This course prepares graduates to work in social care providing support and assistance to vulnerable people in the community and in residential services. For example, social care workers gain employment working with groups such as children and young people at risk and/or who have been neglected and abused, people with disabilities and older people.
* This programme is approved by CORU
Course Structure
The course engages a range of teaching strategies including a 12-week placement in a social care agency in both 2nd and 3rd year (400 hours each year). As these placements involve working with vulnerable people, offers for the course may be withdrawn if applicants do not successfully complete the Garda vetting process.
Is this course for you?
If you are interested in working with people, civil and social rights, addressing inequalities, and enjoy seeing others reach their full potential, then social care may be the profession for you.
Special Features:
A variety of teaching, learning and assessment methodologies are used, such as discussions, group projects, placements, facilitations, poster displays, problem-based learning and case studies.
Practice placements (400 hours per placement) in Years 2 and 3 allow for the development of skills associated with professional client relationships.
Research projects are used to develop student's knowledge of the cross-functional nature of social care services.
Graduates are employed in a wide range of agencies providing social care services to clients with a variety of social care needs, including the HSE and the TUSLA Child and Family Agency.
Exit award - Higher Certificate in Applied Social Studies in Professional Social Care (NFQ Level 6) after Year 2 and Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies in Professional Social Care (NFQ Level 7) after Year 3.
Entry will be permitted at year one only and applications in relation to RPL, advanced entry and module exemption applications for any year will not be accepted and reviewed for this programme.
Applicants who seek entry into the year 4 of the Applied Social Studies in Professional Social Care programme, will be permitted once they have completed the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies in Professional Social Care programme, Wexford Campus and have obtained 180 credits.
Student mobility and transfer opportunities across SETU campuses is not permitted for Social Care programmes.
Year 1
Semester 1
Semester 2
Communications Research and Study Skills
Health and Safety in Social Practice
Creative Skills 1
Introduction to Social Policy for Social Care Practice
Introduction to Psychology
Lifespan Development and Individual Difference
Introduction to Sociology for Social Care Practice
Professional Social Care Practice: Contexts, Models and Legal System)
Professional Social Care Theory and Practice
Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Persons
M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject
Year 2
Semester 3
Semester 4
Supervised Professional Practice 1
Health and Wellbeing in Social Care Practice
Community-based Social Care Services
Disability and Positive Ageing
Legal Studies 1
Psychology of Social Cognition
Sociological Perspectives on Contemporary Social Care Policy and Practice
M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject
Year 3
Semester 5
Semester 6
Alternative to Home Care
Supervised Professional Practice 2
Children and Families
Creative Skills 2
Legal Studies 2
Psychology of Mental Health and Neurodiversity
Social Research Studies
M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject
Year 4
Semester 7
Semester 8
Advanced Social Care Practice 1
Advanced Social Care Practice 2
Contemporary Approaches to Leadership and Change Management
Connecting Social Care Practice to a Globalised World
Ethics and Human Rights
Leading Self and Others
Global Issues for Social Care Practice
Psychology, Adjustment and Alternative Views
Psychology and Positive Change
Research Methods and Dissertation in Social Care Practice
M is a mandatory subject - E is an elective subject
What are the minimum entry requirements?
2H5 & 4O6/H7
English or Irish O6/H7
Garda vetting required
What follow-on study opportunities are available?
Graduates can complete postgraduate studies to masters or doctoral level within the social care or associated social science field and may progress onto the Masters in Child, Youth and Family Studies at SETU Carlow.
What will I be able to do when I finish the course?
Graduates are able to take up front-line positions in a diverse range of social care services and will act as a base for project coordination, supervision and management. These include: residential services (adolescent, vulnerable older people); community development; family support; community child-care and community disability services.
