Nursing - Childrens & General Nursing - Integrated
The Children’s and General Nursing course will provide you with excellent opportunities to develop knowledge and skills relevant to children’s and general nursing practice, including independent and critical thinking and problem-solving. It will enable you to ensure that the nursing care you deliver is up-to-date and based on the best current evidence.
On completion of the BSc (Hons) in Children’s and General Nursing, you can apply to register as both a children’s and a general nurse to the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
| 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
4.5 Years full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Leaving Certificate 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 O6/H7
A Lab Science O6/H7
The following are considered Lab Science subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physics with Chemistry and Agricultural Science.
Students are subject to Garda vetting.
Students are subject to Fitness to Practise Policy.
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme LCVP
Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points
QQI FET Applicants General Information
Careers / Further progression
Skills and Careers Information
The course aims to provide you with sound clinical nursing skills (and the supporting knowledge base) necessary for starting your professional career as a children’s or general nurse. These skills will be further developed through clinical experience and further study at postgraduate and in-service levels.
You will also develop skills in independent thinking, problem-solving, and analytical and clinical decision-making, as well as fundamental research utilisation and application skills.
On graduation, you may seek employment in children’s or general nursing. Both children’s and general nurses work in a wide range of areas including hospitals, community/home nursing, schools, and nursing homes. Traditionally, Irish nurses are highly regarded by other countries, enhancing work opportunities abroad, in particular in the UK, Canada, Australia, and the US.
Further information
September 2026
Approximate Available Places 2
Find out about the mature entry requirements at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/undergrad/entryreqs/matureapplicants/
Approximate Available Places Overall 32
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
Course Outline
The Children’s and General Nursing course will provide you with excellent opportunities to develop knowledge and skills relevant to children’s and general nursing practice, including independent and critical thinking and problem-solving. It will enable you to ensure that the nursing care you deliver is up-to-date and based on the best current evidence.
On completion of the BSc (Hons) in Children’s and General Nursing, you can apply to register as both a children’s and a general nurse to the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
This four-and-a-half-year full-time degree course is offered in partnership with health service providers (HSPs) from both the public and private healthcare sectors. Each student is linked with one of these HSPs for the duration of their course.
With an honours BSc in Children’s and General Nursing, you will be ready to start work as a qualified children’s or general nurse in a variety of clinical settings immediately after graduation.
The broad aim of the course is to promote your personal, intellectual and professional development to meet the role dimensions of a qualified practitioner of children’s and general nursing. Theory modules are in nursing and biological and social science, some core (shared with other nursing/midwifery branches), and some discipline-specific (children’s and general nursing students only).
Year 1 Modules
All modules 5 credits unless otherwise stated.
NU1026 Academic Writing, Information Technology and Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
NU1032 Fundamental Knowledge and Skills for Nursing Practice (10 credits)
NU1040 Infection Prevention and Control for Nursing and Midwifery Practice
NU1047 Therapeutic Interpersonal Skills for Nursing Practice and Psychology for Healthcare (10 credits)
NU1060 The Foundations of Contemporary Children's and General Nursing
NU1061 Fundamental Knowledge and Skills for Children's Nursing Practice
NU1062 Children's and General Nursing Practice I (10 credits)
SC1015 Sociological Concepts for Nursing
SS1008 Social Inclusion and Health Policy
Year 2
Pharmacology and Medication Management for Nurses and Midwives; Research for Evidence-Based Nursing and Midwifery Care; General Nursing with Adults and their Families - focusing on Common, Acute, and Chronic Health Care Conditions I & II; Growth and Development during Pregnancy, Childhood, and Adolescence; Therapeutic Interpersonal Relationships with Children, Adolescents, and their Families; Nursing Children, Adolescents and their Families in the Community; Children's and General Nursing Practice.
Year 3
Professional Issues, Development of Disciplinary Knowledge, Teaching and Learning; Research for Evidence-Based Nursing and Midwifery Care; Nursing Children, Adolescents and their Families with Acute and Continuing Care Needs; General Nursing with Adults and their Families - focusing on Common, Acute, and Chronic Conditions; Health Promotion and Primary Health in a General Health Context; General Nursing with Adults, Children, and their Families - focusing on Oncology, End of Life and Palliative Care Contexts; Health, Ageing and the Life-Cycle - Perspectives on General Nursing with Older People; Children's and General Nursing Practice.
Year 4
Research for Evidence-Based Nursing and Midwifery Care; The Profession and Discipline of Nursing: including Ethics, Legal Issues, Equality, and Professional Practice; Professional Development and Nurses as Team Members, Leaders and Managers of the Future; Nursing Children, Adolescents and their Families with Acute and Continuing Care Needs; Nursing Individuals through the Life Cycle with Disabilities or Mental Health Needs; Nursing Management of Seriously Ill Children, Adolescents and Adults; Children's and General Nursing Clinical Practice; Elective Module.
Year 5 Children’s and General Nursing Practice.
Clinical Practice Modules
These require you to be in supervised clinical practice in hospital, community and other healthcare settings for 35 hours per week for a number of weeks each year. In Year 4, you will take a 15-week clinical placement. In the latter part of Year 4, you will also commence a 36-week paid internship with your parent health service provider. This internship continues into Year 5.
Dr Margaret Curtin
m.curtin@ucc.ie
+353 21 490 1624
http://www.ucc.ie/en/nursingmidwifery/
SONM UnderGrad Support
sonmundergrad@ucc.ie