BA (Hons) in Social Care Practice - Waterford Institute of Technology

What is the BA (Hons) in Social Care Practice?

This is a 4 year level 8 course of study designed to prepare students for professional careers in Social Care Work and facilitate students who wish to pursue a specific area of interest.

The overall aim of the course is to develop critically reflective, skilled and ethically aware practitioners with the capacity to build professional relationships, in partnership with vulnerable individuals and groups who experience marginalisation, disadvantage or special needs.

The course involves the study of related disciplines of Applied Social Studies, Professional Practice, Sociology, Social Policy, Psychology and Law and Personal and Professional Development.

Special Feature of the BA (Hons) in Social Care Practice Course

The course is designed to develop students as professionally qualified workers for a range of social care employment opportunities. Placement occurs in Semester 3 and 6, and consists in total of 800 hours of supervised social care practice.

Note: Students undertaking the BA (Hons) in Social Care Practice must meet the requirements of the School of Humanities Student Fitness to Practise Policy and School of Humanities Student Garda Vetting Policy.

Year 1
Semester 1	Semester 2
Introduction to Psychology	Social Care Law
Social Policy and Welfare	Developmental Psychology
Introduction to Sociological Problems	Irish Social Policy
Critical and Creative Thinking	Understanding Sociological Perspectives
Applied Creativity 1	Applied Creativity 2
Personal and Professional Development: Social Care 1	Personal and Professional Development: Social Care 2

Year 2
Semester 3	Semester 4
Practice Placement 1	Child Protection Law
Practice Placement Portfolio 1	Introduction to Research
Practice Processes 1	Sociology of Contemporary Ireland
Applied Social Studies in Context 3	Abnormal Psychology
	Applied Social Studies in Context 4
	Personal and Professional Development: Social Care 3

Year 3
Semester 5	Semester 6
Status, Capacity and Consent in Irish Law	Practice Placement 2
Introduction to Social Psychology	Practice Placement Portfolio 2
Children's Rights and Social Policy	Applied Social Studies in Context 5
Foundation of Ethics
Applied Social Research
Personal and Professional Development: Social Care 4

Year 4
Semester 7	Semester 8
Applied Research Project Social Care 1	Applied Research Project Social Care 2
Introduction to Therapeutic Interventions	Comparing Social Policies
Law for Social Care Professionals 1	Law for Social Care Professionals 2
Social Care Management and Professional Practice 1	Systematic Approaches in Social Care Practice
Social Policy Processes	Social Care Management and Professional Practice 2
Narrative Approaches in Social Care Practice	Utilising and Applying Therapeutic Interventions

Leaving Cert: Minimum entry requirements for BA (Hons) in Social Care Practice

2 subjects: H5
4 subjects: O6/H7
English or Irish: O6/H7

Advanced and Equivalent Entry for BA (Hons) in Social Care Practice:

Additional requirements for BA (Hons) in Social Care Practice:

Places are offered on the programme subject to satisfactory Garda Vetting clearance.
Students undertaking the BA (Hons) in Social Care Practice must meet the requirements of the School of Humanities Student Fitness to Practise Policy and School of Humanities Student Garda Vetting Policy.