BA (Hons) in Social Care
Course Summary
This 4-year course prepares students work a rewarding career in social care, a profession characterised by working in partnership with people who experience marginalisation, or disadvantage, or who have special needs. Students will 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.

Important notice about this course
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.
This programme is about social care, a profession characterised by working in partnership with people who experience marginalisation, or disadvantage, or who have special needs. You will 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, you will also learn how to deliver a social care service, both alone and as part of a team, to people in community, day-care and residential settings.
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)
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)
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
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 Irish Grade O6 or H7
PLUS Minimum Points Score of 300.
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
Course ID | DK862 |
Level | 8 |
Duration | 4 Years |
Points | 307 |
Places | 35 |
School | School of Business & Humanities |
Department | Humanities |
Awarding Body | Dundalk Institute of Technology |
Starting Date | September 2018 |
Apply to | CAO |
Download | BA (Hons) Social Care Brochure |