The Postgraduate Certificate in The Psychology of Dementia Care focuses on the practical application of psychological theory in dementia care and is intended for professional care staff and management who provide services to people with dementia.
Postgraduate; leading to a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert)
The following course dates are for those planning to complete the PG Cert in a year.
If you started this programme in 2017, you can find information about 2017 entry on the 2017 The Psychology of Dementia Care – Distance Learning page. Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.
Minimum one year part time; maximum two years part time
The School will accept one of the following as appropriate entry qualifications:
Experiential Prior Learning: substantial relevant work experience in a related discipline and at least three year's practical experience in the field.
If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
English language proficiency. See English language tests and qualifications.
The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.
£2,160 (or £720 per module)
Applications are accepted until shortly before teaching starts in September. Applicants should apply as early as possible to be eligible for certain scholarships and for international visa purposes.
For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.
The PG Cert in The Psychology of Dementia Care is a part-time distance learning course run by the School of Psychology and Neuroscience with start dates in January and September. The programme will provide students with the theoretical background to the psychology of dementia care.
The course is delivered online via Moodle, the University's online teaching and learning system. Students will engage with independent study in a supportive online framework and have access to lecture slides, case studies, journal articles, videos and a student forum to facilitate your studies. The programme coordinator will be available for contact throughout the course.
The programme comprises three modules; students may take these modules individually but must complete all three to achieve the certification. The modules are assessed through coursework submitted online; there is no final exam for the course.
University tutors are available for support via email and telephone.
Further particulars regarding curriculum development.
Each module typically comprises:
The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2017–2018 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2018 entry.
The modules listed here are indicative, and there is no guarantee they will run for 2018 entry. Take a look at the most up-to-date modules in the module catalogue.
The School of Psychology and Neuroscience hosts a weekly seminar programme at 3.30pm on Fridays in the Old Library of the Psychology Building. These seminars include public lectures, open school discussions and papers presented by a variety of guest lecturers from the UK and abroad. Following the seminar, a wine reception is held in the staff common room.
The School also hosts an annual Jeeves Lecture as part of its seminar programme. The lectures are given by eminent psychologists and neuroscientists. Staff, students and members of the public are welcome at this lecture.
Recent Graduate Discount
The University of St Andrews offers a 10% discount in postgraduate tuition fees to students who are eligible to graduate or who have graduated from St Andrews within the last three academic years and are starting a postgraduate programme with the University of St Andrews.
The School of Psychology offers two other online distance learning courses: Adults with Learning Disabilities (PGCert/PGDip/MSc) and Adult Support, Protection and Safeguarding (PGCert).
Some of our graduates go on to pursue further education through taught postgraduate courses in Psychology or a PhD research degree.
Graduates from the distance learning programme entered or continued their work in a variety of occupations, including:
The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students on a taught postgraduate course and offers a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.
School of Psychology and Neuroscience
University of St Andrews
St Mary's College
South Street
St Andrews
KY16 9JU
Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2399
Email: pgsecpsych@st-andrews.ac.uk
Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our Admissions policy.
As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online. (PDF, 72 KB).
The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online. (PDF, 84 KB).
St Andrews has two postgraduate prospectuses - one for taught courses and one for research programmes. Both prospectuses are available for you to view and download.