Undergraduate Science and Health Courses

The Chemical Sciences General Entry programme will provide you with the opportunity to study different types of chemistry, so that you can discover which aspects of chemistry inspire you most before choosing your degree specialism. 

Working in the laboratory plays a vital role in your learning, and because our laboratory facilities are among the most up-to-date, you’ll get the most practical experience possible.

Year One of this course is common with other DCU science courses.

In Year Two, the mainstream chemistry lectures and laboratories are developed in parallel with relevant topics in physics, mathematics, computing and biochemistry.

Year One will provide you with the essential background knowledge of mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology. These are of vital importance in later years. Thought-provoking laboratory work is an integral part of the course in all years of the course.

What will I study?

The BSc in Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence is run by the DCU School of Chemical Sciences in collaboration with the DCU School of Computing.

Students will gain an overarching knowledge of how drugs and materials are discovered, developed and produced, and how AI can be used at every stage. Whether they are assessing which type of material to make or how a material will degrade when it is no longer in use, they can use AI to mine data and yield insights, reducing the time and resources needed for practical investigations.

At the beginning of the course, you will choose the two subjects in which you wish to specialise - Mathematics and Chemistry or Mathematics and Physics - and then continue with your two chosen subjects throughout the four years. You will be qualified to teach both of your two speciality subjects to Higher Leaving Certificate level. 

This course involves three strands:

Year One begins with anatomy and the basic sciences, giving you an understanding of the anatomy of the body and the pathophysiology of injury. You’ll also study the theory and practice that underpin physical conditioning to prevent and rehabilitate injury, and enhance health and performance.

The Sport Science and Health degree will help you develop a detailed understanding of the scientific aspects of sport and physical activity. You’ll also be shown how these are investigated and applied. The objective of the course is to produce well-informed science graduates who think critically and creatively, can apply knowledge and are prepared for employment in a variety of sectors.

This course involves three strands:

DCU's BSc in Psychology 4-year programme is structured to cover introductory to advanced levels of psychology across the five core pillars of undergraduate training: developmental and lifespan psychology; biological psychology and neuropsychology; social psychology; cognitive psychology and the psychology of individual difference. A core focus running throughout the programme is research literacy supported by a combination of practical and online laboratory activities. 

The four-year BSc in Psychology and Mathematics course is structured to cover introductory to advanced levels of Psychology across the five pillars of undergraduate training: development and lifespan psychology; biological psychology and neuropsychology; social psychology; cognitive psychology and the psychology of individual difference; in combination with introductory to advanced levels of Mathematics including calculus, probability, computing, statistics and data analysis.

The first year of the course is taken in common with other science courses, so you will be studying biology, chemistry, physics, biostatistics and computing.

In Year Two, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of genetics, the biochemistry of the cell and microbiology. You’ll also be introduced to pharmacology and instrumentation.

By studying a wide range of scientific and engineering subjects, you’ll gain the necessary skills to succeed in the emerging, technology-driven biotech industry.

At the start of the Biotechnology course, you’ll be introduced to the basic sciences, mathematics and computing. As you progress, you’ll discover more comprehensive areas of biotechnology, ranging from genetics and process engineering to immunology and gene cloning.

This is a four-year full-time degree course. The four years are broken down as follows:

Year One: learning and developing essential background knowledge of mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology that are the basis for a career in environmental science. The first field trip occurs in semester 2.

This programme introduces you to the fascinating world of biological sciences, allowing you to experience a wide array of topics before specialising in either Biotechnology, Genetics & Cell Biology or Bioprocessing in your 2^nd year.

What will I study?

At the start of the BSc in Bioprocessing, you’ll be introduced to the basic sciences, mathematics and data analytics. As you progress, you’ll delve more deeply into the fundamentals of both biology and bioprocessing, putting in place the foundations to be able to integrate these disciplines.

In third year, you’ll begin to focus on real-world bioprocessing problems and have the opportunity to spend nine months in industry as part of our industrial training programme.

