Entry Points (2022)
409

Course Overview

This four-year programme, offered in partnership with the Health Service Executive West, leads to the award of Bachelor of Nursing Science (Mental Health Nursing) and eligibility for registration in the Psychiatric Division of the Nurses’ Register, maintained by Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), the nursing profession’s regulatory body.

The BSc. (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing will provide students with knowledge, skills, attitude, and professional behaviours necessary to provide high quality care and competent nursing practice in an ever-changing health care environment.

Mental Health Nursing aims to assist in the recovery of people experiencing mental health issues and to promote mental health and wellbeing. At the heart of mental health nursing is the development of therapeutic relationships, engaging with service users, their carers and their families.

 

Applications and Selections

Who Teaches this Course

Dr. Andrew Hunter MSc, RMN, Dip CBT, PhD
Senior Lecturer and Head of Discipline
 

http://www.universityofgalway.ie/our-research/people/nursing-and-midwifery/andrewhunter/

Dr. Louise Murphy BSc (Hons), PhD, PG Dip, RPN, RNT
Lecturer and Programme Director

https://www.universityofgalway.ie/medicine-nursing-and-health-sciences/staff-profiles/louiselmurphy/

Dr. Siobhan Smyth RPN, DipCPN, RNT, PG.Dip CHSE, BNS, MSc, PhD
Lecturer

https://www.universityofgalway.ie/our-research/people/nursing-and-midwifery/siobhansmyth/

Dr. Fionnuala Jordan RPN, PG H Dip Clinical Education, PhD
Lecturer

https://www.universityofgalway.ie/our-research/people/nursing-and-midwifery/fionnualajordan/

Ms. Tracey McDonagh BSc (Hons), PG Cert,  PhD Candidate, RPN
Lecturer

Requirements and Assessment

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving
Certificate, including Irish, English, Mathematics, a laboratory science subject (i.e., Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry (joint) or Agricultural Science), and any two other subjects recognised for entry purposes.


Additional Requirements

All successful applicants who are offered places on the degree programme will be required to have medical screening and Garda vetting; this will include medical assessment, screening, and, if necessary, vaccination prior to the first clinical placement, in accordance with the policies of NUI Galway and the HSE West/ Northwest Hospitals Group.
Duration

4 years

Next start date

September 2023

A Level Grades (2022)

universityofgalway.ie/alevels

Average intake

30

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

2 (More Info)

Closing Date
NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

GY516

Course code

Course Outline

Year 1 

  • NU1111 Foundations of Mental Health Nursing
  • NU1112 Research and Evidence for Practice 1
  • NU1116 Introduction in Mental Health Nursing
  • NU1118 Mental Health Nursing 1
  • NU1114 Communications & interpersonal skills           
  • NU1107 Health and Applied Biosciences
  • NU1119 Clinical practice 1 & 2
  • NU138/NU1106 Practice assessment

Year 2

  • NU2202 Research and Evidence for Practice  2
  • NU2200 Health and Applied Biosciences II
  • NU2204 Applied Psychology of Nursing and Midwifery
  • NU2205 Sociology of Health and Healthcare
  • NU2214 Mental Health Nursing 2
  • NU2215 Mental Health  Nursing 3
  • NU2217 Mental Health Nursing 4
  • NU2307 Clinical Practice 3 & 4
  • NU225 Practice Assessment

 

Year 3

  • NU3014 Law and Ethics 
  • NU3015 Medicines and Clinical Practice 
  • NU314 Elective 
  • NU3108 Mental Health Nursing 5 
  • NU3109 Mental Health Promotion and Recovery 
  • NU3110 Mental Health Nursing 6 
  • NU3112 Clinical Practice 5 & 6 
  • NU337 & NU348 Practice Assessment I and II 
  • NU3111 Mental Health Nursing 7 

 

Year 4

  • NU4106 Leading and Developing Practice 
     
  • NU4108 Transition to Practice 
  • NU4101 Research Project
  • NU4107 Clinical Practice 7
  • NU486, NU487, NU488, NU489 Clinical Internship Assessments 1, 2, 3 & 4
  • NU470 Practice Assessment
  • Clinical internship which runs over 36 weeks - Semester II
 
 



Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject
Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject
A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.

Further Education

There are a variety of continuing professional development opportunities available to graduates of this programme, in particular postgraduate programmes within the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Mental Health Nursing degree programme will be in a position to work in a variety of settings, including:
 
  • In-patient mental health services
  • Community mental health services
  • Child and adolescent mental health services
  • Forensic mental health services
  • Voluntary organisations
  • Recovery and rehabilitation services
  • Services for the older person
  • Substance misuse and addiction treatment services
  • Primary mental health care

Work Placement

Clinical practice modules require students to complete clinical placements within the Health Service Executive West region. While on clinical placements, students will be supervised by an appropriately trained nurse. In accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland regulations, the total requirements of the programme are 144 weeks of clinical placement. Students undertake a 36-week clinical internship in semester two of year four. During the clinical internship period, students are paid a salary.




Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Students undertake a 36-week clinical internship in semester two of year four. Clinical practice modules require students to complete clinical placements within the Health Service Executive West region. While on clinical placements, students will be supervised by an appropriately trained nurse. In accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland regulations, the total requirements of the programme are 144 weeks clinical placement. During the clinical internship period, students are paid a salary.

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€7,246 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Tuition

€4,106 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Student Contribution

€3,000 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2023/24

Fees: Non EU

€24,640 p.a. 2023/24

 

*EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Contribution Charge + Student Levy

Student Levy: €140 - payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI. Further detail here https://su.nuigalway.ie/

Find out More

The School of Nursing and Midwifery
T 353 (0)91 493 432
F 353 (0)91 494 537
E nursing.midwifery@universityofgalway.ie
www.universityofgalway.ie/nursingmidwifery


What Our Students Say

Martyna

Martyna Zdzieblowska |   Mental Health Nursing

Choosing a university was an important milestone, and I am glad I chose University of Galway for my university journey. The Mental Health Nursing programme offers a diverse range of clinical placements which provide a vast insight into what you can do with your nursing degree. Moreover, the state of the art building enables students to learn and practice their nursing skills in a clinical environment which is further supplemented by a great selection of books in the university library and the new computer suite. University of Galway has a great location right in the centre of the Galway, which offers great opportunity to have fun and explore the local area. The campus also offers several clubs and societies that allow you to meet with like-minded people and share interests which is an important part of the university experience.

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Downloads

  • Undergraduate Prospectus 2023

    Undergraduate Prospectus 2023 PDF (8.4MB)

  • Quick Guide to Courses 2023

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  • A Level Quick Guide 2023

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  • CAO Brochure

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  • Postgraduate Prospectus 2023

    Postgraduate Prospectus 2023 PDF (20.6MB)

  • QQI / FETAC Pathways Guide

    QQI / FETAC Pathways Guide PDF (45MB)