Key information for BSc (Hons) in Intellectual Disability Nursing

Code: SE916 | Level: 8 | Duration: 4 years | Delivery: Fulltime | Credits: 240

Location for BSc (Hons) in Intellectual Disability Nursing

Location: Waterford | Campus: Cork Road

Application Information for BSc (Hons) in Intellectual Disability Nursing

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

Study Options for BSc (Hons) in Intellectual Disability Nursing

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 Intellectual Disability Nursing

Eligibility Notice: This course is unavailable to international applicants. Explore available international courses at https://www.setu.ie/courses/type/international

What modules are taught in BSc (Hons) in Intellectual Disability Nursing?

Year 1: Sem 1: Anatomy & Physiology 1 | Sem 2: Anatomy & Physiology 2, Sem 1: Intellectual Disabilities Nursing Skills & Experience | Sem 2: Caring for People with Intellectual Disability, Sem 1: Introduction to Intellectual Disabilities Nursing | Sem 2: Health & Psychosocial Studies 1, Sem 1: Learning to Learn | Sem 2: Introduction to Evidence Based Practice 1, Sem 1: Professional & Personal Development | Sem 2: Medication Management 1, Sem 1: Professional & Personal Safety 1 | Sem 2: Nursing Experience 2 | Year 2: Sem 3: Health & Psychosocial Studies 2 | Sem 4: Ethical, Legal & Political Issues in Intellectual Disabilities, Sem 3: Introduction to Pathophysiology | Sem 4: Evidence Based Practice 2, Sem 3: Medication Managment 2 | Sem 4: Nursing Experience 4, Sem 3: Nursing Experience 3 | Sem 4: Nursing Skills, Sem 3: Nursing Skills for Acute Care | Sem 4: Supporting the Adolescent with Intellectual Disabilities, Sem 3: Supporting People with Mental Health Problems | Sem 4: | Year 3: Sem 5: Applied Pathophysiology | Sem 6: Evidence Based Practice 3, Sem 5: Behavioural Approaches in Intellectual Disabilities | Sem 6: Health Assessment Through the Lifespan, Sem 5: Nursing Experience 5 | Sem 6: Management & Leadership in Healthcare, Sem 5: Professional and Client Safety 3 | Sem 6: Medication Management 3, Sem 5: | Sem 6: Nursing Experience 6, Sem 5: | Sem 6: Supporting the Adult & Older Adult with Intellectual Disabilities | Year 4: Sem 7: Consolidation of Nursing Skills for ID Practice | Sem 8: Consolidation of Knowledge, Science, Values and Attitudes, Skills and Experience through Clinical Internship. This is a 36 week placement within the South East., Sem 7: Contemporary Issues in Intellectual Disability Nursing | Sem 8: , Sem 7: Health Promotion for People with Intellectual Disabilities | Sem 8: , Sem 7: Health & Psychosocial Studies 3 | Sem 8: , Sem 7: Nurse as Educator in Practice / Preceptorship | Sem 8: , Sem 7: Nursing Experience 7 | Sem 8:

SE916 Waterford

Bachelor of Science (Honours)

Intellectual Disability Nursing

Apply CAO

What is Intellectual Disability Nursing?

Intellectual Disability nursing is seen as a speciality field of nursing that provides holistic care to persons with an intellectual disability. Intellectual disability nurses work as part of a trandisciplinary team in order to enable and empower people with intellectual disabilities to achieve their full potential.

Reasons to Choose this Course

Nursing is an excellent choice for students interested in a healthcare career. Because human beings are complex, careers in nursing are amongst the most challenging; they are also some of the most rewarding.
The Intellectual Nursing Course is delivered in a purpose-built, state-of-the-art learning environment and students undertake clinical practice around the south east region.
You will be taught over four years through a model that we call KSVSE (Knowledge, Science, Values and Attitudes, Skills and Experience).
Successfully completing all aspects of the course allows you to register as an Intellectual Disability Nurse with An Bord Altranais.

Clinical Placement

Clinical experience is an essential element of the course in order to register as an Intellectual Disability nurse. There are over 80 weeks of clinical placement throughout the course including a 36 week continuous internship placement in year four. Students will be accommodated on clinical placements in Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow and South Tipperary.

Mature Applicants

Mature Applicants must apply using CAO code SE916
Mature Applicants for this and other nursing courses must apply by 1 February. Late applications will not be accepted.
Please note that the course content is exactly the same for mature and non-mature students.

