Key Info

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

NFQ Level 8 major Award Honours Bachelor Degree
CAO points history
510
Course code
LM102
Duration
4 Years
Subject area
Health Sciences
Course Director
Dr Ann-Christin Posten
Email
CD_BScPsychology@ul.ie
Admissions:
Tel
+353 (0)61 233755

If you are the type of person who is interested in investigating the reasons behind why people feel, think and behave the way they do, and in making a difference to people’s lives, then you will find this course engaging and stimulating.

Why Study Psychology at UL?

Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behaviour. Over the past century, Psychologists have examined the fascinating variety of human thought and activity and now a degree in Psychology opens up many opportunities to use this knowledge to address important social issues and improve the quality of people’s lives.

Psychology spans virtually all aspects of human life and allows us seek answers to questions such as:

  • What effects do different drugs have on behaviour?
  • How do children develop a sense of self and relationships with others?
  • What effect does our mood have on our ability to remember information?
  • How can we understand mental disorders and help people cope with their illnesses?
  • When and why do people and animals help others in need?
  • What are the roots of prejudice and discrimination and what can be done to resolve intergroup conflict?

By defining and investigating these and other questions, psychologists aim to provide practical solutions to the many personal and social challenges that people face in their everyday lives. By the end of this course, you will have the knowledge and skills essential for a career in Psychology. This is an accredited course so you will be eligible to register with the Psychological Society of Ireland when you graduate.

Learn more about our courses and upcoming events

Explore
our campus

What you will study

This four-year honours degree in Psychology provides a broad introduction to the discipline, followed by coverage of the core areas of study required for accreditation by the Psychological Society of Ireland, as well as allowing you to specialise in advanced areas in your final year of study. You will cover areas such as social, developmental, biological and cognitive psychology as well as personality and individual differences and research methods and statistics. You will also have an opportunity to undertake study abroad as well as work in an area relevant to psychology during your degree.

Learning how to design and conduct research is a central part of this programme. You will actively engage in laboratory classes and group research exercises throughout the course to develop research methods skills, culminating in your own final year research project. Our aim is to instil in our students a curiosity and appreciation of the many different aspects of the discipline and provide you with the critical thinking and practical research skills to study the world from a psychological perspective.

  Semester 1   Semester 2
PS4021 Psychology: Theory and Method 1 PS4032 Psychology and Social Issues
PS4031 Psychology and Everyday Life PS4042 Psychology: Theory and Method 2
PS4041 Practical Psychology 1 PS4052 Practical Psychology 2
  Electives 
Choose two other non psychology module
  Electives
Choose two other non psychology module
BY4001 Biology 1 BY4002 Biology 2
CU4121 Introduction to new media and cultural studies CU4112 Cultural Studies 2: Language and Culture
HI4071 Doing History: Past, Present and Practice HI4142 Games of Thrones: Gender, Power and Identity, Ireland and the Wider World, 1500-1950
LA4068 Crime and Criminal Justice LA4032 Criminal Procedure
MA4601 Science Mathematics 1 MA4602 Science Mathematics 2
PA4001 Introduction to Public Administration 1 PA4022 Introduction to Public Administration II
PO4018 International Relations PM4002 Organisational Behaviour 1
PO4051 Introduction to Politics and International Relations 1 PO4052 Introduction to Politics and International Relations II
SO4001 Introduction to Sociology SO4032 Introduction to Sociology 2
SP4131 Spanish for Beginners 1 (European Studies) SP4132 Spanish for Beginners 2
SP4141 Spanish Language and Society 1 SP4142 Spanish Language and Society 2
  Semester 3   Semester 4
SO4033 Sociology of Media PS4037 Cognition
PS4035 Biological basis of behaviour PS4012 Human Development and life span
PS4022 Psychology of Personality PS4033 Research Methods
PS4011 Social Psychology PS4047 Social Psychology II
PS4043 Empirical Psychology I PS4034 Empirical Psychology II
  Semester 5   Semester 6
CO4330 Cooperative Education 2 IP4320 Academic Exchange 2
  Semester 7   Semester 8
PS4027 Applied Psychology PS4908 Final Year Project 2 (Psychology)
PS4045 Advanced Research Methods    
PS4907 Final Year Project 1 (Psychology)    
 

Elective - Choose Min 2 Max 2

Electives are subject to change. Semester of delivery is to be determined.

 

Elective - Choose Min 3 Max 3

Electives are subject to change. Semester of delivery is to be determined.

