Educational and Child Psychology Mary Immaculate College

Overview

This Educational and Child Psychology program from Mary Immaculate College will equip applicants with the necessary competencies to work in a range of autonomous and collaborative professional roles that are performed by educational psychologists (EPs) in a variety of contexts and with a range of client groups. The overall aim of the DECPSY programme is to enable students to effectively integrate theory and practice and become skilled and accountable professional practitioners.

Key Features

The programme is sufficiently flexible in content and structure to adapt readily to current and future needs and to the emergence of new knowledge in educational psychology and related fields. Taught modules are typically delivered in four-day blocks over the first two years. In addition to taught modules, a variety of workshops and seminars are organised for trainees and delivered by experienced practitioners e.g. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Video Interactive Guidance, Dynamic Assessment. One day per week is normally assigned to study.

Over the three years, students develop their knowledge and understanding of the nature of research showing in depth understanding of the range of research orientations and methods used in educational and professional educational psychology research. Students are required to complete a research thesis which must make an original contribution to knowledge and contain material of a standard and form appropriate for peer-reviewed publication.

Career

Professional placements, totalling 300 days, are organised in a variety of settings e.g. early intervention and school age teams with HSE/disability services, National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). Professional placements provide extensive opportunities for the exercise of a wide range of professional roles and competencies. Students typically attend placements for 3-4 days per week. Where possible, students will be placed close to their home base.