Physics General Entry provides you with the opportunity in Year 1 to gain a solid physics foundation and invaluable laboratory exposure, before choosing the degree specialism you want to pursue.

Over the duration of this course, you’ll work with real astronomical data from a variety of telescopes and observatories worldwide. Throughout the degree, there is an emphasis on laboratory and project work (both individually and in groups) and IT skills, which are valuable skills for your future.

The first two years focus on classical and modern physics, combined with various aspects of astronomy, as well as mathematics, electronics and computing.

This degree combines lectures, tutorials and stimulating laboratory work and projects with fundamental physics concepts and exciting, real-life technological skills and applications.

The basic foundations of physics will be laid in Physics General Entry (Year One) and Year Two, while in Years Three and Four, you can choose to study from a range of specialist topics, such as instrumentation, nanotechnology, semiconductor materials, plasma physics, computational physics, elements of data science, and microfluidics.

What will I study? 

You will begin studying a variety of physics topics in Years 1 and 2. This degree combines lectures, tutorials, stimulating laboratory work, and projects combining fundamental physics concepts with exciting, real-life technological skills and applications.

The Common Entry structure allows you to make an informed decision about which stream to specialise in after first studying fundamental courses such as analysis, algebra and probability, together with computing and statistics.

At the end of Year Two, students on this Common Entry programme enter one of two courses—there are a limited number of places in the third year of the BSc in Actuarial Mathematics, with entry based on a student’s performance in Years One and Two.

In the first two years of their degree students cover the fundamental mathematical principles that underpin the financial models studied in later years. Students also study practical and finance-related subjects such as computer programming, economics and accounting. In years three and four students apply sophisticated mathematical techniques to real-world problems in insurance, finance and banking. 

The analysis of financial phenomena relies on a firm mathematical foundation. You will especially need to understand how numerical systems can persistently undergo change and how to handle mathematically the randomness which is in-built in the financial system. In Years One and Two, you will study several branches of mathematics, especially probability, statistics, and advanced calculus. You will also develop your understanding of economics, accounting and computer programming, and be introduced to applications of mathematics in finance. 

You will undertake a range of modules, including those in which you will:

The BSc in Nursing provides you with the pre-registration education you’ll need to qualify with one of the following awards:

• BSc in Nursing (General)
• BSc in Nursing (Children’s and General)
• BSc in Nursing (Intellectual Disability)
• BSc in Nursing (Mental Health)

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

This one-year, full-time course includes 12 weeks of lectures, 36 weeks of clinical experience and four weeks’ holidays. All the lectures are delivered in the School of Nursing and Human Sciences at DCU with a three-week block at the beginning of the programme followed by two-days-per-week block release over a five-week period in semester one and a 12-week period in semester two.

The BSc in Nursing (Mental Health) provides you with the pre-registration education you’ll need to qualify with the following award:

• BSc in Nursing (Mental Health)

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

The BSc in Nursing provides you with the pre-registration education you’ll need to qualify with one of the following awards:

• BSc in Nursing (General)

• BSc in Nursing (Children’s and General)

• BSc in Nursing (Intellectual Disability)

• BSc in Nursing (Mental Health)

The BSc in Nursing provides you with the pre-registration education you’ll need to qualify with one of the following awards:

• BSc in Nursing (General)

• BSc in Nursing (Children’s and General)

• BSc in Nursing (Intellectual Disability)

• BSc in Nursing (Mental Health)

The Certificate consists of three modules delivered on a part-time basis over two semesters. The course involves attendance in two-day blocks every two weeks during semester 1(10 in total) and once a month (6 days in total) in semester 2 and 16 days on-line work through Loop.   

Students study the following topics:

The Certificate programme consists of three ten credit modules which you will take on a part-time basis over 3 semesters (one module per semester). The programme is delivered using a mixture of in class seminars and workshops in DCU and online lectures, learning activities and exercises via DCU online learning platforms.

Each module requires approximately 42 hours of direct engagement with online/classroom activity as well as self-directed study time.