Key information for BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care

Code: SE951 | Level: 8 | Duration: 4 years | Delivery: Fulltime | Credits: 240

Location for BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care

Location: Waterford | Campus: Cork Road

Application Information for BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care

Next Intake: Rolling Intake | Application Status: Open | Fee Information Link: /current-students/fees-and-grants/fees/lll-fees

Study Options for BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care

Work placement options: Available (View details at https://www.setu.ie/engage/access-our-talent) | Study abroad options: Available (View details at https://www.setu.ie/global/global-mobility)

International Applicants information for BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care

International Application Status: Open | Application Information Link: https://www.setu.ie/global/study-at-setu/applying-to-setu | International Fees Link: https://www.setu.ie/current-students/fees-and-grants/fees/global-fees

What modules are taught in BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care?

Year 1: Sem 1: Learning to Learn | Sem 2: Lifeskills for Health & Wellbeing, Sem 1: Care of the Older Adult 1 | Sem 2: Fundamentals of Care 1, Sem 1: Psychology for Health Care | Sem 2: Medical Surgery Care 1, Sem 1: Anatomy & Physiology 1 | Sem 2: Anatomy & Physiology 2, Sem 1: Introduction to Healthcare Informatics | Sem 2: Placement 1, Sem 1: Principles of Health Promotion | Sem 2: | Year 2: Sem 3: Fundamentals of Care 2 | Sem 4: **Professional Development & Community**, Sem 3: Pharmacology for Health Care 1 | Sem 4: Medical Surgical Care 3, Sem 3: Medical Surgical 2 | Sem 4: Introduction to Mental Health Care, Sem 3: Placement 2 | Sem 4: Activity Co-ordination for Older Adult*, Sem 3: | Sem 4: Nutrition for Health*, Sem 3: | Sem 4: Pharmacology for Health Care 2 *, Sem 3: | Sem 4: *Placement 3, Sem 3: | Sem 4: * = Elective, Sem 3: | Sem 4: **Please note that it may not be possible to undertake an elective module because of timetabling or other constraints.** | Year 3: Sem 5: Introduction to Evidence Based Health Care | Sem 6: Management of Care, Sem 5: Introduction to Intellectual Disability Care | Sem 6: Management of Care Placement, Sem 5: Introduction to Technical roles in Applied Health Care | Sem 6: Connected Health, Sem 5: Applying Psychology & Sociology to Health Care* | Sem 6: Maternal & Newborn Health*, Sem 5: Medical Surgical Care 4* | Sem 6: Health & Wellbeing*, Sem 5: * = Elective | Sem 6: * = Elective | Year 4: Sem 7: Evidence Based Applied Health Care 1 | Sem 8: Evidence Based Applied Health Care 2, Sem 7: Managing and Leading in Health Care | Sem 8: Utilising Health Promotion in Applied Health Care, Sem 7: Ethical and Legal Issues in Applied Health Care | Sem 8: Disabilities and Advocacy, Sem 7: Technical Roles in Applied Health Care | Sem 8: Promoting Recovery in Mental Health Care, Sem 7: | Sem 8: Palliative Care for Health Carers

What are the entry requirements for BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care?

Leaving Cert: Entry requirements for the BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care:2 subjects: H54 subjects: O6/H7English or Irish: O6/H7Mathematics: O6/H7Advanced and Equivalent Entry for the BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care:QQI FET/FETAC EntryAdvanced Entry - Years 2,3,4 or 5Non-EU ApplicantsMature Entry RouteStudents who complete other health sciences courses at SETU, or another third level institution, at ordinary degree level or equivalent, may apply to transfer onto this course at the third year stage. Students who complete level 6 higher certificate programmes may apply for entry into this course at the second year stage.

SE951 Waterford

Bachelor of Science (Honours)

Applied Health Care

Apply CAO

What is the BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care course?

The BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care is a full-time, four year, honours degree course of study. This honours degree course allows the student to develop as a self aware, reflective graduate who is a confident practitioner and able to integrate and use their knowledge, skills and attitudes in a variety of health care situations and contexts by applying the best available evidence for their practice.

Unique Features

The modules included address areas of knowledge and skills that will prepare the graduate for a career in range of health care areas. Key areas of study include mental health and recovery, health promotion, ethical and legal issues, disability and palliative care. Students will complete a relevant work placement as part of the course, which allows you to put theory into practice. Prior to going on placement, students will be required to have satisfactory Garda Vetting/Police Clearance, Mandatory Training (CPR, Manual Handling) and Occupational Health. This will be coordinated by SETU in Waterford staff.

Health care delivery is changing and there are now emerging roles in the multi-professional delivery of health care. Therefore the module ‘Technician Roles in Applied Health Care’ will support the student to explore these emerging roles and how they may interact with these in their careers.

