Health Sciences - Waterford
Healthcare is a broad field with diverse areas of work where health science graduates can make a difference to people’s lives. There are many career options across a wide range of health related industries, ranging from direct individualised care to people across the lifespan from infancy to old age and persons with special needs, or through telehealth and telecare careers, to health care management roles or research.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | South East Technological University |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | South East Technological University | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 years, full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
2 subjects: H5
4 subjects: O6/H7
English or Irish: O6/H7
Mathematics: O6/H7
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
Entry requirements for Honours Bachelor Degrees (Level 8)
This link module can be used in place of a sixth Leaving Certificate subject and will be accepted as meeting the six subject eligibility requirements for entry to honours degree courses.
Entry requirements for Ordinary Bachelor Degree (Level 7) and Higher Certificate (Level 6)
The LCVP link module can also be used in place of a fifth Leaving Certificate subject and will be accepted as meeting the five subject eligibility requirements for entry to ordinary bachelor degree and higher certificate courses
GRADE POINTS
Distinction 66
Merit 46
Pass 28
Leaving Certificate Applied Programme LCAP
The Leaving Certificate Applied Programme was designed primarily to prepare students for the transition from school to working life. It is not intended for direct tansfer into third level. However, students with the LCAP who have completed a QQI FET/FETAC award can be considered for entry.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Students who have completed a full QQI-FET award at Level 5, and achieved at least three distinctions, are eligible to apply through CAO for entry to Year 1 on to Level 6, 7 and 8 courses. Students who have completed a full QQI-FET award at Level 6 may be eligible to enter Year 2.
The maximum possible points awarded through QQI-FET is 390. The scoring system only applies where all of the requirements for the major award are met i.e. where the named component awards specified have been achieved to a minimum of 120 credits.
Progression Scheme
The Progression Scheme is an additional opportunity for students who successfully complete a QQI FET Award in a partner Colleges of Further Education and Training College/Centre to gain entry to SETU programmes. The list of partner Further Education and Training Colleges/Centres, relevant SETU programmes, linked QQI FET Awards and the criteria for the scheme are available at www.setu.ie/progression.
Careers / Further progression
Career opportunities
Career opportunities will be subject to your choice of specialist exit pathways. Health Sciences (Common Entry) is the gateway for the two Level 8 BSc (Honours) degrees in SETU, an Applied Health Care degree or a Public Health and Health Promotion degree. At the end of first year you will be asked to select one of the courses to study in order to obtain your final award.
Career opportunities - Public Health & Health Promotion Stream
• Health Promotion Officer in the Health Service Executive
• Health Promotion professional in hospitals
• State companies and private companies
• Charities
• Youth services
• Mental health services
• Health research
Career opportunities - Applied Health Care Stream
Graduates may gain employment in the following areas:
Technical Healthcare Roles
Phlebotomy
Managing and co-ordinating General Practices
Delivery of health care in the emerging telehealth industry
Health ressearch
Applied health care provision in a variety of healthcare settings.
Healthcare Education
Postgraduate Study
Further information
September 2026
Mature Student Applications
A mature student is someone who is at least 23 years of age on 1 January of the year of entry to an undergraduate course and who may not meet the normal admission requirements. Applications are made through the CAO before the 1 February or before late application deadline of 1 May 2026. Applicants are assessed based on the information they enter on their CAO application. Note: You must apply for nursing and music courses by 1 February 2026.
Selection Process – Nursing Applications
Mature applicants for nursing courses will receive correspondence under separate cover from the Nursing Careers Centre (Public Appointments Service - PAS). For full details on the application process see www.nursingcareers.ie.
Mature Applicant – Change of Mind
The Change of Mind facility becomes available after 1 May and the closing date is 1 July.
The Change of Mind facility affords mature applicants an opportunity to change the order of preference only of their course choices. If applicants introduce a new programme to their list of choices by way of Change of Mind, they will compete for a place on that programme based on their Leaving Certificate or equivalent results only. They will not compete as a mature applicant.
Non-standard application
A non-standard application is one that does not meet the definition of a standard application.
The special categories are:
• GCE/GCSE
• Other school leaving exams
• NCVA Level 2/3
• FETAC Level 5/6
• Further Education (other than QQI)
• Mature
• Higher/Third Level Education
Applicants wishing to make a non-standard application must select the relevant category when applying to the CAO.
Entry 2026
Early online application (discounted): Fee €35 Closing Date: 20 January 2026 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €50 Closing Date: 1 February 2026 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: €65 Closing Date: 1 May 2026 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2026 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2026. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2026, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2026 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €65 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
About the course
Healthcare and health promotion are broad field with diverse areas of work where health science graduates can make a difference to people’s lives. There are many career options across a wide range of health related industries, ranging from direct individualised care to people across the lifespan from infancy to old age and persons with special needs, or through telehealth careers, to management & research.
Health Sciences — COMMON ENTRY Degree Options
SE900 Public Health & Health Promotion
BSc (Hons) – NFQ Level 8
SE900 Applied Health Care
BSc (Hons) – NFQ Level 8
Follow on Study
Postgraduate Study — MSc or Ph
COMMON ENTRY — Bachelor of Science (Honours) Public Health & Health Promotion Stream
About the course
The BSc (Honours) in Public Health & Health Promotion is a full-time, four year, honours degree course that can be chosen within the Health Sciences Common Entry Route.
The course is approved by the International Union for Health Promotion and Education which allows graduates to register as accredited public health and health promotion practitioners.
COMMON ENTRY — Bachelor of Science (Honours) Applied Health Care Stream
About the course
The BSc (Honours) in Applied Health Care is a full-time, four year, honours degree course that can be chosen within the Health Sciences Common Entry Route.
This honours degree course allows the student to develop as a self-aware, reflective graduate who is a confident practitioner and able to integrate and use their knowledge, skills and attitudes in a variety of health care settings.
Common to all Streams:
Year 1 Modules
Semester 1
Learning to Learn
Care of the Older Adult 1
Psychology for Health Care
Anatomy & Physiology 1
Intro to Healthcare Informatics
Principles of Health Promotion
Semester 2
Lifeskills for Health & Wellbeing
Fundamentals of Care 1
Medical Surgery Care 1
Anatomy & Physiology 2
Placement 1
Public Health & Health Promotion Stream Lead
Prof Niamh Murphy, PhD
E: niamh.murphy@setu.ie
Dr Evan Matthews, PhD
E: evan.matthews@setu.ie
Applied Health Care Stream Lead
Dr Claire O’Gorman, PhD
E: claire.ogorman@setu.ie
Dr Louise Bennett, PhD
E: louise.bennett@setu.ie