Dementia

Course Overview

This course is developed in partnership with national key stakeholders to meet the demands and challenges within the healthcare system and specifically within dementia care. The programme is firmly grounded in a body of knowledge and clinical expertise that aims to promote excellence in the area of dementia care practice. It is also designed to provide academically robust education for the students and the various modules offered develop and complement subjects undertaken at degree or ‘equivalent’ level.



Is This Course For Me?

This programme in Dementia is open to a wide range of professionals who have experience in delivering a dementia care approach within practice in the last two years. Interdisciplinary input to the design, development and delivery of this programme stems from a variety of dementia experts. Students on this programme will come from a variety of backgrounds including nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, social work, physiotherapy, chaplaincy and other disciplines.



Course Structure

Year One usually starts with a full week of studying in September and continues thereafter generally one to two days per week for the remainder of the academic year.

Course Content

P.Grad.Cert. students take three specialist modules online: Ways of Understanding Dementia and Dementia Care; Critical Issues in Assessment and Care Planning; and Enhancing the Experience of Living with Dementia.



Upon successful completion of the Certificate modules, students may opt to progress to the Postgraduate Diploma and take a further two modules: Fundamentals of Palliative and End of Life Care; Theory and Practice of Enquiry Methods for Health Care. They will also need to choose one of two optional modules: Ethics and Law in Health and Social Care; and a Clinical Practice Module.



M.Sc. candidates may apply to study on a full-time basis and take all modules in one year. Should the candidate choose the Clinical Practice module, however, the Masters course must be taken part-time over two years. Masters students are also required to complete a dissertation.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are expected to have:



- Current registration on the appropriate division of Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland live register.



- A minimum of one year’s professional experience in supporting persons with dementia in the past two years.



- Experience working in an area where dementia care is delivered.



- An Honours undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline such as social, health or pastoral care.



Candidates with relevant and significant experience as practitioners in the field of dementia care may be considered with a lower class degree or equivalent.



Students will be required to undergo Garda Vetting, you can learn more at: www.tcd.ie/students/orientation/postgraduates/garda-vetting.php



English Language Requirements

All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements. For more details of qualifications that meet Band B, see the English Language Requirements page.

Closing Date 30th June 2025

M.Sc.: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time / P.Grad.Cert./P.Grad.Dip.: 1 year part-time

Next Intake: September 2025

Career Opportunities

This course prepares graduates from the nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, social work, physiotherapy, chaplaincy sector to specialise in the field of dementia with dementia-specific knowledge, skills and values to promote excellence in the area of dementia care practice.