BA (Hons) in Social Care

 The course includes the following modules:

Year 1 - Semester 1:
(Mandatory) 

• Sociology 1
• Psychology 1
• Issues in Social Care
• Study, Research and Writing Skills
• Creativity and the Arts in Social Care (year-long)

Year 1 - Semester 2:
(Mandatory)

• Sociology 2
• Personal and Professional Development 1
• Themes and Concepts 1
• Skills Development
• Creativity and the Arts in Social Care (year-long)

Year 2 - Semester 1:
(Mandatory)

• Practice Placement 1

Year 2 - Semester 2:

• Legal Framework for Social Care
• Psychology 2
• Holistic Health and Wellbeing
• The Discourse of Ageing
• Art in Community and Social Contexts

Year 3 - Semester 1:
(Mandatory)

• Gender and Social Change
• Personal and Professional Development 2
• Themes and Concepts 2
• Social Care
• Social Policy
• Qualitative Research

Year 3 - Semester 2:
(Mandatory)

• Practice Placement 2 

Year 4 - Semester 1: 
(Mandatory)

• Legal Issues in Social Care
• Principles of Professional Practice
• Social Entrepreneurship for Social Care
• Care in a Multicultural Context
• Research: Stats Analysis Social Care

Year 4 - Semester 2:
(Mandatory)

• The Economic and Political Contexts of Care
• Working with Children and Families
• Social Care and Disability
• Addiction Studies
• Research Project

NOTE: Upon successful completion of Years One and Two, students may exit with a Higher Certificate Award. Upon successful completion of Year Three, students may exit with a Level 7 Ordinary Degree.

There are various career options within Social Care. These include working with:

• children and adolescents in residential childcare
• people with learning or physical disabilities
• the homeless
• people with alcohol or drug dependency
• families in the community
• older people
• recent emigrants to Ireland
• the state sector (for example the Departments of Health and Children, Education and Science, and Equality and Law Reform)
• the voluntary sector, (which includes organisations like Barnardos and the Brothers of Charity, many of which are fully or partially funded by the government).

Graduates may progress onto postgraduate study.

Please find information on fees and funding here: www.dkit.ie/fees

Leaving Certificate Entry Requirements:

Six Grades at O6 or H7 in Leaving Certificate including:

• At least two H5 Grades
• AND Mathematics Grade O6 or H7
• AND English Grade O6 or H7 OR Irish Grade O6 or H7
• PLUS Minimum Points Score of 300.

Northern Ireland/UK Entry Requirements:

Applicants must meet the matriculation requirement of 6 different subjects which must include: 

• Mathematics at GCSE (Grade A* - C) or better
• English (or Irish) at GCSE (Grade A* - C) or better
• Two subjects at either:
• ‘A Level’ (Grade A* - C)
• AND/OR Applied A-Level (Grade A* - C)
• AND/OR BTEC National Level 3 (National Award, Subsidiary Diploma, Extended Certificate, 90-Credit Diploma, Foundation Diploma) (Grade Merit or Distinction).
• AND/OR OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 (Introductory Diploma, Extended Certificate, Subsidiary Diploma, Foundation Diploma, 90-Credit Diploma) (Grade Merit or Distinction)
• OR BTEC National Level 3 Diploma (Grade min: MM)
• OR OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Diploma (Grade min: MM)
• OR BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma (Grade min: MMP)
• The remaining subjects must be different from that presented above and may be drawn from recognised subjects at:
• GCSE (Grade A* - C)
• AND/OR AS Level’ (Grades A - E)
• AND/OR A-level’ (Grades A* - E)
• AND/OR Applied ‘A-level’ (Grade A* - E)
• AND/OR BTEC National Level 3 (National Award, Subsidiary Diploma, Extended Certificate, 90-Credit Diploma, Foundation Diploma, Diploma or Extended Diploma*) (Pass, Merit or Distinction).
• AND/OR OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 (Introductory Diploma, Extended Certificate, Subsidiary Diploma, Foundation Diploma, 90-Credit Diploma, Diploma or Extended Diploma*) (Pass, Merit or Distinction).
• And a minimum score of 300 points

Practice placements occurs in both the 2nd year and 3rd year of study of this course. Social Care Placement sites include the following services and supports in the following areas:

Childcare / Youth Work / Disability / Older Person Supports / Mental Health /Addiction / Homelessness / Domestic Violence / Social Inclusion initiatives

Each placement is a 12-week block placement as follows:

• 2nd year placement: September - December 
• 3rd year placement: January - May 

Further details on work placements are available by contacting the programme director.

Please note all students on the Social Care course must satisfy the Garda / Police Vetting procedure of DkIT prior to attending placement.

David Getty (Head of Department of Humanities)
Phone: +353 42 9370255
Email: david.getty@dkit.ie

Carol McGinty (Programme Director (Professional Social Worker, registered with Corú))
Phone: +353 429370816
Email: carol.mcginty@dkit.ie