Psychology & Computing
The BA Psychology and Computing is a degree in which psychological research, theory, and knowledge is applied to a context of increasing importance to the modern world – the design, development, evaluation, and critical engagement with the technology and systems that increasingly surround us.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | National University of Ireland | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
3 years or 4 Years full-time..
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Leaving Certificate entry requirements
At Least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H5 in two subjects and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish. Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:
English O6/H7
Irish O6/H7
Maths O2/H6
Other Language O6/H7
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
UCC awards the following points to the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme Link Modules:
Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points
While Link Modules are counted for point scoring purposes they may not be counted as one of the six subjects to satisfy minimum entry requirements.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Careers / Further progression
Skills and Careers Information
Graduates of this programme will offer employers a unique combination of technical software related skills, research skills, and psychological training. As a graduate of this degree, you will demonstrate:
- Excellent research methods and statistics training
- Ability to plan and run valid user studies
- Knowledge of core topics in psychology; developmental, social, behavioural, cognitive, and biological
- Expertise in ergonomics and human factors
Software development and Programming skills
- Software engineering practices
- Ability to design, develop and evaluate prototypes
- Good understanding of data structures and algorithms
- Ability to design, implement, and administer databases
- Understanding of how software can best support and transform essential infrastructure such as health, education and finance.
Our Psychology and Computing graduates have clear pathways to further study and employment in three distinct areas:
1. Graduates who wish to pursue a career in the psychology profession can do so via further study in professionally accredited Master's programmes. Since the BA Psychology and Computing is accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland as a psychology degree, graduates achieving a 2.1 or higher will be eligible to enter MA programmes on clinical psychology, educational psychology, forensic psychology, work and organisational psychology, applied psychology, or any of the other psychology-related professions.
2. Graduates who wish to pursue a career in Software Development, IT, Software Engineering, Web Development, or any of the computing professions will be well placed to do so, through further study or direct routes to employment.
3. Graduates will be particularly well placed to pursue a career in Human-centered software design and evaluation; in areas that are in great demand such as User Experience design (UX), User Interface (UI) design and testing, Usability testing, Human-computer interaction, Game design, Social media, service design, and research aimed at developing the next generation of systems and services.
Further information
Approximate Available Places 3
Find out about the mature entry requirements at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/undergrad/entryreqs/matureapplicants/
Approximate Available Places Overall 32
Entry 2025
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2025 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2025 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2025 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2025 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2025 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 2025. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2025, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2025 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2025 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 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 2025 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
The BA in Psychology and Computing is a degree in which psychological research, theory, and knowledge is applied to a context of increasing importance to the modern world – the design, development, evaluation, and critical engagement with the technology and systems that increasingly surround us. It is a degree that...
- provides high-level technical skills training that will be of benefit to psychologists of the future, who will find themselves working with data science, AI, physiological sensing, online behaviour, neuroscience and experimental psychophysics;
- will enable students to develop a skill set that will be attractive to employers in information technology companies, increasingly bringing psychology research, values, and methods to the forefront in professions of user experience design, user interface design, ergonomics, data science and user research;
- provides an advanced understanding of how the quality of people's interaction with technology affects how we access, understand and make use of modern systems and services, such as healthcare, financial services, civic participation, and education;
- provides an advanced understanding of online social behaviour – its impact on health, well-being, discourse and decision-making;
- encourages critical reflection on digitally-mediated experience, a common aspect of everyday lived experience in many parts of the world;
- and develops understanding and sensibilities to create evidence- and skills-based routes in this world for themselves and others.
The programme draws on core computing and psychology modules and contains a strand of shared modules that explore the intersection between these disciplines and its application to improving lives socially, culturally, and economically. The combination of core Psychology and Computing modules, along with several design-related modules, makes for a unique undergraduate experience. Students are exposed to an interdisciplinary way of thinking and working from day 1 of the degree programme.
The course has recently gained accreditation by the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI). Accreditation means that graduates from this programme will now be able to join the PSI as a graduate member, as long as they achieve a second class honours or above in their final degree classification. Graduates of CK121 will be eligible for entry to any Psychology MA programmes across Ireland that stipulate “graduate membership of PSI” as a requirement, without the need for taking any graduate conversion programme first. Essentially, the course facilitates a similar education and career path for graduates as a standard Psychology or Applied Psychology degree. Accreditation also ensures improved recognition of the qualification internationally.
Placement or Study Abroad Information
On our Psychology and Computing programme you will have the opportunity of undertaking an optional work placement in Year 3 in industry and other organisations. The objective is to provide you with learning opportunities in relevant work settings in which you are expected to develop skills as well as demonstrate the integration of theory and practice from the course.
Year 1 Modules
CS1023 Introduction to Human-Centred Computing (5 credits)
AP1107 User Experience (UX) Design (5 credits)
AP1035 Introduction to Neuroscience, Perception and Attention (5 credits)
AP1022 Social Psychology (5 credits)
AP1039 Research Methods in Psychology I (5 credits)
AP1040 Research Design and Statistical Analyses I (5 credits)
CS1111 Systems Organisation (5 credits)
CS1021 Relational Databases (5 credits)
CS1022 Introduction to Programming & Problem-Solving (15 credits)
Assessment
Written exams will take place before Christmas and in May. Not all modules will have formal examinations. Many modules use other types of assessment such as examination-based assessment, essays and practical laboratory reports that describe the research that you complete. Other modules incorporate reflective journals, case studies and class presentations into the assessment strategy. The degree also uses some online learning technologies and some modules have assessments that involve participation in online discussion forums and other online assessments.
Sophie French
sfrench@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 490 4637
http://www.ucc.ie/en/apsych