Explore UCD

UCD Home >

DSCY10130

Academic Year 2024/2025

Understanding Homelessness (DSCY10130)

Subject:
Discovery
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Nursing,Midwifery & Health Sys
Level:
1 (Introductory)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Kate Frazer
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

What do you know about homelessness? What does that word mean to you? What image comes to mind? What does it mean to have a home?

We know that homelessness is a challenging issue involving children, adults, and families and an increasing public health problem. No single definition exists, and official national and international information is incomplete.

Homelessness can result from many factors. People experiencing homelessness and those at risk of homelessness are among the most disadvantaged. People who are homeless have poor health, and many will live a shortened life; others may end up homeless due to illness and/or health problems.

The overall aims of the module are to help students understand the context, characteristics and impact of being homeless. We will examine current solutions from countries that report successful reductions in homelessness and imagine solutions required in Ireland. Students will be guided and supported to identify problem areas and develop ideas for potential solutions bringing their own interests and discipline-specific knowledge.

Students who completed this elective module since 2021 have identified the personal learning gained over the 12 weeks in their understanding of homelessness.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion, a student will be able to:
1) Describe what homelessness means from the perspective of people who are experiencing homelessness.
2) Describe the profile of homeless populations nationally and globally.
3) Understand policies supporting homeless populations.
4) Explore diversity in homeless populations and explain how people are viewed and characterised.
5) Explore responses to reduce the risk of homelessness.
6) Apply creative and innovative solutions supporting people who are experiencing homelessness.

Indicative Module Content:

In this module, students will learn what homelessness is and how it is experienced by many people in Ireland and globally.
Irish and international policies on homelessness will be discussed.
The impact of homelessness and the associated factors will be considered.
Personal accounts from people who have been homeless and practitioners supporting people who are experiencing homelessness will be shared.
Solutions for reducing and ending homelessness - looking at international successes- will be explored.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Conversation Class

12
Specified Learning Activities

24
Autonomous Student Learning

52
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
We take an active approach to learning, including group and class activities, discussions, presentations, and reflection. The overall focus is learning using real-world examples from people who have been or are engaged with homeless services.

The module comprises three units:
Unit 1 Context and person-centred perspectives
Unit 2 Policy Perspectives
Unit 3 Real-world solutions and opportunities

Lectures will include co-delivered sessions with UCD PPI partners, including Dublin Simon Community, and from practitioners engaged in planning and delivering homelessness services, including health professionals and colleagues from Focus Ireland.

The module will be delivered through lectures and group discussions, and further learning will be supported via Brightspace resources and activities.

Weekly classes will consist of lectures, in-class activities and discussions.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Group Work Assignment: Students will be assigned into small groups for group work assessment components—oral presentation by all group members to pitch their initial assignment plan. All students must attend and present. Week 6 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

10

 Yes
Group Work Assignment: Final group oral presentation. All students must attend and engage in the presentation. Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

50

 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Participation in specific class learning activities discussed at the commencement of the module. Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

10

 No
Reflective Assignment: Individual 400-word written reflection related to the learning during the 12-week module. A specific template is provided for students to use, and guidance was noted for referencing. Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

30

 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback provided to students post-assessment.



Reading list is provided in Brightspace. Recommended reading to guide each session is provided in class.

Name Role
Dr Cliodhna Bairead Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Thilo Kroll Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.