Whether it's true-crime docuseries, the constant flow of new and exciting psychological thrillers hitting our screens, well-being retreats, hot yoga, learning to cope with the ever-growing workload or otherwise. Everyone these days has some sort of curiosity when it comes to Mental Health and Psychology.
"Cognitive psychology has shown that the mind best understands facts when they are woven into a conceptual fabric, such as a narrative, mental map, or intuitive theory. Disconnected facts in the mind are like unlinked pages on the Web: They might as well not exist."- Steven Pinker
For a long time, not just in Ireland, but on a more global scale, Psychology and Mental Health weren't topics that were openly discussed or given much attention. Even medically speaking there wasn't a big interest in the field like there is now. Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. Psychologists are actively involved in studying and understanding mental processes, brain functions, and behaviour.
Psychology Courses Ireland
Let's start with Psychology, we'll focus on the subject of Applied Psychology. Below is some research I've gathered so you don't have to.
Reasons to Study Psychology
When it comes to studying Psychology there are many reasons, from career prospects to personal interest. Psychology is fascinating!
Curiosity!
Many people study Psychology out of curiosity...
"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."
- Marie Curie
Curious people, both real (Sigmund Freud, Patrick Mullany and Howard Teten) and fictional (Sherlock Holmes, Jessica Fletcher and Castle) all start by asking some very important questions such as:
- Why do people act the way they do?
- What shapes our personality?
- How do we learn and change throughout our life?
Psychology skills don't just help when it comes to solving crimes, they also help when it comes to understanding people in everyday life.
Understanding!
For some people, deciding to study Psychology is important to them so they can help you better understand people around them.
Of course, studying psychology won’t give you an absolute understanding of every interaction you have with people. It will, however, provide some insights about peoples’ motivations, perceptions and behaviour, perhaps even give you a different perspective on why people react in the ways they do and help you to understand people a little better.
Some people even choose to study Psychology, to better understand themselves. Many students find that as they study, and pick up skills noticing things such as language, body language, emotion and other topics, they become better communicators as a result of studying psychology.
Applied Psychology
Opportunities to Study Applied Psychology
Fees for this course range from €400 - €1200
Applied Psychology QQI Level 5, has grown increasingly in popularity over the last number of years.
The QQI Level 5 Applied Psychology course prepares learners for employment in mental health agencies, the community (youth workers, healthcare assistants and HR managers) or to study Psychology at a University level. The course provides students with insight into a broad range of factors, which are considered when examining human behaviour.
Participants on this course will receive an introduction to this field of knowledge and be equipped with an understanding of the core theories, treatments, educational and preventative strategies.
There are so many options when it comes to where and how you study this course. Below are a few examples:
- You can do a "full-year" this means you attend college full-time along with other elective subjects such as
- health promotion
- work experience
- personal effectiveness
- care provision
- You can do it as a 12-week in-class course this means, you attend college for the duration of the course and only complete the modules related to the qualification.
- You can do it as a 12-week online course this means, you attend college classes or watch lecturers in your own time online for the duration of the course and only complete the modules related to the qualification.
No matter which way you choose to study, to achieve your qualifications, you will have to pass any necessary assignment, research (with references) project and exams.
Upon completion of this course, and provided you pass. The qualifications which you will receive are referred to as you will receive a QQI Level 5 component certificate in Applied Psychology.
If you wish to pursue a University degree in Psychology, there are plenty of options across Ireland, check out CareersPortal for all available courses and information regarding duration, location and CAO entry requirements.
Mental Health Courses Ireland
For this, we are going to focus on the subject of Mental Health Awareness. When it comes to studying Mental Health there are so many areas in which to specialise, but the place to start is with general awareness and qualifications.
While most people are familiar with the symptoms and treatment options for common day-to-day illnesses that affect themselves and their loved ones, like the flu, aches and pains, and more recently COVID-19, many people are unsure how to look after their mental health, or recognise signs/behaviours of poor mental health in others.
Mental Health Awareness Training raises awareness of ill-mental health (particularly stress, depression and anxiety), provides tools and guidance for daily wellbeing-management, and aims to remove the stigma surrounding mental health.
Reasons to Study Mental Health Awareness
Fees for this course range from €300 - €1000
Mental Health Awareness is a QQI level 6 course, which makes it one step up from the QQI level 5 qualification from the Applied Psychology course.
The QQI Level 6 Mental Health Awareness course is designed for a broad spectrum of health care workers and individuals who would benefit from a greater understanding of Mental Health.
Each module for this course are is listed below:
- What is Mental Health?
- Realities of Mental Illness.
- Intervention and Treatment Approaches.
- Recovery and Advocacy.
This course covers topics such as stress, phobias, anxiety, eating disorders, and schizophrenia among others – all conditions under the topic of mental health. The modules, look deeper at the nature and symptoms of mental illness. Students will explore the difference in demographics (gender, culture, age, ethnicity etc) and how mental health issues can occur to anybody.
Each module places a lot of emphasis on effective mental health prevention, the strategies that are in place in Ireland and the services that can be instrumental in assisting people in crisis or even to help people learn a little bit more about issues around the topic of mental health.
As with any course you will have to complete either an assignment, project or possibly exams to receive your qualifications.
"Half of those people who experience mental health difficulties do so before the age of 14. The problems begin early - so early interventions are essential."
- Angela Rayner
Opportunities to Study Mental Health Awareness
- You can do a "full-year" this means you attend college full-time along with other elective subjects such as:
- Practice Skills in Mental Health in the Community
- Recovery and Critical Perspectives
- Mental Health Policy and Practice
- You can do it as a 12-week in-class course this means, you attend college for the duration of the course and only complete the modules related to the qualification.
- You can do it as a 12-week online course this means, you attend college classes or watch lecturers in your own time online for the duration of the course and only complete the modules related to the qualification.
If you wish to pursue a University degree in Mental Health, there are plenty of options across Ireland. The area you will be specialising in is Mental Health Nursing. check out CareersPortal for all available courses and information regarding duration. location and CAO entry requirements.
Review on Applied Psychology QQI 5 Course
I studied the Level 5 QQI Applied Psychology course, online with The Open College.
It was a fascinating course, I learnt a lot. In fact, following my completion of this course, I went on to study the QQI Level 6 Mental Health Awareness Course.
I found the assignments challenging but the materials covered everything I needed to know to answer them sufficiently.
What I will say tho is for those of you who need extra motivation or the comradery of a class environment, online study is hard.
However, as I said, the course is fascinating and creates a great base for getting into this area. If you wish to study the course I did, I would advise buying a book or two for research and perhaps taking a lesson or two with a tutor.
The skills you will learn in this course will be valuable in everyday life, Applied Psychology is the study and ability to solve problems within human behaviour such as health issues, workplace issues, or education. Problem-solving is a very important life tool.
The Applied Psychology programme with The Open College runs for 2 months and admission fees are €359. For further information or to apply, simply click here.
Where-ever, or however you choose to pursue your interest in Psychology and Mental Health I wish you the best of luck.
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