BA (Hons) in Social Care

The course includes the following modules:

Year 1 - Semester 1:
(Mandatory)

• Communication and Collaborative Practice in Social Care
• Psychology 1
• Issues in Social Care
• Creativity and the Arts in Social Care 1
• Sociology 1 for Social Care

Year 1 - Semester 2:
(Mandatory)

• Preparation for Professional Practice 1
• Personal and Professional Development 1
• Creativity and the Arts in Social Care 2
• Theories and Concepts for Social Care 1
• Sociology 2 for Social Care

Year 2 - Semester 1:
(Mandatory)

• Practice Placement 1

Year 2 - Semester 2:

• Psychology 2
• Social Care Practice for Promoting Health and Wellbeing
• Inclusive Arts
• Legal Framework for Social Care
• Personal and Professional Development 2
• Care in a Multicultural Context

Year 3 - Semester 1:
(Mandatory)

• Research Methods in Social Care
• Theories and Concepts for Social Care 2
• Preparation for Professional Practice 1
• Compliance and Quality in Social Care
• Mental Health in Social Care

Year 3 - Semester 2:
(Mandatory)

• Practice Placement 2

Year 4 - Semester 1:
(Mandatory)

• Research Project 1
• Legal Issues in Social Care
• Gender and Social Change
• Social Policy
• Social Justice

Year 4 - Semester 2:
(Mandatory)

• Research Project 2
• Social Care and Disability
• Addiction and Social Care
• Social Care Work with Children and Families
• Care of Older People

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

At DkIT, supporting students is our main goal and staff on the BA (Hons) in Social Care are dedicated to this agenda. Student Induction is a college-wide programme which takes place for the newest cohorts of learners in the Institute in the week before formal classes start. It allows learners to be introduced to the Institute and the Department of Humanities in an informal environment, allowing students the opportunity to get to know core teaching staff and their fellow classmates. This induction programme offers students an introduction to the programme and its design, alongside basic information on Health and Safety, Study and Life Skills, Digital Citizenship, Moodle and email.

Learning and teaching methods include lectures, tutorials, group discussions and both individual and group projects. Active participation, peer-learning and exploration of topics in the classroom through teacher-led and student-led discussions are encouraged. A number of industry visits are organised during the programme. Learners are expected to spend time on directed readings, assignments and independent study of the programme content.

The programme prepares learners to work in social care, in partnership with people who experience marginalisation, or disadvantage, or who have special needs. Students explore and analyse the development of current and future trends in social care in Ireland and how legislation in this area is drafted and regulated.  As well as learning about different models of social care and their appropriateness to different situations, learners also learn how to deliver a social care service, both alone and as part of a team, to people in the community, day-care and residential settings. Some further examples of various career options within Social Care 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 Irish Refugee Council, many of which are fully or partially funded by the government).

Graduates may progress to postgraduate studies, (both taught and research) either within the institute (through the DCU/DkIT Graduate School) or externally in other HE organisations.  Previous graduates have progressed to further studies in areas such as social policy, gender and social care, disability studies and social work studies. 

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 occur 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.

In addition to a strong academic background, graduates of the BA (Hons) Social Care should have certain personal attributes such as reliability and trustworthiness; altruism; empathy, compassion; and maturity.  Social care work can be very challenging – emotionally and physically – and can mean working in some very difficult environments – but it can also be very rewarding.

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

Patricia Rahill (Programme Director (Professional Social Worker, registered with Corú))
Phone: +353 429370816
Email: patricia.rahill@dkit.ie