Tackling the shortage: New doctorate in educational psychology launching at DCU
Historically, training pathways in Ireland have been limited, leaving university places unable to keep pace with national demand. As part of a major Government initiative expanding Health and Social Care training places, DCU is launching a Doctor of Child and Educational Psychology (DChEdP). Supported by a National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) bursary scheme, the programme delivers essential training capacity to strengthen educational, disability, and community services nationwide.
Professor Joyce Senior, Programme Chair of the new Doctor of Child and Educational Psychology says:
"Existing programme places remain insufficient to meet growing national demand. Under this funded doctoral model, our objective is to ensure trainees graduate fully qualified, practice-ready, and equipped to enter the workforce within a structured three-year timeframe."
Designed in alignment with Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) accreditation standards and statutory regulator CORU competencies, the programme combines rigorous academic scholarship, hands-on practice placements, and applied research. Beyond simply increasing student numbers, the doctorate is designed to address the most pressing issues affecting youth mental health today.
“Both the teaching and research will directly target high-priority operational needs identified by frontline psychology services,” says Professor Senior. “It will align with and address real-world practice and presenting referrals - focussing on critical areas such as childhood adversity, resilience, and trauma-informed systems and practice, neuroaffirmative assessment and interventions, linguistic dynamics and culturally responsive practice, early intervention, cyberpsychology and digital well-being.”
What sets DCU’s doctorate apart is its integration of “cutting-edge” research from the School of Psychology, particularly in emerging fields like cyberpsychology, digital citizenship and well-being, media literacy, and disruptive technologies. Trainees will benefit from state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and research equipment, including access to neuroimaging and eye-tracking technology.
“A neuroaffirmative framework is embedded across all our modules and the overall programme design, directly linking our trainees to the cutting-edge research happening right here at the University,” adds Professor Senior. "By combining high-priority community research with modern specialisms such as digital psychology, the programme aims to develop dynamic, highly skilled practitioners.”
Applications for the first cohort will open shortly. To explore programme details, entry requirements, and application guidelines, visit the official Doctor of Child and Educational Psychology course page.