Professional Certificate Psychological Impact of Chronic Illness

This course aims to provide the student with a comprehensive theoretical background to facilitate understanding of distress in people with  chronic illness such as cancer and their families.

This is a Spring Trimester module commencing each year in February.

How will I learn?

Using a framework that includes assessment and management, students will explore the challenge of chronic illness including the stress of diagnosis, the consequences of treatment including pain, disfigurement and fatigue, existential issues, difficulties with sexuality and communication. The importance and challenge of survivorship and palliative care as they relate to or impact on the individual and his or her family will be examined. While the main focus of the module will be on the individual with the chronic illness or cancer and his or her family, reference to the impact on the professional care giver will be included. 

Does this programme have an official conferring ceremony?

Please note there is no online or in-person conferring ceremony for this programme. Your parchment will be posted to you by UCD Conferring.

Funding:

If the fees for your programme are being paid by a third party (full or partial), please ensure your funding organisation/sponsor/hospital contacts student.payments@ucd.ie. Please note this is not a student facing email address.

Student Queries:

If you have any queries about your fees, please contact the Student Desk:

www.ucd.ie/askus

https://www.ucd.ie/students/studentdesk/

Application Fee:

Please note that all applicants are required to pay the €60 application fee. Your application cannot be processed fully unless the application fee has been paid.

More information about fees is available on the UCD website at the link below:

General information about UCD Fees

Applicants should hold an honours NFQ LEvel 8 degree (or international equivalent ).

In some cases, where an applicant does not meet the prerequisites for entry to a programme, an RPL application may be considered

Documents required:

• Transcript(s) including date and grading of degree award (non UCD Graduates only) and notarised English translations where relevant
• Copy of Birth Certificate or Personal Page of Passport
• Signed Professional Reference Form

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL may be granted in respect of individual modules if applicants can demonstrate that the modules' learning outcomes have been achieved through prior credentialled or experiential learning. In some cases, where an applicant does not meet the prerequisites for entry to a programme, an RPL application may be considered. Further information can be found in respect of this here.

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No

The programme is aimed at advancing the student’s repertoire of knowledge and skills in Psycho-Oncology and the psychological impact of living with a chronic disease. Applicants are welcome from all healthcare professionals and usually students come from a variety of backgrounds and areas of work. Previous students have come from the disciplines of nursing, psychology, psychotherapy, therapeutic radiography and social work.