PS4067 Personality 2 PS4067 Personality 2
PS4087 Political Psychology PS4087 Political Psychology
PS4097 Developmental Psychopathology PS4097 Developmental Psychopathology
PS4098 Cognition 2 PS4098 Cognition 2
PS4107 Abnormal and Clinical Psychology PS4107 Abnormal and Clinical Psychology
PS4108 Approaches to Social Identity PS4108 Approaches to Social Identity
PS4138 Health Psychology PS4138 Health Psychology
PS4158 Psychology and Gender PS4158 Psychology and Gender
PS4168 Economic Psychology PS4168 Economic Psychology
PS4188 Educational Neuroscience PS4188 Educational Neuroscience

Entry requirements

CAO points history
510
Minimum grades

Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the established Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with a minimum of six subjects which must include: Two H5 (Higher level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary level) grades or four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English.

Note: Grade F6 in Foundation Mathematics also satisfies the minimum entry requirements. Foundation Maths is not reckonable for scoring purposes.

Additional considerations

Applications are especially welcome from mature students, that is those over the age of 23 on 1 January of the year of entry. Mature applicants must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February.

Application information for mature student applicants

QQI Entry

Certain QQI Awards are acceptable in fulfilling admission requirements for this programme. Go to the UL Admissions QQI page for a full list of modules.

Non-EU Entry Requirements

How to apply

Where are you applying from? How to Apply
Ireland Irish students must apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found here. 
The UK  Students who have completed their A-Levels can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website. 
The EU EU students can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website.
Non-EU country If you are outside of the EU, you can apply for this degree here.

Fees and funding

Student course fees are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Levy and Tuition Fees.

A number of illustrative examples of fees for this course based on the current fee levels have been set out in the tables below.

An explanation of the components, how to determine status and the criteria involved is provided below the examples as is a list of possible scholarships and funding available.

EU Students with Free fees status in receipt of a SUSI grant

HEA pays Tuition Fees €4,262
SUSI pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

EU Students with Free fees status not in receipt of a grant

HEA pays Tuition Fees €4,262
Student pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

Students with EU fee status not in receipt of a grant

Student pays Tuition Fees €4,262
Student pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

Non-EU Students

Student pays Tuition Fees €20,900
Student pays Student Levy €100
€21,000

Student course fees are comprised of the following components:

Student Contribution

Annual charge set by the government for all full-time third level students. All students are liable unless they have been approved for a grant by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please refer to https://www.studentfinance.ie to determine your eligibility for a grant and for instructions on how to apply. The current student contribution is set at €3000.

Student Levy

All students are liable to pay the Student Levy of €100. Please note the Student Levy is not covered by the SUSI Grant.

Tuition Fees

These are based on Residency, Citizenship, Course requirements.

Review the three groups of criteria to determine your fee status as follows

  1. Residency
    • You must have been living in an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course
  2. Citizenship
    • You must be a citizen of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland or have official refugee status
  3. Course Requirements (all must be met)
    • You must be a first time full-time undergraduate (Exceptions are provided for students who hold a Level 6 or Level 7 qualification and are progressing to a Level 8 course in the same general area of study).
    • You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 year’s duration
    • You cannot be undertaking a repeat year of study at the same level unless evidence of exceptional circumstances eg serious illness is provided (in which case this condition may be waived)

Depending on how you meet these criteria your status will be one of the following -

  • Free Fee Status: You satisfy all three categories (1, 2 and 3) and therefore are eligible for the Higher Education Authority’s Free Fees scheme.
  • EU Fee Status: You satisfy the citizenship and/or residency criteria but fail to satisfy the course requirements and are liable to EU fees
  • Non EU Fee Status: You do not meet either the citizenship or residency criteria and are therefore liable to Non EU fees.

More information about fees can be found on the Finance website

These scholarships are available for this course

Title Award Scholarships Available
Johnson and Johnson WiSTEM2D Programme

These scholarships are available for all courses

Your future career

Employability skills from this degree

  • Written and verbal communication, including report writing and presentation
  • Information technology
  • Handling of data/statistics
  • Analytical research
  • Problem-solving
  • Teamwork

Further Study Options

Job titles for graduates with this degree

Graduates progressing directly into employment take up a wide variety of roles. The following provides a sample of initial roles listed on the Graduate Outcomes Survey by graduates approximately one year after graduation:

  • Applied Behaviour Analysis Tutor
  • Cadet Irish Naval Service
  • Customer Service Adviser
  • HR and Payroll Graduate Programme
  • Kindergarten Teacher
  • Musician
  • Personal Assistant
  • Pricing Analyst
  • Receptionist
  • Recruitment Consultant
  • Recruitment Coordinator
  • Research through practice
  • Teacher (International School)

Student Profiles

Image

Elayne Ahern

I was interested in the BSc. Psychology course because of the choice of electives offered to study in the first year. This allows you to explore how psychology can be applied to other disciplines such as sociology, biology, and criminal justice.

