Program Overview

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Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences

The Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences is a comprehensive program designed to provide students with a deep understanding of society and humanity. This interdisciplinary course combines three disciplines, along with a core in data science, to equip students with the skills necessary for a 21st-century workforce.

About the Course

The program is structured to introduce students to a variety of disciplines relevant to the human condition, increasing knowledge, understanding, and critical evaluation of society and humanity. Students will be introduced to a range of social science perspectives and methods across their chosen subject areas.

What You Will Study

The BSc. Social Sciences exposes students to a variety of disciplines relevant to the human condition, which increase knowledge, understanding, and critical evaluation of society and humanity. Students will choose four subjects from the nine disciplines available in the first year and study one module per subject in each semester. A fifth module provides students with the skills for advanced study and life at the university.

First Year

In the first year, students choose four subjects from the following nine disciplines:

• Digital Culture and Communication
• Economics
• Geography
• History
• Linguistics with TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
• Politics and International Relations
• Psychology
• Public Administration and Leadership
• Sociology

The only restriction is that students cannot take both Psychology and Geography together.

Second Year Onwards

From the second year onwards, students choose a single major subject (from which they take two modules) and two minor subjects (one module each), amounting to four subject-specific modules. The fifth module each semester will be a data science module.

Off-Campus Programme

In semesters 4 and 5 (year 2 Spring and year 3 Autumn), students will participate in an off-campus program. Semester 4 is ordinarily dedicated to a period of cooperative education/work experience in a sector related to their field of study. Semester 5 is spent on study abroad in one of the university's many partner institutions across Europe, the Americas, and Australasia.

Entry Requirements

Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrollment the established Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with a minimum of six subjects, which must include:

• Two H5 (Higher level) grades
• Four O6 (Ordinary level) grades or
• Four H7 (Higher Level) grades Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English.

In addition, there is a special requirement in Mathematics for those studying Economics.

Fees and Funding

Student course fees are broken into three components: Student contribution, Student Levy, and Tuition Fees. The current student contribution is set at 2,500. The Student Levy is 104. Tuition Fees vary depending on residency, citizenship, and course requirements.

Career Opportunities

Studying the social sciences at the University of Limerick provides an opportunity to acquire specific knowledge and understanding of society, tools to analyze key issues, as well as skills in research, critical thinking, analysis, presentation, and dissemination. The BSc. Social Sciences opens up a variety of career pathways and opportunities for further study, including:

• Social & Youth Work
• Community Development
• Social Research
• Public Relations & Communications
• Civil Service
• Teaching
• Development Work
• Marketing, Media & Journalism
• Publishing
• Management

Follow-On Study

Graduates may pursue further study in areas such as:

• MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration)
• Medicine
• Professional Master of Education
• MA in History
• MA in English
• MSc in Sociology and Data Analytics

Student Profile

The BSc. Social Sciences attracts students from diverse backgrounds who share an interest in people and society. The course provides an amazing grounding for careers in social research, sociology, and other related fields, with opportunities for study abroad and cooperative education enhancing the student experience.