do you love working with people of all ages and from diverse backgrounds? If so, this course could be perfect for you. You’ll gain the knowledge, skills and values to work as a qualified mental health nurse with people of any age. It’s a rewarding and much valued career with fantastic employment opportunities. 

During each semester, you’ll complete a clinical placement, which ensures you’ll meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) requirements. Our health service provider partners offer diverse clinical settings, giving you a broad range of clinical learning opportunities across all the primary mental health specialities. For this course, they are:

  • St Vincent’s Hospital, Fairview. 
  • The National Forensic Mental Health Service
  • Dublin North City Mental Health Services
  • North Dublin Mental Health Services 

A world of opportunity
Once you complete this course, you can register as a psychiatric nurse with the NMBI. That opens doors for you to a wealth of roles in hospital and community settings. Qualified mental health nurses are sought after internationally, so graduates can always work and travel abroad. 

In fact, DCU’s School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health (SNPCH) has gained national and international recognition for its diverse programmes, which are developed by our dynamic staff in collaboration with the public and private sector.

DCU People

Profile picture of Aoife Dent
Aoife Dent
Student

My overall experience within the mental health nursing programme has been amazing.


Read more about Aoife Dent
Profile picture of Nathaniel Corbett
Nathaniel Corbett
Student

I worked closely with nursing staff when I was a healthcare assistant and I came to realise nursing was a career I was very interested in.


Read more about Nathaniel Corbett

Careers & Further Options

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Careers

Upon graduation, your internationally recognised degree will qualify you to work as a Mental Health Nurse both at home and abroad.

You’ll also be eligible for professional registration with Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).

You’ll find work opportunities in the community, schools, general practice, occupational health, and traditional hospitals and care facilities. Career pathways also exist in clinical practice, management, education and research.

  • Education
  • Mental Health Nurse
Education
Mental Health Nurse

DCU graduates are highly sought after by employers. Our Graduates work in environments ranging from large multinationals to SMEs, family businesses and start-ups across every sector.

DCU Careers Service has a number of learning and development initiatives in place for our students, giving them the skills they need for a successful career path.

Go to our Careers site to find out more about career planning, our mentorship programme, skills development and online resources for students when working on CVs and making applications.

Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements Icon

In addition to the general entry requirements for admission to the university the following entry requirements apply

Minimum of O6 or H7 in Mathematics and minimum of O6 or H7 in one of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics with Chemistry or Agricultural Science

In addition to the general entry requirements for admission to the university the following entry requirements apply

GCE A Level D or GCE AS Level D or GCSE C Mathematics and GCE A Level D or GCE AS Level D or GCSE C in one of Physics, Chemistry , Biology, Physics with Chemistry or Agricultural Science

Please visit our Admissions webpage for details on course requirements or how to apply to DCU.

 

Please visit our QQI FET webpage for details on DCU courses, open days, campus tours or school visits.

 

To apply to DCU, please visit www.cao.ie.

 

No entry path

International candidates are expected to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to those outlined above. In addition, where such candidates are non-native speakers of the English language they must satisfy the university of their competency in the English language. For further information on international applications click here.

Course Structure

Course Structure Icon

Year 1 (All Nursing Disciplines)

  • Personal and Professional Development 
  • Core Nursing Skills 
  • Psychology 
  • Sociology of Health and Illness 
  • Caring and Communication in Nursing 
  • Anatomy and Physiology 
  • Clinical Practice Placements

Year 1 Stream Specialisms

  • General Nursing 
  • Understanding Intellectual Disability 
  • Mental Health Nursing 
  • Children’s Nursing

Year 2 (All Nursing Disciplines)

  • Personal and Professional Development  
  • Clinical Pharmacology for Nursing Practice 
  • Altered Bodily Processes 
  • Research and Nursing Practice  
  • Clinical Practice Placements

Mental Health Nursing Year 2

  • Mental Health Nursing 
  • Life Span Developmental Psychology 
  • Physical Health and Illness 

Year 2 Options General and Mental Health Nursing

  • Anthropology, Health and Illness 
  • Humanities and Health 
  • Pain Management 
  • Sexuality and Sexual Health

Year 3 (All Nursing Streams)

  • Ethics in Nursing 
  • Research and Nursing Practice 
  • Clinical Practice Placement

Mental Health Nursing Year 3

  • Mental Health Nursing 
  • Sociology of Mental Health 

Year 3 Options (General, Mental Health and Intellectual Disability Nursing)

  • Palliative Care 
  • Clinical Judgment and Decision Making 
  • Introduction to Critical Care Nursing Working for Inclusion

Year 4 (All Nursing Streams)

  • Nursing Informatics, Management and Leadership 
  • Health Promotion in a Multicultural Context 
  • Research Enquiry 
  • Clinical Practice Placement

Mental Health Nursing Year 4

  • Mental Health Nursing

For more information on the course structure click here

Fees and Funding

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Fees

Student Contribution
€3,043 per annum
EU Status Fee
€7,149 per annum
Non EU Fee
€15,000 per annum

How To Apply

How To Apply Icon

Applicants presenting EU/FETAC Level 5 examinations: Apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1st February or 1st May

Applicants presenting qualifications from outside of the EU can apply directly to DCU by July 1st via our online application portal here.

All candidates are required to apply through CAO. Mature Entry is for those that are 23 years of age or older by 1st January in the year of entry, applicants are also required to sit a test. Candidates are assessed by the Nursing Careers Centre (NCC) of An Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, NMBI). 

Mature entry route is based on applying for a nursing course via www.cao.ie by 1st February or late application date of 1st May. Applicants can also avail of the change of mind facility on CAO up to 1st July. Although it is possible to make a late application to mature nursing, it is not possible to apply late for other mature entry routes. Other mature entry routes should be applied for by 1st February, to ensure they can engage in any mature assessments.

For details please visit: www.nursingcareers.ie or email: careersinformation@NMBI.ie to request a copy of their nursing and careers booklet.

No entry path

Candidates required to apply through the CAO can apply online at www.cao.ie
 

Life On Campus

Life on Campus
DCU Campus Glasnevin

DCU Glasnevin Campus

FAQs

FAQ Icon

What is the ratio of practical experience to lecture-based learning?
Approve 50:50

When and where do I complete my hospital placements?
Each year you will have the opportunity to practise nursing in the clinical setting in your linked healthcare service. These are called ‘practice placements’. During Years 3 and 4 longer periods are spent on these practice placements. In the last six months of the nursing programme, students do an internship (paid) in the healthcare setting.

Is there an erasmus as part of the Nursing course?
Erasmus does not currently form part of our Nursing courses.