Minister for Education Helen McEntee, has welcomed the announcement that MU is to offer a new three-year Professional Doctorate programme in Educational Psychology from September 2025, to support a substantial increase in the number of qualified educational psychologists available to the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).
The programme, which will be supported by the Department of Education through a bursary scheme, supervised placements and teaching input, marks a significant step forward on the Government’s commitment to double the number of college places for educational psychologists as outlined in the Programme for Government 2025.
An increase in the supply of educational psychologists available to NEPS will help to ensure the ongoing delivery of a high-quality educational psychology service to children, young people and teachers in their school communities across Ireland.
Minister for Education Helen McEntee said: “It is vital that all children and young people can feel safe and supported to thrive during their time in our schools. NEPS psychologists play a really important role in supporting our school communities, often in their most difficult hours."
"As Minister, it is imperative to me that we deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to double the number of college places for educational psychologists so we ensure we can have an ample supply of qualified psychologists available to resource our NEPS teams. I am delighted therefore to be announcing that, from September 2025, Maynooth University will offer this new three-year professional doctorate programme. I congratulate Maynooth University on the establishment of the programme and look forward to a strong partnership with them.”
MU President Professor Eeva Leinonen said, “Our Departments of Education and Psychology, and the Assisting Living and Learning (ALL) Institute, have come together to offer a new and dynamic Professional Doctorate in Educational Psychology, supported by the Department of Education/National Educational Psychological Service.
"Continuing Maynooth's proud tradition of promoting social inclusion this will be a central theme of the doctorate, along with a particular emphasis on trauma informed services, the use of digital technologies for developmental assessment, mental health and dynamic assessment. I am confident that this programme will produce not only excellent practitioners, but also outstanding research and significant contributions to policy, within Ireland and internationally."
If you are interested to learn more about the programme, please click HERE.