Information & Communication Studies  (ICW1)

Information & Communication Studies in the BSc Social Sciences is aimed at students who may wish to develop a career or pursue further studies in social media, communications, information studies, critical and creative media, and other related areas. The programme is designed to promote and deepen understanding and appreciation of the roles that information, communication, and digitisation play in all areas of life and society. It is structured to foster the development of academic and critical thinking competencies and practical skill-sets, including digital literacy, research, information management, storytelling across media, the basics of web design, and the creation and publishing of digital and other media. The programme provides the necessary groundwork for postgraduate study in these areas. It serves as an initial springboard for professional training, potentially leading to careers in such areas as Social Media Management, Web Design and Development, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), User Experience (UX) Design and Evaluation, Media & Communication Management, Digital Publishing, Digital Marketing, Information Architecture, Librarianship, and Information Management.

We value a questioning and analytical perspective on the key issues surrounding information, communication, digitisation, and the broader impacts and consequences of the digital revolution in society. We encourage students to adopt a reflective approach to our subjects and we endeavour to provide the basis for meaningful engagement with course content through the use of “real-world” examples, case studies, and practical projects. We encourage responsible citizenship by considering the societal, cultural, and ethical issues surrounding information creation, communication and use, and provide a diverse and exciting learning environment that engages, motivates and supports students. Students work individually and collaboratively to debate and discuss social and ethical issues, to develop practical information and digital skills, and to design, create, publish, and share information products. We support our students’ learning through a blend of approaches, including traditional lectures, face-to-face and online tutorials, team projects and presentations, practical computing sessions, online learning, videos, guest speakers, and independent learning.

1 - Display knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and conceptual bases of the digital society and contemporary forms of media, including digital networks and platforms, algorithms, and artificial intelligence, with regard to professional, social, and everyday information behaviour.
2 - Demonstrate highly developed information, media and digital literacy skills, including essay and report writing, information searching & retrieval, critical evaluation, creation of audio-visual media, presentation of the self online, ethical use of information, empirical research, and communication.
3 - Illustrate knowledge and understanding of how digital information systems and applications are implemented and used in a variety of contexts, both personal and professional.
4 - Work to a high level in collaborative and team-based learning situations, requiring excellent interpersonal and communication skills
5 - Show highly developed information management and organisational skills, which enable them to function effectively in the modern, technology-enabled workplace.
6 - Demonstrate foundational competency in critical research skills, including in digital environments and a range of contexts across academia, industry, and the community sector.
7 - Elucidate an understanding of the relevance and application of academic knowledge to non academic settings and the skills to communicate information to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
8 - Display an enhanced awareness of societal and global issues in relation to information and communication studies.
9 - Develop a set of transferable technical and evaluative skills to prepare them for careers in the information, communication, and technology industries.
10 - Develop a professional identity to cultivate pathways into industry, enabling education to workplace transitions.

Stage 3

Please ensure that you register to a minimum of 30 credits from the option list below. If you are studying abroad (Erasmus/non EU exchange) and/or undertaking an internship, please see registration guidelines here.

Stage 4

Please ensure that you register to a minimum of 30 credits from the option list below.
In order to complete your Undergraduate degree, you must earn at least 40 credits at level 3 or above. It is your responsibility to ensure that you meet this requirement. Note: You may have taken some level 3 modules in stage 3 already.

See the UCD Assessment website for further details, including worked examples of how degree award GPAs are calculated

---

Module Weighting Info