Do you have good communication skills and have an analytical, problem-solving mind? Are you caring, empathetic and a team player? If so, the BSc. in General Nursing in UCD is the ideal career choice for you. Our innovative degree course is taught by experienced lecturers in a friendly and supportive environment with state-of-the art facilities. It prepares you to become a Registered General Nurse who can work collaboratively to successfully manage the complex healthcare needs of the adult population.
I am an
Study Abroad
This course is available through the following application route(s)
Do you have good communication skills and have an analytical, problem-solving mind? Are you caring, empathetic and a team player? If so, the BSc. in General Nursing in UCD is the ideal career choice for you. Our innovative degree course is taught by experienced lecturers in a friendly and supportive environment with state-of-the art facilities. It prepares you to become a Registered General Nurse who can work collaboratively to successfully manage the complex healthcare needs of the adult population.
About This Course
You will study the theory and practice of nursing in a fully integrated way, establishing a strong foundation for your future career. Your lectures, workshops, clinical skills laboratories, and tutorials are delivered on our Belfield campus. Practice placements will enhance your learning and consolidate your knowledge and develop your nursing skills. Modules include:
First Year
Academic Writing and Reading in Nursing and Midwifery • Foundations of Nursing • Scientific Principles for Health Care • Psychology and Communication • Practice placement in a hospital setting for approximately 11 weeks
Second & Third Year
Medical-Surgical Nursing Care • Pharmacology • Aging & Health • Ethical & Legal Context for Practice • Patient Safety and Microbiology • Population Health, Diversity & Research • Core and Specialist Practice Placement such as Intensive Care and Maternity Care
Fourth Year
Preparing for Internship • Health, Psychology & Sociology • Leadership & Management • Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare • Nursing Complex Needs • Practice Placement and Clinical Internship which runs over 36 weeks
Assessment is through a combination of end-of-trimester exams and continuous assessment, including assessment of performance on practice placements.
Professional Clinical Experience
Professional Clinical Experience Practice Placements, which form a significant part of the course are completed primarily in the St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group or the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, and in numerous other clinical sites. The practice placement locations are centres of excellence, where you will work with multidisciplinary teams to provide high quality, patient-centred care. Students can be placed in any site on one or multiple occasions during their programme to enable them to achieve the necessary clinical learning outcomes.
In second year, you have the opportunity to study in Europe for a trimester. See www.ucd.ie/nmhs/courses/international/ erasmusexchange.
A degree in nursing is a passport to a rewarding and challenging career. Opportunities within Ireland are excellent with a wide variety of health service providers offering positions for registered nurses.
There are also numerous opportunities for specialisation in any one of a large number of fields of nursing and healthcare.
The nurse in the modern health services has excellent career prospects and has a wide range of opportunities for career advancement beyond initial registration. A graduate of nursing or midwifery from UCD has the ability to travel throughout Europe, the Middle East, the USA, Canada, Australia and beyond.
UCD Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems Programme Office
Health Sciences Centre
Belfield,
Dublin 4
Tel: +353 1 716 6407
Email: nursing@ucd.ie
Web: www.ucd.ie/nmhs
Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.
Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.
| Trimester | Credits | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10360 | Academic Writing & Reading in Nursing and Midwifery | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10480 | Sci Principles Healthcare 1 | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10490 | Intro Psychology&Communication | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10520 | Nursing Fundamentals | Autumn | 10 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10440 | Nursing Concepts and Values | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10450 | Clinical Practice 1 (G) | Spring | 15 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10460 | Sci Principles Healthcare 2 | Spring | 5 |
Stage 1 Core Modules |
NMHS10470 | Foundations of General Nursing | Spring | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
NMHS20740 | Patient Safety & Microbiology | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
NMHS20750 | Altered Resp & Cardio Function | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
NMHS20760 | Neuro & musculoskeletal nurse | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
NMHS20830 | Health Prom Research Spec Set | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
PHAR20030 | Pharmacology | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 2 Core Modules |
NMHS20680 | Clinical Practice 2 (G) | Spring | 30 |
Stage 2 Options - A) Min 0 of: You must register to one (1) elective module in the AUT trimester which can be selected from either one of the non-mandatory elective modules offered in the school or an elective module elsewhere in the university. Please do not select elective modules in the SPR trimester as you will be on clinical practice |
NMHS10100 | Health across the Lifespan | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS33240 | Ageing and Health | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS33440 | Clinical Practice 3 (G) | Autumn | 25 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS32290 | Ethical&Legal Context Prof Pra | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS33290 | General Nursing 4 | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS33460 | Population-Inclusion Health and Research | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
NMHS33500 | General Nursing 3 | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 0 of: You must register to two (2) elective modules in the SPR trimester which can be selected from either the non-mandatory elective modules offered in the school or elective modules elsewhere in the university. Please do not select elective modules in the AUT trimester as you will be on clinical practice |
NMHS32340 | Maternal and Foetal wellbeing | Autumn and Spring (separate) | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 0 of: You must register to two (2) elective modules in the SPR trimester which can be selected from either the non-mandatory elective modules offered in the school or elective modules elsewhere in the university. Please do not select elective modules in the AUT trimester as you will be on clinical practice |
NMHS32480 | Introduct to Health Systems | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS30290 | Leadership & Management | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33640 | Preparing for Internship (G) | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33670 | Health Psychology & Sociology | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33680 | Nursing complex needs | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33690 | Evidence Based Practice HCare | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33700 | Prac Plac Supernumerary 4 (G) | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS30300 | Practice Placement 4A Internship (G) | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS30310 | Practice Placement 4B Internship (G) | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33650 | Prac Plac 4C Internship (G) | Summer | 10 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
NMHS33660 | Prac Plac 4D Internship (G) | Summer | 10 |
I always knew I wanted to do a course that is challenging, is varied in its routine and makes a daily difference in people’s lives. The placements we have starting in first year are one of the highlights of this programme because they are a fantastic experience with numerous learning opportunities! UCD prepares its future nurses to meet very high standards for the future of our healthcare while also ensuring that we have a wonderful time while doing so.
Sherwin Wilson, Student
Please note: Applicants who have previously failed to meet programme requirements in any Nursing or Midwifery programme or have any issues which would affect their registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland will not normally be eligible
Other: Health Screening & Garda (Police) Vetting: Entry Information
How to Apply
General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Nursing (General):
| ROWCLASS | Apply to | Application Type | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| showAudience-audienceInt | NSS1 Nursing (General) |
Full-TimeCommencing 2025/2026 September Commencing 2025/2026 September |
N/A | Not available to International (non‑EU) applicants |
| showAudience-audienceEU | DN450 Nursing (General) Bachelor of Science |
Full-Time Commencing September 2025 |
Application through CAO | Apply via CAO |
* you can change options at the top of the page