The MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy, is a part-time programme taken over three years from the date of first registration for the programme. The programme is aligned with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and individuals who successfully complete this programme have the minimum training standards but may require additional clinical practice hours before applying for BABCP accreditation.

For 2015/16 entry to the MSc Cognitive Behaviour Psychotherapy is only available to holders of the Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy. See "Direct Entry to Part 3" for further details below.

Applicants for the MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy should normally:

1. Have an Honours Primary Degree or an equivalent qualification in a relevant subject (e.g. Nursing, Medicine, Social Work, Clinical Therapies, Education or other allied disciplines)
2. Be a practising professional (Nursing, Medicine, Social Work, Occupational  Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Education or other allied disciplines)
3. Applicants who are practising health care professionals must provide evidence of current registration with the relevant professional regulatory body (e.g. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, the Irish Medical Council, the Health & Social Care Professions Council (or equivalent regulatory body for pharmacists, occupational therapist, speech and language therapists etc.)) or be eligible for such registration. Applicants from allied disciplines or teachers must provide evidence of professional certification.
4. Have a minimum of 36 months post registration experience working within a health care or education setting.
5. Applicants must provide a 250 word statement as to how cognitive behavioural psychotherapy will be useful in their work and confirm they have access to individuals experiencing mental health difficulties in order to undertake the clinical component of this programme.
6. All applicants for the MSc programme must provide the name and contact details of two referees; at least one of these must be from a work source, either voluntary or paid, who is familiar with their work practice with regards to their suitability for undertaking this programme. The other referee can be from a service user or an employer.

Direct Entry to Part 3:

1. Applicants who have completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy
2. Applicants who have successfully completed (but who have not yet been conferred with) a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy.

Part 1
MH6134 Theories of Human Development including Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy Theory (5 credits)
MH6135 Therapeutic Relationship in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) (5 credits)
MH6136 Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) models of Mental Health Problems I (5 credits)
MH6137 Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) models of Mental Health Problems II (10 credits)
MH6138 Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) models of Mental Health Problems III (5 credits)

Students must achieve a minimum of 50% in each module and 60% in MH6138 in Part 1 in order to proceed to Part 2.

Part 2
MH6000 Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy Core Competences (5 credits)
MH6001 Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy Practitioner Competences (5 credits)
MH6002 Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy for Complex Cases (5 credits)
MH6003 Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy Supervised Practice (5 Credits)
NU6005 Research Methods (10 credits) (Blended learning module)

Students must achieve minimum of 50% in each module in Part 2 in order to proceed to Part 3.

Part 3
MH6004 Dissertation in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (20 credits)
MH6014 Advanced Research Methods for Healthcare Professionals (10 credits)

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2015 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules 2016/2017.

Two Year Rule
Students must pass/progress within two academic years of first registration for each year of the programme, otherwise they cannot continue in the programme. After failing a re-sit examination, students may be allowed to repeat the year. Any individual year can be repeated only once, however, a maximum of two failed years may be repeated during a student's programme of studies. Thus, students must complete their studies ordinarily within six years of registering for the MSc Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy programme.

Programme Learning Outcomes for MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate a critical and in-depth understanding of the range of factors, which contribute to human problems, that includes personal social and cultural background factors, human personal strengths, possibilities and mental status.
• Have a critical and in-depth understanding of the body of knowledge, which constitutes the theory of Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy including legal frameworks and codes of professional practice.
• Critically and systematically review research based literature relevant to cognitive behavioural therapy.
• Critically analyse the importance of cognitive behavioural theories to psychotherapeutic practice and contribution to the understanding of both common and complex psychological and emotional functioning.
• Apply clinical skills consistent with the core competences of cognitive behavioural psychotherapy and exercise enhanced professional competences through accountability, autonomy and professional practice
• Demonstrate ethical reasoning within clinical practice and supervision and critically reflect on the practice and process in clinical supervision.
• Demonstrate an advanced awareness of research protocol through a cognitive behaviour therapy (clinically) focused research dissertation.
• Practise with greater insight of the research-base, ethical, socio-political and professional underpinnings of CBT and health care in Ireland.