MSc. Psychology (Conversion) class of 2024 along with some staff members
Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 14:45
We are very proud of our recent graduates from our two taught programmes. These graduates were conferred on October, 30th, 2024. A class of 26 graduates celebrated the completion of the MSc Psychology (Conversion) course. The MSc Psychology (Conversion) is an accredited degree for students who wish to become psychologists. The course fosters the methodological and critical thinking skills graduates will need for a career in Psychology. It was a joy to hear about all the wonderful ways in which the graduates from this programme are applying their knowledge – working as assistant psychologists, beginning international internships in mental health, or going on to further postgraduate study.
We also extend congratulations to our students that graduated from the MSc Environmental Psychology programme. This recently established course is designed to ensure graduates develop a critical understanding of how our actions shape the world and how our environments impact upon us. Uniquely, the programme is linked to two EU funded projects on urban health (Horizon Europe GoGreen Next and GoGreen Routes H2020 project). We especially note Ada Nicke who was awarded prizes for the highest project score and for the highest overall grade and was successful in her application for a highly competitive funded doctoral studentship. Carolina Trimble, a psychology graduate of University of California, Davis, was an intern on GoGreen Routes before she enrolled in the MSc. at Maynooth University. All three students (pictured below - Carolina Trimble, Ada Nicke and Luke Murtagh) will be attending the forthcoming Norwegian Environmental Psychology Conference in Lillehammer, as part of their postgraduate studies.
The Department of Psychology has an excellent track record in research and is ranked in the top 200 departments world-wide based on the Times Higher Education rankings. A PhD often makes new discoveries and adds new knowledge that can be used to understand the world and be applied for the benefit of society. Six students graduated with PhDs – a fantastic achievement given that many of our students had to conduct their research during the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, many had to modify their work, change direction and adapt to ongoing circumstances. The staff of the department is very proud of all their achievements. Congratulations to our new graduates Dr Austin Fahy, Dr Maria Gialama, Dr Dawn Higgins, Dr Brian Leavy, Dr Grainne Mc Ginty and Dr Christine Mulligan. In addition, a special well done and word of thanks is extended to the supervisors: Dr Unai Diaz-Orueta, Dr Mairead Furlong, Dr Brenda Guiducci, Prof. Philip Hyland, Prof. Fiona Lyddy, Prof. Malcolm MacLachlan, Prof. Sinéad McGilloway, Dr Rebecca Maguire, Dr Joanne McVeigh and Prof. Deirdre O’Shea (University of Limerick).
 |
||
| MSc. Psychology (Conversion) class of 2024 along with some staff members. |
 |
||
| MSc Environmental Psychology | ||
| L-R Graduates Ada Nicke, Carolina Trimble, Dr Tadhg MacIntyre (Course director) and Luke Murtagh |
 |
 |
|
| Dr Austin Fahy (R) with supervisor Dr Rebecca Maguire (L) | Dr Grainne McGinty |
 |
 |
|
| Dr Brian Leavy (R) with supervisor Dr Brenda Guiducci (L) | Dr Dawn Higgins (R) with supervisor Dr Unai Diaz-Orueta (L) |
 |
||
| Dr Maria Gialama (M) with supervisor Dr Joanne McVeigh (R) and Professor Mac MacLachlan (L) |
Full thesis titles:
Dr Austin Fahy: Anxiety in multiple sclerosis: An exploration of experiences and supports.
Dr Maria Gialama: The “Mind Your Next Dance” (MYND) Programme: a mixed methods study of a mindfulness-based dance movement psychotherapy for people with mild to moderate dementia and their caregivers.
Dr Dawn Higgins: Current challenges in neuropsychological assessment when screening and diagnosing dementia within populations of low literacy, such as the Travelling Community of Ireland.
Dr Brian Leavy: The relationship between gratitude and cardiovascular responses to stress.
Dr Grainne McGinty: Examining the Validity of ICD-11 PTSD and Complex PTSD using international data.
Dr Christine Mulligan: Family-focused practice in mental health services in Ireland: exploration and implementation.