Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Care

Overview

Whether your interest is in progressing towards a career in the field of social care or in working with those in a care setting, with mental or physical disability, the homeless, or those dealing with substance abuse issues, the BA in Applied Social Care is the degree for you.

The Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Care – part-time provides teaching of theoretical concepts applied to social care practice, along with intensive training by experienced professionals in the practical skills required to work in the caring professions (e.g. in first aid, manual handling, hygiene/Infection control, child protection training and therapeutic crisis intervention). It was developed in response to the needs of the social care sector in the context of the professionalisation of social care work and includes both theoretical and practice components. The hallmark of the programme is to provide the intellectual rigour of the disciplines and to emphasise the practical aspects of working in a social care environment.

From social skills and social policy, learners will be challenged to think in a rigorous and scientific way about social processes, institutions, policies. From the first to the final year of the programme there is a consistent emphasis on theory and practical skills that puts the client at the centre of all practice. All learners will complete supervised practice placements in years 3 and 4. The practice placements will be undertaken from May to July (12 weeks), 30 – 35 hours per week.

Aims & Objectives

The aims of the BA in Applied Social Care are:

To provide a programme which combines academic depth with appropriately rigorous skills training in the area of social care practice.

To facilitate learner knowledge of professional social care practice and the management roles in the social care profession.

Provide graduates with the underpinning academic knowledge to enhance their educational and employment opportunities and provide social care management skills that will be of lasting value to them.

Please note that all learners will be required to submit to vetting by An Garda Siochana. A criminal conviction in Ireland or abroad may impact on securing of a placement and on the ability to secure employment in the social care profession. Vetting will need to be undertaken for each placement setting.

Garda Vetting

The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012-2016 make it mandatory for people working unsupervised with children or vulnerable adults to be vetted by the Garda Siochana National Vetting Bureau. Under the Acts, anyone whose work or activity involves unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults must be vetted. Workers include staff, volunteers and those on student placements working for a relevant organisation where they have access to children and/or vulnerable adults.

DBS offers a number of educational programmes that require students to undertake placements with external agencies, which will bring them into contact with the public and in which they will assume positions of trust. It is for this reason that students on these type of programmes are required to undergo vetting prior to commencing placements (or visits).

New entrants on to these programmes will receive the relevant form and information in their orientation packs and will need to complete the process before their final registration on the course can be completed. At the time of application, students will be required to declare as to any previous convictions. Students can start on the course before their Garda clearance is completed but may be withdrawn if the vetting does not produce a satisfactory finding.

Where a vetting process identifies a previous conviction the case will be referred to an internal College Vetting Committee. This committee will consider all relevant information in relation to a disclosure from the vetting process and make a determination on the case on behalf of the College.

If a student has started on the course and is withdrawn because of a conviction that was not declared at the time of application, any fees paid will not be refunded.

DBS will charge a fee of €25 to each student for the administration and costs of obtaining Garda clearance. This fee is payable at the commencement of the programme and is non refundable.

Disclaimer for Part-Time Learners:

Practice placements are an integral part of your study on the degree. These must therefore reflect current best practice and the demands of the social care professions. In order for you to fulfil the required Standards of Proficiency and to be able to apply for registration in the future as a Social Care Worker, you will need to demonstrate experience in a variety of practices settings. All placements will be monitored and approved by DBS.
In the case where you are employed in a social care setting, your current role may not meet the Standards of Proficiency or the criteria on supervision. Each proposed placement will be evaluated against the placement guidelines and, if deemed necessary, you will have to seek a different role for the period of the placement, though it can be with your current employer.

Course Content

The BA in Applied Social Care programme has the following content:

Year 1

• Professional Practice1: Introduction to Care Skills
• Learning to Learn (Sem 1)1.3 Social Care in Practice (Sem 2)
• Social Policy and Law for Social Care
• Psychology through the Lifespan 1

Year 2

• Mental Health Promotion and Awareness
• Sociology for Social Care 1
• Disability Studies
• Psychology Through the Lifespan 2

Year 3

• Social Policy and Law for Social Care 2
• Health Promotion and Awareness
• Professional Practice 2: Therapeutic Approaches to Social Care
• Abnormal Psychology (Sem1)/ 3.2 Social Psychology (Sem 2)
• Placement 1

Year 4

• Social Policy and Law for Social Care 3
• Understanding Addiction
• Professional Practice 3: Teamworking and Facilitation Skills
• Sociology for Social Care 2
• Placement 2

Students who successfully complete the BA in Applied Social Care have the option of progressing on to year 5 and 6 of the BA (Hons) in Applied Social Care.
Assessment Methods

Course work is broken down into the following components for some of which are used in each module:

Assignment

• Practical work, including skills demonstrations
• Production of care plans
• Report writing and record keeping exercises
• Research tasks
• Presentation (individual and group )
• Reflection
• In class tests and MCQs
• Poster presentation
• Analysis of case studies

Structure

This is a four year part-time programme.

As per CORU recommendations, all learners will complete supervised practice placements in years 3 and 4; 12 weeks (30-35 hrs per week) from May to July in year 3 and year 4.

Career Opportunities

The BA in Applied Social Care will equip learners with the skills for work in a variety of social care contexts. Both government and private sector have shown high levels of demand for graduates trained in applied social care. With the advent of the CORU guidelines, there will be a greater need for social care practitioners to be qualified to Level 7. Graduates may take up employment by the state or private sector and in community-based organisations. Social care workers may work with:

• Children and adolescents in residential care
• People with learning or physical disabilities
• People who are homeless
• People with alcohol/drug dependency
• Families in the community
• Older people
• Recent immigrants to Ireland; and others

Progression:

Graduates of this programme may apply to the level 8 BA (Hons) Applied Social Care as a Top Up option.

Modules on this programmes are:

– Management in Social Care
– Organisational Psychology
– Social Policy and Social Change
– Principles and Practice of Social Care Management
– Advanced Social Care Research Methods
– The Social Care Project

Fees

The course fees for the next academic year are €3,810 per annum. This covers the cost of tuition, registration and examinations,

For a full list of part-time undergraduate arts degree fees click here.

Next Steps

Before making an application please ensure you are aware of all our entry requirements. Note that all learners will be required to submit to vetting by An Garda Siocahana. A criminal conviction in Ireland or abroad may impact on securing of a placement and on the ability to secure employment in the social care profession. Vetting will need to be undertaken for each placement setting.
For more information please contact admissions@dbs.ie.