Nursing - Gerontological Nursing

Course Outline

The Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Gerontological Nursing, offered by the School of Nursing and Midwifery at University College Cork, is a pathway of the MSc/Postgraduate Nursing Diploma.



Our Gerontological Nursing programme advances the development of expert gerontological nursing in order to meet the complex needs of older people in a variety of care settings.



Our philosophy underpinning this course values the concept of positive ageing and the unique individual characteristics of the older person. The course seeks to validate this through the development of expert gerontological nursing to meet the complex needs of older people in a variety of care settings.



Additional Teaching Mode Information

Some of this programme is taught online. All students will be initially registered for the postgraduate Diploma in Nursing full-time. If a student wishes to progress to the Masters they will be registered for the 2nd year on a part-time basis.

Programme Pathways

There are 7 clinical pathways to the degree of Masters in Nursing, all of which have an exit route available for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing. Gerontological Nursing is Pathway 3 and comprises theory modules and clinical practice modules as follows:



Gerontological Nursing (Pathway 3)

Year 1 (60 credits)

Core Theory modules (blended learning)

NU6005 Evidence-Based Practice for Healthcare Professionals (10 credits)

NU6053 Professional, Ethical, and Legal Decision-making in Specialist Practice (5 credits)

NU6070 Clinical Leadership in Practice Enhancement for Nursing and Midwifery (10 credits)

NU6078 Ageing and Older People: Comprehensive Assessment and Management (10 credits)

NU6079 Promoting Positive Ageing and Planning for End of Life (5 credits)

NU6117 Contemporary Approaches to Dementia, Stroke, and Mental health in Later Life (10 credits)



Clinical Practice/Practicum modules

NU6130 Clinical Practice in Specialist Nursing 1 (5 credits)

NU6131 Clinical Practice in Specialist Nursing 2 (5 credits)



If you successfully complete 60 credits in Year 1 you can register for the Masters programme in Year 2 (30 credits).



Note: Students who have successfully completed 30 credits from the Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing (Gerontological Nursing) and transfer into the MSc/Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Programme must take theory modules to the value of 25 credits from above (NU6070, NU6079, NU6117) and one Clinical Practice/Practicum module to the value of 5 credits (NU6131).

Requirements

There are 7 clinical pathways to the degree of Masters in Nursing, all of which have an exit route available for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing. The pathways to the degree of Masters including the Postgraduate Diploma exit route are all available to view in the College Calendar.



Entry Requirements: Pathway 3 - Gerontological Nursing

Applicants for this MSc in Nursing, including the Postgraduate Diploma exit route, should normally:

1. Hold active registration on a division of the professional register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland or be eligible for such registration as required for individual pathways. For the Gerontological Nursing pathway, applicants must be Registered General Nurses Or Registered Intellectual Disability Nurses Or Registered Psychiatric Nurses;

2. Have clinical practice experience (and support structures, if applicable) as required for individual pathways. For the Gerontological Nursing pathway, applicants must have a minimum of six months of post-registration experience (excluding courses) and at least six months experience in the speciality pathway applied for;

3. Applicants must provide written evidence of support from their Director of Nursing/equivalent authorised Nurse Manager stating:



(a) The applicant will be working within Irish healthcare in the relevant specialist area for the duration of the programme for a minimum of 18.75 hours a week

(b) They will be released from practice to attend the programme requirements

(c) A Clinical Preceptor and/or Clinical Facilitator can support learning in the specialist area of practice for the duration of the programme.



Note: In exceptional circumstances, applicants who do not fulfill the entry requirements may be recommended for entry to the programme under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) following a review of their individual qualifications and experience by the programme committee. Such applicants may be invited for interview to satisfy the selection committee of their suitability for the programme. Admission of such applicants will be subject to the approval of the School of Nursing and Midwifery.



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

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. 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.

A range of assessments are used throughout the programme including written assignments, online activities (E.activities) and a Competency book is completed for the practice modules.

2 years, full-time

PG Diploma (Year 1)

Masters (Year 2)

Start Date: 1 September 2025

Skills and Careers Information

This course will provide registered general nurses, registered intellectual disability nurses, and registered psychiatric nurses, the knowledge and skills to work as a member of an older-adult team in a variety of gerontological settings – enabling them to meet the complex needs of older people.