Information & Communication Studies

Information & Communication Studies (ICS) equips students with the knowledge, skills, and tools to help them make sense of a world where every aspect of human experience is affected by digital technology, communications media, data, and information in all formats. ICS analyses the effects of existing and emerging digital technologies on societies, culture, politics, privacy, health, education and the many spheres of public, private and personal life, and also helps students to develop the skills to be involved in the design of new technologies.

ICS provides students with the skill-set and subject knowledge to develop career pathways into varying parts of the tech, communications and media industry specifically, and a range of careers more broadly. Ultimately, ICS is about people, and understanding how people and technology interact and influence each other in the 21st Century.

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First Year

All first-year social sciences students study the core module, Societal Challenges in the Twenty First Century. Additional modules may include: Introduction to Communication & Media Studies • Digital Technology • Digital Judgement: Truth, Lies & the Internet • Information, Society & Culture • + 1 other subject • Elective module

Second Year

Students in ICS take the core module Critical Research Skills, and choose from additional option modules including: Core Competencies for Digital Citizenship • Social Media & Participation in an Online World • Exploring Text with Python • Computer- Mediated Communication • Social Studies of ICTs • Contextual Design Inquiry • Theories of Media & Communication • Critical Data Studies • + 1 other subject • Elective modules

Third & Fourth Year

ICS students deepen their disciplinary knowledge and understanding by choosing specialist and experiential modules to reflect their interests and career goals, including: • Digital Media Ethics • Digital Storytelling • Web Publishing • Web UX Evaluation • Gender, Race and Media • Digital Research Skills • Artificial intelligence • Research & Discovery (4th Year only) Technology and Human Rights • Digital Media & Climate Crisis • Personal Information Management • Information Architecture • Elective modules

Assessment

Students in ICS attend classes and undertake independent study and project work. Assessment is through a combination of continuous assessment, projects, and end-oftrimester written examinations.

Internship Opportunities

In third year, students can apply for an optional paid internship for one trimester in a range of organisations in the public and private sector, which help to inform future career decisions through real-world experience.

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Students may study abroad for a year or a semester. Destinations include the USA, Australia, China and Canada.

Information & Social Computing is relevant for careers in: Web design and development, Social media, Social computing, User experience design, Investigative research, Publishing, Digital marketing and Business.

Graduates can progress to various Master’s courses:

• MSc Communication & Media, which prepares students for public and private sectors careers in digital media industries, communication regulation and policy, media design, management and research.
• MSc Human-Computer Interaction and MSc Information Systems, which prepare students in careers in human-computer interaction, usability, user experience, user research and information systems-related professions.
• Master of Library & Information Studies (MLIS), which prepares students for careers including librarianship, information consulting and digital media management.

Graduates can also pursue research careers by studying for a PhD.

• Level 5/6 QQI-FET
• Open Learning Entry Route
• Mature Entry Route
• DARE Entry Route
• HEAR Entry Route
• University Access

UCD School of Information and Communication Studies

e. socialsciences@ucd.ie