Program Overview

Course Overview

Social Care Work is a relationship-based approach to the purposeful planning and provision of care, protection, psychosocial support and advocacy in partnership with vulnerable individuals and groups who experience marginalisation, disadvantage or special needs. Principles of social justice and human rights are central to the practice of Social Care Workers.

As an applied profession, this course requires students to undertake two semesters of professional placement. Typically, a Social Care Worker is employed working with those who have physical or learning difficulties, disabilities, young people at risk, children who have been neglected or abused, family support services, addiction services, homeless services, elderly people, and in settings as diverse as residential care, day care, and community-based services.

This course emphasises the professional and personal development required to work in the challenging field. Graduates find employment opportunities with the HSE, TUSLA, statutory and voluntary organisations and community-based agencies.

This programme is approved by CORU. All enquiries regarding Social Care Work registration must be directed to the regulator CORU.

Course Details

• CAO Points: 225
• Location: Ennis
• Duration: 4 years
• Course Code: US923
• Level: 8
• Course Type: Undergraduate
• Study Mode: Full Time
• Department: Applied Social Sciences

Course Modules

Year 1

• Digital Literacy, Research and Writing Skills (5 credits)
• Health, Advocacy, Equality & Safety in Social Care Practice 1 (5 credits)
• Health, Safety & Risk in Social Care Practice 2 (5 credits)
• Introduction to Creative and Recreational Skills (5 credits)
• Introduction to Social Care: Policy, Provision and Practice (5 credits)
• Introduction to Sociology Stage 1 Sem 1 (5 credits)
• Personal Development for Social Care Practice: Beginning Experiential Group Work (5 credits)
• Personal Development for Social Care Work – Exploring Personal Identity (5 credits)
• Psychology, Identity and Development (5 credits)
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults and Child Protection (5 credits)
• Sociology & Diversity in a Policy Context (5 credits)
• Teamwork and Communication in Practice Settings (5 credits)

Year 2

• Assessment, Intervention and Challenging Behaviour (5 credits)
• Introduction to Child and Family Law (5 credits)
• Key Issues in Contemporary Sociology (5 credits)
• Personal Development for Social Care Practice (5 credits)
• Practice Education Placement 1 (5 credits)
• Professional Development 1: Preparation for Practice (5 credits)
• Social Psychology: interactions and groups (5 credits)

Year 3

• Ethics and Leadership for Social Care Practice (5 credits)
• Law and Social Care Regulation (5 credits)
• Personal Development for Social Care Practice: Managing Mental Health & Well Being (5 credits)
• Practice Education Placement 2 (30 credits)
• Professional Development 2: The Reflective Practitioner (5 credits)
• Research Methods (5 credits)
• Social Policy: Theory & Practice (5 credits)

Year 4

• Advanced Legal Studies (5 credits)
• Advancing Social Care Practice: Disability Studies (10 credits)
• Advancing Social Care Practice: Housing and Homelessness (10 credits)
• Advancing Social Care Practice: Positive Ageing (10 credits)
• Advancing Social Care Practice: Residential Child Care (10 credits)
• Advancing Social Care Practice: Working with vulnerable young people (10 credits)
• Advancing Theories of Psychology in Practice: Approaches to Challenging Behaviour (5 credits)
• Advancing theories of psychology in practice: approaches to mental health (5 credits)
• Advancing theories of psychology in practice: examining therapeutic interventions (5 credits)
• Advancing Theories of Psychology: Approaches to Addiction (5 credits)
• Management for Quality Social Care Practice (5 credits)
• Personal Development for Social Care Practice – Assertiveness (5 credits)
• Personal Development: Advanced Group Work Skills for Social Care Practice (5 credits)
• Research & Evaluation (10 credits)
• Social Policy: Critical Debates in Social Care (5 credits)
• Sociology in Practice (5 credits)

Entry Requirements

Leaving Certificate

• A minimum of two H5 & 4 O6/H7 grades in six Leaving Certificate subjects, including English or Irish.
• Foundation Level Mathematics at grade F2 or higher is acceptable as meeting the Mathematics requirement for this programme.