Year 1

Semester 1	Semester 2
Anatomy & Physiology 1	Anatomy & Physiology 2
Intellectual Disabilities Nursing Skills & Experience	Caring for People with Intellectual Disability
Introduction to Intellectual Disabilities Nursing	Health & Psychosocial Studies 1
Learning to Learn	Introduction to Evidence Based Practice 1
Professional & Personal Development	Medication Management 1
Professional & Personal Safety 1	Nursing Experience 2

Year 2

Semester 3	Semester 4
Health & Psychosocial Studies 2	Ethical, Legal & Political Issues in Intellectual Disabilities
Introduction to Pathophysiology	Evidence Based Practice 2
Medication Managment 2	Nursing Experience 4
Nursing Experience 3	Nursing Skills
Nursing Skills for Acute Care	Supporting the Adolescent with Intellectual Disabilities
Supporting People with Mental Health Problems

Year 3

Semester 5	Semester 6
Applied Pathophysiology	Evidence Based Practice 3
Behavioural Approaches in Intellectual Disabilities	Health Assessment Through the Lifespan
Nursing Experience 5	Management & Leadership in Healthcare
Professional and Client Safety 3	Medication Management 3
	Nursing Experience 6
	Supporting the Adult & Older Adult with Intellectual Disabilities

Year 4

Semester 7	Semester 8
Consolidation of Nursing Skills for ID Practice	Consolidation of Knowledge, Science, Values and Attitudes, Skills and Experience through Clinical Internship. This is a 36 week placement within the South East.
Contemporary Issues in Intellectual Disability Nursing
Health Promotion for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Health & Psychosocial Studies 3
Nurse as Educator in Practice / Preceptorship
Nursing Experience 7

Leaving Cert: Minimum entry requirements

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

A laboratory science subject (biology, physics, chemistry, physics & chemistry (joint) or agricultural science)
Three other subjects (may include Irish or English and a laboratory science subject not included already) or have equivalent second level educational qualifications to the foregoing.
The minimum educational requirements may be accumulated over not more than two sittings of the leaving certificate examination or an equivalent examination.

Advanced and Equivalent Entry:

Additional Applicant Requirements

1. Fitness to Practice - All applicants will be required to undergo a full medical examination, to establish that they are medically fit to take up the profession of nursing.

2. Garda Clearance - All applicants will be required to complete Garda Vetting Application Forms. Please note the following with regard to vetting procedures once registered with SETU Waterford:

Applicants will be provided with relevant forms and documentation for vetting within Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
It is mandatory for applicants who have resided abroad for a period greater than 6 months since the age of 12 years to provide SETU Waterford with a Police Clearance Certificate from those countries.
Clinical placements can only be arranged for students on receipt of satisfactory clearance.
Further information re Garda/Police clearance is available from the Nurse Allocations Office, SETU Waterford at 051 845601.

Graduates may practice as a Registered Intellectual Disability Nurse within the Irish healthcare sector and voluntary services. Universally Irish nurses are highly regarded by other countries thus enhancing work opportunities.

Postgraduate Opportunities

Following qualification it is possible to specialise in a number of areas within intellectual disability nursing i.e. challenging behaviour, multiple and complex disabilities. Alternatively graduates may choose to pursue advanced studies in nursing education or nursing management.

Practice Placements at SETU

Practice placements are a vital part of your nursing education. In line with European directives and NMBI requirements, students complete a minimum of 81 weeks of supervised clinical experience over the four-year programme. SETU offers a wide network of high-quality placement sites across Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Carlow, including both HSE and voluntary services, with additional specialist placements available for some programmes. These placements provide diverse acute and community learning environments where you can apply theory to practice, develop professional values and achieve the competencies required for entry to the nursing register. All placements are planned and coordinated by the Nurse Allocations Office to ensure they meet national standards and support your development as a safe, caring and competent practitioner.

CourseCast Podcast

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

CourseCast 25 Jun 2026

Intellectual Disability Nursing

This episode is about the BSc in Intellectual Disability Nursing; a speciality field of nursing that provides holistic care to persons with an intellectual disability. Intellectual disability nurses work as part of a transdisciplinary team in order to enable and empower people with intellectual disabilities to achieve their full potential. The podcast panel were Louise Brady, a lecturer on the course; Jessica Canavan who has just completed Fourth Year, and Sinead O’Donnell, a current student heading into her third year of the programme.

Listen on podcasts.setu.ie