There are evidence based practice modules in both semester 1 and semester 2. Inclusion of evidence based practice and research in this programme enables the student to develop critical thinking and analytical skills so as to be able to critically examine the evidence base in the area of applied health care.

The student will also study management and leadership in health care and through this module they will explore both the theoretical aspects of management and leadership but also will focus on how this knowledge can be utilised in health care practice. The management and leadership modules will enable them in become involved in both management of their own workload, but also to become involved in supervision of others.

The BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care will enable the student to:

Understand the importance of research based evidence for health care practice, research paradigms and the research process
Analyse the roles and responsibilities of the applied health care technical role including operating department practitioner (ODP), pharmaceutical technician (PT), Electrocardiogram (ECG) technician and Respiratory and Cardiac Technician
Examine and explore current philosophical, legal and ethical issues
Analyse the concepts of leadership and management theories and their application to healthcare practice
Develop the requisite knowledge, skills and understanding to safely and appropriately apply health promotion theory to applied healthcare practice
Analyse current challenges and barriers encountered by a person with a disability and examine the role of health care professionals as advocates for the people in their care
Develop the requisite knowledge, skills and understanding of recovery in the context of mental health so as to best promote recovery in partnership with service users

Year 1

Semester 1	Semester 2
Learning to Learn	Lifeskills for Health & Wellbeing
Care of the Older Adult 1	Fundamentals of Care 1
Psychology for Health Care	Medical Surgery Care 1
Anatomy & Physiology 1	Anatomy & Physiology 2
Introduction to Healthcare Informatics	Placement 1
Principles of Health Promotion

Year 2

Semester 3	Semester 4
Fundamentals of Care 2	Professional Development & Community
Pharmacology for Health Care 1	Medical Surgical Care 3
Medical Surgical 2	Introduction to Mental Health Care
Placement 2	Activity Co-ordination for Older Adult*
	Nutrition for Health*
	Pharmacology for Health Care 2 *
	*Placement 3
	* = Elective
	Please note that it may not be possible to undertake an elective module because of timetabling or other constraints.

Year 3

Semester 5	Semester 6
Introduction to Evidence Based Health Care	Management of Care
Introduction to Intellectual Disability Care	Management of Care Placement
Introduction to Technical roles in Applied Health Care	Connected Health
Applying Psychology & Sociology to Health Care*	Maternal & Newborn Health*
Medical Surgical Care 4*	Health & Wellbeing*
* = Elective	* = Elective

Year 4

Semester 7	Semester 8
Evidence Based Applied Health Care 1	Evidence Based Applied Health Care 2
Managing and Leading in Health Care	Utilising Health Promotion in Applied Health Care
Ethical and Legal Issues in Applied Health Care	Disabilities and Advocacy
Technical Roles in Applied Health Care	Promoting Recovery in Mental Health Care
	Palliative Care for Health Carers

Leaving Cert: Entry requirements for the BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care:

2 subjects: H5
4 subjects: O6/H7
English or Irish: O6/H7
Mathematics: O6/H7

Advanced and Equivalent Entry for the BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care:

Students who complete other health sciences courses at SETU, or another third level institution, at ordinary degree level or equivalent, may apply to transfer onto this course at the third year stage. Students who complete level 6 higher certificate programmes may apply for entry into this course at the second year stage.

Career Opportunities for BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care graduates:

Graduates may gain employment in the following areas:
Managing and coordinating General Practices.
Sales representatives in the pharmaceutical industry
Delivery of health care in the emerging tele-health industry
Health research
Health promotion
Technical roles in applied healthcare
Applied health care provision in a variety of healthcare settings including hospitals, clinics, community care settings, nursing homes

International Links

Graduates of the BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care have the opportunity to progress to Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland to undertake MSc programs in Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Social Work. Graduates may also progress to Columbus Technical College and pursue further education in the field of nursing and continue further studies to become a US registered nurse.

Follow on Studies BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care graduates:

Successfully completing all aspects of this Level 8 BSc (Hons) in Applied Health Care will allow the student to access post-graduate MSc programmes such as nursing.
Further opportunities for postgraduate research are also available.

CourseCast Podcast

Listen to our CourseCast Applied Health Care episode to hear real insights from students and lecturers about this course, what you’ll learn, and where it can lead.

CourseCast 15 Jun 2026

Applied Healthcare

In this episode, you can hear about the BSC and the BSC (Hons) in Applied Healthcare. This is the first programme of its kind in Ireland and is designed to help students understand the varied needs of patients and enable the delivery of direct health care in hospitals, community care, general practice, pharmaceutical industry and health research. Guests on this episode of CourseCast were Ruth Maher, Programme Lead; Dr Louise Bennett, course lecturer, and by recent graduate Catherine Goulding.

Listen on podcasts.setu.ie