Candidates must have the following:

An honours primary degree (NFQ Level 8) in a relevant health care discipline*or an equivalent qualification and professional experience to be approved by the Programme Team.

Ideally, candidates should have practical experience in their area of qualifications of at least one year post-registration;

In some exceptional circumstances, candidates, by virtue of their training and experience may, at the discretion of the Programme Team, be deemed suitable for entry to the programme under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Such candidates may be requested to undergo an interview.

* A relevant health care discipline includes but is not limited to medicine, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, speech and hearing science, audiology, physiotherapy, psychology, and social studies.

Garda Vetting
Students or applicants in receipt of an offer, on this programme will be subject to Garda Vetting. Students will be prohibited from engaging in a relevant work placement unless the vetting process has been cleared. Click here to view UCC's Student Garda Vetting Policy.

For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.

International/Non-EU Applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.
• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.
• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.

English Language Requirements
Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.

Closing Date
Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.

Non-EU Closing Date
Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

Please note that part-time study is not open to non-EU candidates.

Start Date 3 September 2026

This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.