Mature and International Applicants

• The Social Care Work programmes, in line with TUS policy, welcomes mature students and accepts applications from persons of mature years, that is, those who are 23 years of age on 1 January, preceding entry.
• All mature student applicants are processed via the CAO.
• Such applications, together with documentary proof of relevant work experience and/or qualifications, which applicants wish to have considered, should be submitted to the CAO in line with dates published on the CAO website.
• Each mature student application is considered on an individual basis.
• Academic qualifications, work and life experience, motivation and overall potential to be successful on a Social Care Work programme are considered and evaluated from your written CAO application and an interview.
• Recent and relevant education is always an advantage.
• Demonstrating motivation, aptitude and interest in the course is key to a strong application.
• Shortlisting of applications take place.
• Assessment of applications is made by members of the Programme Board and shortlisted applicants will be required to attend for interview with an interview panel consisting of two members of the programme team.
• Interviews are usually held in March of the year of entry.
• The top scoring applicants will be offered places in the programme.
• Applicants who scored outside of the initial offer range will be placed on a waiting list and notified if a place becomes available.

Advanced Entry

• This programme currently does not offer advanced entry to applicants under recognition of prior learning (RPL) or transfer.

English Language Requirements

• In order for students to effectively and safely practice as social care workers, they must demonstrate English language proficiency.
• The minimum English language score required by first year undergraduates on standardized exams is as follows:
  • Irish Leaving Certificate in English: Grade O6/H7
  • GCSE English Language: Grade C
  • GCE O-Level English Language: Grade C
  • University of Cambridge: Pass in Use of English Exam
  • TOEFL PBT: 520 – 550
  • TOEFL IBT: 72 – 80
  • IELTS (First Year Undergraduate): 5.5

Career Opportunities

• On successful completion of the course, job opportunities for graduates include: Social Care Worker, Community Project Worker, Family Support Worker.
• Graduate employment opportunities are with the HSE, TUSLA, youth and community services, section 38 public agencies, as well as section 39 voluntary agencies (as per the Health Act 2004).

Further Study

• Successful graduates of this programme are eligible for Level 9 and 10 postgraduate programmes within TUS or elsewhere.

Community Advisory Group

• To ensure that the Social Care Work (SCW) curriculum reflects the influence of evidence informed professional knowledge, the Department of Applied Social Sciences Community Advisory Group meets regularly to advise the Programme Board on quality issues relating to content of the SCW programme.
• Membership includes members of the SCW Programme Board, graduates of the SCW programme, representatives of practice placement organisations, representatives of local community organisations, service users and service user advocates.

Work Placement

• Work placement is a mandatory component of this course in years 2 and 3.
• All students are subject to Garda Vetting prior to going on placement.
• Students should be advised that a criminal conviction may be a challenge to securing a work placement.
• TUS reserves the right to inform placement providers of any convictions or pending cases.
• Student should note that a criminal conviction may affect their ability to undertake work placements, and by consequence their ability to progress.

Pass by Compensation

• To ensure graduates of this programme have met the CORU Standards of Proficiency please note that the TUS marginal fail compensation regulation does not apply to the Social Care Work programme.

Social Care Workers Registration Board

• Social Care Work is in the process of becoming a regulated profession.
• The Health and Social Care Professionals Act, 2005 (HSCP Act 2005) provides for the establishment of a Social Care Workers Registration Board, to establish and maintain registers for social care professionals.
• This system of statutory registration is fundamental to the delivery of quality and accountability in the provision of professional services.
• The objective of the statutory registration system is to protect, guide and inform the public by ensuring that social care professionals are properly regulated and qualified for the job whether they work in the public or private sectors or are self-employed.
• The Social Care Workers Register will open on the 30 November 2023.
• Social Care Work programmes require approval by the Social Care Workers Registration Board.
• This programme is approved by CORU.