Home ▻ Courses▻Postgraduate Taught Courses▻College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies▻Clinical Psychology [DPsychSc (Clinical)]

Clinical Psychology [DPsychSc (Clinical)]

Doctor of Psychological Science (Clinical Psychology)

Expand all

Course Overview

Watch course video presentation here.

The Doctor of Psychological Science in Clinical Psychology is a taught programme that provides professional training in clinical psychology. The programme is provided in partnership with clinical psychology services in the Health Services Executive and other agencies. The programme’s objective is to produce competent and capable clinical psychologists for the health service by providing high quality training in the clinical, academic and research elements of clinical psychology.

Scholarships available
Find out about our Postgraduate Scholarships here. 

Applications and Selections

Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System. 

Who Teaches this Course

Requirements and Assessment

Assessment is through coursework and the evaluation of clinical competence on placements. The coursework involves three essays, four Reports of Clinical Activity, Small Service-Related Research Projects, one Systematic Review, and one Large Scale Research Project/Thesis. Trainees must also complete and pass four supervised clinical placements. The thesis will be examined orally by external and internal examiners.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Candidates must hold a degree or PDip in psychology recognised by the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) as granting eligibility for graduate membership of PSI. The qualification must be at least upper Second Class Honours level (barring exceptional circumstances). Qualifications deemed equivalent by the College of Arts may also be accepted.

At least one year of practical and/or research experience relevant to clinical psychology is generally required. Successful applicants are expected to have a means of transport to enable them to participate in all elements of the programme, including undertaking supervised clinical placements in health settings.

Additional Requirements

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Duration

3 years, full-time

Next start date

September 2025

A Level Grades ()

Average intake

12

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date
To be advised
NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

Course code

DRPS-CP

Course Outline

This programme provides trainees with a thorough and integrated training in academic, practical and research aspects of clinical psychology through teaching blocks, supervised clinical placements and supervised clinically relevant research projects.

Clinical competence is developed in supervised placements in child and adolescent, adult, disability, and elective settings over the programme’s three years. The placements provide trainees with experience of clinical psychology practice under the supervision of experienced clinical psychologists. Trainees have placements in mental health settings, working with both child and adult clients, and in services for people with learning disabilities. Other placements include services for elderly people, rehabilitation services, services for people with acquired brain injury, services for people with addictions, and appropriate settings in general hospitals. The development of personal awareness and interpersonal sensitivity is fostered.

The DPsychSc (Clinical) Programme is accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland as a postgraduate professional training course in clinical psychology.

The programme provides basic professional training in many areas of work, including adult clinical psychology, child and adolescent clinical psychology and intellectual disabilities.

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject
Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject
A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.

Year 1 (90 Credits)

RequiredPS6143: Theoretical Issues 1 - 10 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredPS6142: Research Methods 1 - 10 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredPS6141: Clinical Practice 2 - 30 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredPS6140: Clinical Practice 1 - 30 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredPS6139: Report of Clinical Activity 1 - 10 Credits - Semester 1

Year 2 (90 Credits)

RequiredPS6148: Research Methods II - 10 Credits - Semester 3
RequiredPS6147: Theoretical Issues 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 3
RequiredPS6146: Clinical Practice 4 - 30 Credits - Semester 3
RequiredPS6145: Clinical Practice 3 - 30 Credits - Semester 3
RequiredPS6144: Report of Clinical Activity 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 3

Year 3 (90 Credits)

RequiredPS6153: Theoretical Issues 3 - 5 Credits - Semester 5
RequiredPS6152: Clinical Practice 6 - 10 Credits - Semester 5
RequiredPS6150: Report of Clinical Activity 4 - 5 Credits - Semester 5
RequiredPS6151: Clinical Practice 5 - 10 Credits - Semester 5
RequiredPS6149: Report of Clinical Activity 3 - 5 Credits - Semester 5
RequiredPS6125: Research Methods III and Thesis - 55 Credits - Semester 5

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities exist for professionally qualified clinical psychologists in a variety of health, forensic and social care settings. Opportunities may also be found in educational services and institutions. Most DPsychSc (Clinical) graduates take up employment in the HSE but a small number are also employed within agencies such as the Brothers of Charity Services and the Irish Prison Service.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€13,001 p.a. (including levy) 2025/26

Fees: Tuition

€12,861 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Non EU

€

 

Student Levy: €140—payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI. Further detail here https://su.universityofgalway.ie/

If you are being part-funded for this programme please scan confirmation letter of funding to fees@universityofgalway.ie

Sign up to receive updates

Opt in

Downloads