DCU’s BA in Social Sciences and Cultural Innovation is a unique degree where you will gain in-depth knowledge in three disciplines - culture, media and politics - whilst also developing key competencies to underpin your success in a wide variety of careers. 

On this course you will; explore the meaning and power of culture, examine the hugely influential role played by media and technology in society, and you’ll learn about national and international political systems

The BSc (Social Science) programme is aimed at motivated school leavers and mature students who have a strong penchant for the study of some of the most fundamental issues and concerns for modern society and the environment. The programme strongly focuses on the applied nature of the Social Sciences and will equip students with practical research skills, in addition to focussing on career development and readiness, and further educational opportunities. 

You will learn about individual human development, culture and diversity, the formation of our beliefs, values and our personal identity, how groups and institutions influence people’s everyday lives, addiction studies, power, authority, criminality and governance from historical to contemporary times.

The course will suit you if you wish to work with children or young people, older people, and marginalised groups in society.

Erasmus + Programme

On this advanced course you will explore the relationship between the individual and society, and how through working and taking action together, we can transform both the world around us and ourselves, for better.

Community development promotes participative democracy, sustainable development, rights, economic opportunity, equality and social justice, through the organisation, education and empowerment of people within their communities. Through this course you will develop skills to empower individuals and groups of people with the skills they need to effect change within their communities learning how to work with individuals and larger social institutions.

Social work is a profession concerned with supporting and helping people in a variety of situations and settings.

People who use social work services include young and adult offenders, children, families, older people, people with mental and physical illness and disability, homeless people, unemployed people, ethnic groups, Travellers and people with drug and alcohol problems. Ultimately, social work aims to support people to live more successfully, within their communities by helping them to find solutions to their problems.

This course is a foundation for anyone planning a career in the social care field. It can be your stepping-stone to a wide range of Higher Education pathways and career options.

You’ll be introduced to the academic foundation and practical experience necessary of the social sciences. Through the study of a fascinating array subjects, you can develop an awareness and understanding of the complexity of contemporary social issues, equality, diversity and social values.

This course is designed for those who would like to pursue a career in the youth and community sector or progress to further education in the areas of youth work or social studies. It is ideal for anyone who would enjoy working with young people in a variety of social settings, who’s values would include the empowerment of vulnerable people, equality and inclusion and respect for all young people.

The Advanced Social Studies course will enable you to learn the knowledge and skills to give information, advice and advocacy to people who need it. You will explore how to empower individuals to be aware of their rights, to exercise those rights and to be able to influence the decisions that affect their lives.

This course offers a broad introduction to the area of Social Studies including Psychology and Sociology. The course also explores a range of social issues including crime, migration, inequality, and substance use.

This programme has been designed to provide learners with the essential practical and theoretical skills of social studies, including psychology and associated therapies, the role of the youth worker and an insight into challenges facing our communities and young people.

The BSc Honours Degree in Social Work is a professional qualification that meets the requirements of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council. Training to become a social worker involves a mixture of academic study and professional practice learning opportunities for a total of 185 days during the Degree. During Practice Placements (two episodes of 85 days and 100 days) students will work full time alongside social work practitioners and supported and assessed by a Practice Teacher. A range of placement opportunities are provided by a wide range of agency partners from Health and Social Care Trusts and other voluntary and statutory agencies and these providers are integral to the development and delivery of the programme.

The design and delivery of this ‘fast track’ degree programme is premised on the relevant graduate qualities of the applicant in meeting the demands of this accelerated learning programme.

Successful applicants found the information in the Northern Ireland Social Care Council learning zone, helped them prepare and conduct a good interview.

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) will make you eligible to apply to be registered as a social worker with regulatory bodies in Ireland and internationally. This full-time four-year undergraduate degree is open to mature students only, and integrates university-based and agency-based learning. Successful completion leads to an academic qualification (BSW) and it is approved by the Health and Social Care Professional Council as a social work training course.

If you are interested in people, you will be interested in sociology. It is relevant for understanding almost every aspect of our lives. We are all part of society, we are connected with each other and we are affected by the people around us.

In the same way, we shape the social context for others as well. Sociology provides you with the mindset and the research tools to observe the social world, make connections, understand differences, norms, cultures or inequalities.

Sociology focuses on understanding and analysing how human societies work. It studies everyday social practices, as well as discussing questions around economic inequality, power, gender and race, for example. Politics looks more at the decision-making process that groups or organisations make. These don’t necessarily have to be governmental. Politics can be found in most interactions, from schools to businesses and religious institutions.

Taking a combination of Sociology and Politics, this degree gives students an insight into how social and political forces affect our everyday lives and what we can do to effect change. By equipping students with an in-depth knowledge of society and politics on a national and global scale, we encourage them to look beyond face-value assumptions and start questioning what is perceived as common sense in our world. 

Sociology is concerned with developing theories and concepts to explain the origins and nature of the contemporary social world and seeks to justify such theories through systematically collected evidence. A central aim is to provide students with explanatory frameworks relevant to both the wider society in which they will live and the employment settings in which they will work.