On completion of the BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing, you can apply to register as a Psychiatric Nurse to An Bord Altranais, the profession’s regulatory body.

The course will provide you with excellent opportunities to develop knowledge and skills relevant to professional Psychiatric Nursing practice, including independent and critical thinking, and problem solving. It will enable you to deliver nursing care that is up-to-date and based on the best current evidence.

This four-year full-time degree course is offered in partnership with the Health Service Executive (South) (HSE).

With a BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing, you will be ready to start work as a qualified psychiatric nurse in a variety of clinical settings immediately after graduation. 

The broad aim of the course is to promote your personal, intellectual and professional development to meet the role dimensions of a qualified practitioner of Mental Health Nursing. 

Each year, you will study modules in both theory and clinical practice. Clinical practice modules require you to be in supervised clinical practice in hospital, community and other healthcare settings for 35 hours per week for a number of weeks each year.

Theory modules include both nursing, and biological and social science modules, some of which are core (shared with students from other nursing/midwifery branches), while others are discipline-specific (taken by Mental Health Nursing students only).

In Year 4, you may also take some elective modules.

Year 1 Modules:

NU1026  Academic Writing, Information Technology and Evidence Based Nursing Practice (5 credits);

NU1032 Fundamental Knowledge and Skills for Nursing Practice (10 credits);

NU1040  Infection Prevention and Control for Nursing and Midwifery Practice (5 credits);

SC1015  Sociological and Cultural Foundations of Health Care and their Application to Nursing (5 credits);

NU1042  Developing Hope-Inspiring Relationships and Psychology for Health Care (10 credits);

NU1043  Recovery - Theory, Concept and Principles (10 credits);

NU1045  Creative Therapies and Self Awareness Skills for Mental Health Nursing (5 credits);

NU1044  Developing Skilled Menatl Health Nursing Practice (10 credits)

Year 2 Modules:

Pharmacology and Medication Management for Nurses and Midwives;  Research for Evidence Based Nursing and Midwifery Care;  Recovery - Working with People through Crisis; Therapeutic Relationships - Communication and Self-Swareness;  General Health Care for Adults with Menatal Health Problems - Applied Nutrition, Anatomy and Physiology;  Social Justice and Mental Health:  Combating Discrimination, Labelling and Stigma;  Skilled Menatl Helath Nursing Practice

Year 3 Modules:

Health Promotion and Primary Health Care in a Mental Health Context;  Mental Health Nursing: Politics, Policy and Practice;  Developing Hope-Inspiring Relationships when working therapeutically with Individuals in Groups;  Recovery - Working with Children and Young People with Mental Health Problems;  Recovery - Working with the Older Adult with Mental Health Problems;  Skilled Mental Health Nursing Practice 

Year 4 Modules:

Research for Evidence Based Nursing and Midwifery Care;  Recovery - Working with Vulnerable Populations;  Leadership and Therapeutic Team Working Skills in a Mental Health Setting; The Profession and Discipline of Psychiatric Nursing;  Elective module:   Skilled Mental Health Nursing Practice

In Year 4, you will take a number of theory modules at UCC in semester one (before Christmas). In semester two (after Christmas), you will undertake a 36-week paid internship with your parent HSP. 

See the College Calendar for more detailed information on the Programme and the Book of Modules for a more detailed description of programme modules.

Leaving Certificate entry requirements: 

H5 in two subjects, and O6/H7 in four other subjects in the Leaving Certificate from Irish, English, Mathematics, one Laboratory Science subject (i.e Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry (joint) or Agricultural Science) and two other subjects recognised for entry purposes.  

Mature students: Applicants should apply directly through the CAO (www.cao.ie) and are not required to meet any minimum entry requirements. Mature Applicants must also register and apply for the Assessment Test through the Public Appointments Service (PAS) website. This is required as PAS undertakes the written assessment on behalf of the Nursing Careers Centre (NCC). Approximately seven places are available for mature students.

International Students should visit the International Education website.

FETAC Requirements.

Garda Clearance

All students on this programme will come into contact with the public and assume positions of trust through educational and training opportunities. To ensure the protection of the public, and to justify public trust and confidence, UCC is committed to ensuring that only suitable candidates are allowed to undertake this programme.

Garda vetting is carried out by the Admissions Office in UCC once a student has accepted their place on the programme. It involves a police check to establish whether the individual being vetted has had criminal convictions in the past or whether any criminal proceedings are pending. The Garda Siochána provide this information for students who have resided in Ireland for a period of six months or more (including permanent residence).

All students who have resided outside Ireland for a period of six months or more must furnish a Police Clearance Certificate from their country or countries or residence. This certificate should state that the student has had no convictions recorded against them while residing there.

Fitness to Practise
Commencing with the 2013/2014 intake, this programme will be subject to UCC's Fitness to Practise Policy — full details may be found here.

EU Applicants: Application to Year 1 of the degree programme is made directly through the Central Applications Office (CAO). Applicants should apply online at www.cao.ie. The normal closing date for receipt of completed applications is 1st February of the year of entry.

Non-EU Applicants

Mature Applicants:  Application is made through the CAO (www.cao.ie) and the closing date for receipt of completed applications is 1st February of the year of proposed entry.

Theory modules: These comprise lectures, seminars, workshops, clinical skills training, experiential learning sessions, field visits, and protected study time. These modules are taken at the university during blocks of study weeks throughout each year of the course.

Clinical practice modules: These require you to be in supervised clinical practice in hospital, community and other healthcare settings for 35 hours per week for a number of weeks each year. In semester two (after Christmas) of Year 4, you will undertake a 36-week paid internship with your parent HSP. 

Garda Vetting and Infectious Diseases Policy

Fitness to Practise
Commencing with the 2013/2014 intake, this programme will be subject to UCC's Fitness to Practise Policy – full details may be found here.

Written exams will take place before Christmas and in May.  Not all modules will have formal examinations.  Many modules use other types of assessment including essays, projects, seminar presentations, assessment of clinical skills and learning, in-class tests, self- and peer-assessment. Students are assessed by expert clinical nurses while on their clinical placements.

The majority of lecturers and instructors have a professional background in Mental Health Nursing. Biological and social science lectures are taught by experts in those areas, some of whom are also qualified nurses/midwives.