Psychology can also be easily applied to our own everyday experiences which make it so interesting to study. What I enjoy most is how I can walk away after a lecture and have a changed outlook on the world, or how people behave, and interact.

I spent my Erasmus study abroad semester at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands. Academically, Erasmus opens so many doors to you to explore your chosen field from all possible angles. I am studying courses like clinical psychology and neuropsychology which look to identify, diagnose, and treat mental disorders such as dyslexia or ADHD. The cultural value of Erasmus is something that you will forever remember- the people, the sights, the travelling - you will never be short of a story to tell (or a place to stay in any continent!)

Going to university is an academic milestone but also a new social experience, and there is much life outside the lecture hall with countless clubs and societies to get involved in. As Ireland’s leading university for international exchange, UL also has an excellent Co-op work placement programme and the highest graduate employment rate in the country.


 

Aoife Moloney

This course is excellent at giving you a good insight into all the different areas of psychology, including working in mental health, examining social issues like racism, conducting research and so much more! It really is fascinating to learn about all the different types of work you can do in psychology, and it’s helpful in trying to decide where you want to go in your career.

Another great feature of the course at UL is that in first year, you have some freedom to choose the subjects you study. Everybody has to do three core psychology modules, but aside from that you can choose from a range of subjects like biology, sociology, language and culture. It’s a really nice way of easing yourself into your studies and getting some insight into what other subjects are like too!

The co-op and Erasmus semesters were a huge selling point for me, as even before I left school I knew I wanted to travel and explore as much as I possibly could. I studied for six months at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, on an Erasmus placement. Copenhagen is such an amazing and beautiful city, and I loved every minute of my time there. As soon as I arrived, I made loads of friends from all over the world. Now I will always have a place to stay if I visit Brazil, France, Germany and even as far as Australia! Cycling is a big thing in Denmark too, and although I hadn’t owned a bike since I was ten, I was soon speeding around like a true Dane! In terms of studying, I was able to choose exactly which subjects I wanted to study, including a module on Danish Culture, which involved weekly trips to castles and museums and even the cinema! Overall, it was an incredible six months and I would recommend it to anyone!

I completed my Co-op placement at the University of Westminster in London, where I worked as a research assistant on a number of different projects. This gave me experience in conducting research and being involved in some large-scale and important research projects. It was such a fantastic experience, and taught me how everything I was learning in UL actually applied to the real world. Aside from all this, the experience of living in London for seven months was amazing in itself. You can learn so much by living in different cities, and UL really is the best university for promoting travel and exploration.

Aoife is currently studying for a Masters in Applied Psychology (Mental Health and Psychological Therapies) at the University of Ulster


 

Image
Image
Caoimhe Moloney

Caoimhe Moloney  

My name is Caoimhe Moloney, a BSc Psychology student. The field of Psychology is incredibly diverse and to facilitate this, the University of Limerick offers a wide range of modules covering topics such as social psychology, developmental psychology, clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and many more. Thanks to the diverse range of modules offered by the University, I've had the opportunity to delve into these different areas and discover what I'm truly passionate about.  

The psychology programme in UL provides a well-rounded educational experience that extends beyond the confines of the lecture halls. As a student, I had the privilege of participating in practical, hands-on learning opportunities, such as the placement programs that are made possible by the University. During my co-operative placement, I was afforded the opportunity to work directly within the University's psychology department, where I gained invaluable insights into the practical applications and research methodologies that are used within the field. It was an incredible learning opportunity to be immersed in an environment where I could observe and learn from professionals who are passionate about their work. 

This experience was further complemented by UL’s practical approach to teaching research methods, providing weekly lab sessions where students can receive one-to-on assistance from knowledgeable lecturers. Through this approach the program provides a comprehensive and engaging introduction to research methods, starting from the basics and gradually building to more advanced topics, allowing me to gain a strong foundation in research methodology and preparing me to carry out my own research project in my final year.   

Overall, my experience of the psychology program has been extremely rewarding, and I believe that the University of Limerick is the perfect place to study this fascinating field. With state-of-the-art facilities, a supportive community, making it the perfect environment for learning and personal growth. Also not forgetting UL's campus is one of the most scenic in Ireland that is both beautiful and picturesque, making it the perfect place for walking with friends and catching some fresh air between classes.