Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No

The MSc in Gerontological Nursing is designed for nurses who are involved in the care of older persons in acute, community or long-term care settings.  This programme is aimed at health professionals who have completed a Graduate Diploma (Level 9) in Gerontological Nursing.

How will I benefit?

Successful participants in this programme will be awarded an MSc in Gerontological Nursing.

You will be taught by academics who have strong links with local and regional health service providers, including major hospitals and community-based health services and clinical staff who are experts in the field of health care and gerontological nursing.

Possessing a broad and deep understanding of the theory and skills required for caring for older adults, you will be well positioned to work in a variety of settings specialising in this area both nationally and internationally. The programme is particularly aimed at preparing nurses to assume senior and specialist roles in gerontological nursing.

Meeting the healthcare and social care needs of older people requires expert assessment and careful planning by a range of disciplinary experts with specialist knowledge of ageing and altered health. If you are a nurse working in an older persons’ care setting, and you are committed to the provision of excellent care, the MSc Gerontological Nursing offers an exciting and innovative way to further your career and enhance your professional development. Building on the Graduate Diploma programme, the MSc Gerontological Nursing deepens students’ knowledge base and promotes critical engagement with the theory and practice of gerontological nursing, to enable flourishing environments for older people. Through the development and presentation of a minor thesis, the student will conduct a review of published evidence, and where it is a requirement of their programme major, will undertake either an evidence synthesis project or an evidence translation initiative within their field of practice. The learning experience gained through the thesis preparation will involve developing skills for retrieving, reviewing, interpreting, validating, synthesizing, and evaluating published evidence, and examining its relevance and application in research and practice. These experiences are intended to facilitate the development of analytical and critical skills and improve the student’s understanding of their chosen practice topic and evidence synthesis or evidence translation methodology. Students undertaking the module will be supported in developing their dissertation through a blended learning approach including online lectures, live online tutorials and seminars as well as through individual or team supervision.

The UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems provides graduate programmes to prepare nurses and midwives to excel as caregivers and as leaders. Many of the School’s graduates have gone on to assume key clinical and leadership positions in their discipline, both nationally and internationally. This programme will provide you with an opportunity to develop, enhance and maintain the specialist skills that are required to care for older persons.

The MSc in Gerontological Nursing aims to provide students with the requisite knowledge and discipline-specific skills for their specialist role in gerontological nursing in a range of care settings. The Programme will build on students’ prior knowledge and experience in either older person’s care services or in tertiary care. The Programme will:

• provide an advanced educational experience which will develop the student’s capacity for independent judgement and problem-solving skills.
• provide an educational framework to support the development of analytical and critical skills for an enquiring and creative approach to the theory and practice of gerontological nursing.
• develop the student’s capacity to respond to changing needs in gerontological nursing.
• develop the student’s capacity to identify and integrate best evidence into gerontological nursing practice.

View All Modules Here

The MSc in Gerontological Nursing will be awarded to students who have completed the requirements of the Graduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing, and who complete the MSc research and dissertation module NMHS43870 Diss: Evidence Synthesis (30 ECTS).

MSc Gerontological Nursing (X916) Part Time
nonEU    fee per year - € 29100
EU          fee per year - € 5280

***Fees are subject to change

The fees for this programme can be found at:

• EU Fees Information
• Non-EU Fees Information

Please note that UCD fees are subject to change annually. The fees shown include the student centre levy which must be paid by all students.

If you are being funded to do your programme, please make sure your organisation gets in contact with student.payments@ucd.ie. 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

If you have any queries about your fees, please contact student.payments@ucd.ie.

Applicants must have completed the Graduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing or equivalent (NQAI Level 9)

Documents Required

• Tanscript(s) including date and grading of degree award (non UCD Graduates only) & notarised English translations where relevant

• A current photocopy of NMBI registration

• Copy of Birth Certificate or Personal Page of Passport

• Professional Reference Form(original form)

• Signed Declaration Form from employer (original form)

• Evidence of proficiency in English language (applicants whose first language is not English)

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.

The following entry routes are available:

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is advised