Undergraduate Programmes

Social Care / Cúram Sóisialta DT571

Qualification awarded: BA (Social Care) Level 8 / BA (Cúram Sóisialta) Leibhéal 8
Duration of programme: 3 years
Type of programme: Honours Degree
Number of places: 44 approx.

What is Social Care?

Social care workers plan and provide professional individual or group care to clients with personal and social needs. Client groups are varied and include children and adolescents in residential care; young people in detention schools; people with intellectual or physical disabilities; people who are homeless; people with alcohol/drug dependency; families in the community; or older people. Social care workers strive to support, protect, guide and advocate on behalf of clients. Social care work is based on interpersonal relationships which require empathy, strong communication skills, self awareness and an ability to use critical reflection. Teamwork and interdisciplinary work are also important in social care practice.

The core principles underpinning social care work are similar to those of other helping professions, and they include respect for the dignity of clients; social justice; and empowerment of clients to achieve their full potential.

The issue of defining social care is considered at length in Chapter one of Share, P. & Lalor, K. (Eds.) 2009). Applied Social Care. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan (free online at http://arrow.dit.ie/aaschsslbk/5).

What are my career opportunities?

Social care is a profession characterised by working with marginalised or disadvantaged people in a caring, compassionate way. Graduates may work with children and adolescents in residential child care, people with intellectual disabilities, the homeless, people with alcohol/drug dependency, families in the community, the aged, asylum seekers/refugees and so on.

What other options do I have after completion?

Graduates of this Level 8 programme will be eligible to progress to Masters Degrees (Level 9) in a wide range of disciplines across the Social Sciences, e.g. MA in Child, Family and Community Studies; MA in Addiction Studies; Masters in Social Work.

What’s the difference between a social care practitioner and a social worker?

Social care practice differs from social work practice in that it uses shared life-space opportunities to meet the physical, social and emotional needs of clients. A social care practitioner will typically work in a direct person-to-person capacity with clients. He or she will seek to provide a caring, stable environment in which various social, educational and relationship interventions can take place in the day-to-day living space of the client. The social worker’s role, on the other hand, is to manage the ‘case’, for example by arranging the residential child care placement in which a child is placed, co-ordinating case review meetings, negotiating the termination of a placement and responding to child protection concerns in a given area.

Module listing

Year One

Sociological Perspectives on Irish Society
Psychology & Human Development
Principles of Professional Practice in Social Care
Introduction to Irish Social Policy
Intellectual Disabilities & Working with the Elderly
Introduction to the Art Process in Education & Development
Drama in Education
Health & Well-Being
Communications
Law
Tutorials
Practice Placement (30 days to be organised by the School).

Year Two

Sociological Perspectives on Irish Society
Political Traditions & Public Policy Making
Practice Options
Critical Perspectives in Abnormal Psychology
Principles of Professional Practice in Social Care
Research Methods
Working with Communities
Drama or Understanding & Facilitating the Art Process in Social Care
Practice Placement (60 days to be organised by the School).

Year Three

Social Policy & Social Change
Legal & Critical Social Care Practice Perspectives
Social Psychology
Skills & Approaches to Professional Helping
Principles of Professional Practice in Social Care
Applied Research Methods
Research Portfolio
Integrated Learning Portfolio
Critical Reflection
Practice Placement (60 days)

Entry Requirements

Minimum no of		Minimum Grade in
Subjects	Honours	Maths	English/Irish
6	2	OD3	OD3
Other Requirements
* All students will be vetted by An Garda Síochána.

Are there study abroad opportunities?

The Department of Social Sciences actively promotes and facilitates students studying abroad as Erasmus scholars.

What our students say!

Hi, my name is Lisa and I am a first year student studying on the BA (Hons.) in Social Care: When I got accepted into DIT Mountjoy Square for Social Care, I was so excited as it was my first choice and was located very near my home.... The lecturers for every class are all very friendly and very approachable if you need help with some work or if you just want a chat. In the lectures the students become part of the class where everyone’s point of view is taken on board and discussed openly... I am very pleased I chose this course as I feel it will lead me towards what I want to do in the future. The college is very accommodating to all the students and there are many other services available to the students. My first year has been very enjoyable and inspiring and I hope you will all have the same experience as I had. I wish you all the best in your choice of course.

Further information

School of Social Sciences & Law
T: 01 402 4164 (School Office)
E: socialsciences@dit.ie
W: www.dit.ie/socialscienceslaw