Social Science

Students who are applying to programmes as mature applicants will be required to be over the age of 23 as on 1st January in the year of entry. Mature students may apply through the CAO or directly to the college. They are not required to do both. Mature students are assessed on basis of age, educational standard and work experience to date.

All applicants presenting other qualifications should contact the Admissions Office directly to discuss their eligibility criteria.

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Please note DBS is an independent college and therefore fees apply.

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Entry 2024

Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2024 at 5pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2024 at 5pm

Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2024 at 5pm

Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2024 at 5pm

Exceptional online late application (see page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2024 at 5pm

Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.

LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2024. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2024, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2024 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.

Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2024 in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system. This is an exceptional late closing date and all steps must be completed by 5pm on 22 July. No changes may be made after this date.

If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.

Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.

Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick and Maynooth University have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these five HEIs, you should apply through CAO.

Refer to page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.

Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:

General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices

Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course

Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants

Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR

Overview
Whether your interest is in progressing towards a career in areas such as youth and community work, professional social research, policy analysis/development, working with disadvantaged and marginalised individuals, or you are interested in a broad-based undergraduate education, the BA (Hons) in Social Science (Level 8, 180 ECTS) is the degree for you. This degree offers a range of skills and understandings that prepares students for employment in various roles in both non-governmental organisations and the voluntary sector as well as in the public sector.

Social Science is the interdisciplinary study of human society. This honours undergraduate degree is designed around five core areas of social science; Sociology, Psychology, Criminology, Social Policy and Research. As well as gaining a strong, evidence-based understanding of these interesting and inter-related subjects, you will develop useful, work-ready skills such as flexibility, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity and interpersonal communication - all highly valued by employers. You will develop more specialised expertise in areas such as group facilitation, campaigning, research, advocacy and public engagement as well as policy analysis, questionnaire and interview-based social research. This programme will provide you with a valuable platform for further research and specialist postgraduate education, improve promotion prospects in your current job, or help you find exciting new employment opportunities. Graduates of this programme are also eligible to apply for various Postgraduate programmes at DBS.

Aims and Objectives
You will be challenged to think in a rigorous and scientific way about society and the social processes that feed into how society operates at an institutional, political and individual level. From the first year to the final year of the programme, there is a consistent emphasis on guiding, training and upskilling learners to carry out their own research and to be aware of how structures and special processes affect our daily lives. Learners will be encouraged to enquire further into this and conduct their own research in order to critically explore, evaluate and challenge the world around them. Learners will be well equipped to work in a wide range of roles and careers, in the public and private sector. The BA (Hons) in Social Science will also provide you with pathways for postgraduate study (Masters and PhDs) in areas such as Addiction Studies, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Criminology, Criminal Justice, Global Health, Gender Studies, Human Rights, Mediation and Conflict Resolution, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Public Policy, Race, Ethnicity and Conflict, Social Work, Social Justice, Social Policy and Social Research to name a few. In some instances, conversion courses may need to be undertaken to allow progression to Masters level.

Programme Structure
The programme is divided into three levels and students take the programme in its entirety.

Year 1 provides a solid and comprehensive understanding of the foundational concepts of interdisciplinary field of Social Science, whilst also providing transversal skills embedded in a mix of unique modules.

Year 2 covers content in which the knowledge, understanding and skills acquired in the Year 1 are developed and applied.

Year three focuses on contemporary subjects. Students also undertake a research project under the guidance of a supervisor.

Year 1
(Core Modules)
• Foundations in Social Psychology
• The Sociological Imagination
• Introduction to Social Research
• Psychology through the Lifespan 1
• Social Policy and Law for Social Care 1
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Foundations in Criminology

Year 2
(Core Modules)
• Economic Sociology
• Criminology in Action - Youth Justice
• Campaigning, Advocacy, and Public Engagement
• Interpersonal and Group Communication Skills
• Advanced Social Research
• Contemporary Inequalities
• Politics in the Modern World
• Social Psychology
• Psychology in Action

Year 3
(Core Modules)
• Contemporary Criminology
• Cyberpsychology
• Organisational Psychology
• Social Science Research Project
• Sociology of Families, Intimacies and Personal Life
• Contemporary Social Policy in Ireland
• Environment and Society
• Global Issues

Teaching and Assessment
The programme provides a flexible, active, peer-led, experiential and reflective learning environment for students. While modules will be delivered in a hybrid mode through a mix of workshops, practical sessions, tutorials, lectures, and sociological experiments, emphasis will be placed on allowing students to examine the exercise problem descriptions and try possible solutions in the workshops, with guided individual feedback.

Assessment takes a variety of forms, including learning journals, case studies using real-world examples, project work (group/individual) and formal examinations.

Award: Honours Bachelor Degree
NFQ Level: Level 8
Award Title:
BA (Hons) Social Science
Award Type: Major

Transfer Students
Students holding a relevant Level 6 or Level 7 qualification may qualify for entry to the second or third year of degree programme. Transfer applications to the second or third year full-time programmes are to be made directly to the college. Students should send copies of their examination transcripts and other relevant documentation along with their application form (available from the School / College) to the Admissions Office at Dublin Business School.

T: +353 (0) 1 4177500
E: admissions@dbs.ie

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