Social Policy and Sociology

The Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc) Social Policy and Sociology at University College Dublin is the premier honours degree of its kind in Ireland. It is the standard qualification for those working in policy making and social services and recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. If you are interested in exploring how societies, communities and families work and wish to make a difference to the world, affect cultural change, contribute to public service or corporate responsibility, then this course is for you.

Click here to Download Course Pathways document.

The BSocSc provides students with a qualification in both Social Policy and Sociology. Social Policy explores the design, funding and impact of welfare related public policies such as social security, health, housing education, and care and their impacts across different family types, income and age groups, genders, and regions. 

In the course students, explore how communities, organisations and policymakers in Ireland and internationally are responding to key societal challenges including poverty, inequality, climate change, access to housing, gender discrimination, health inequities and many other social problems. Students gain a strong grounding in quantitative and qualitative methods as well as policy analysis. You will attend lectures and seminars and engage in project-based learning, instruction, and independent study with experienced academic staff with input from policymakers and industry.

First Year

You will undertake compulsory modules in social policy and sociology. Students are not expected to have any prior knowledge of these disciplines; the first-year modules will provide you with a comprehensive introduction.

Second & Third Year

Alongside core modules in social policy and sociology you will select optional modules from one of three career orientated pathways, which will refine and develop your skills.

In third year students complete a Social Policy capstone assignment. Through this assignment students have the opportunity to focus on a topic of their choosing allowing them to further develop a core area of expertise that can be applied in further education or the workforce.

Social Work and Social Professions

This pathway provides you with a strong foundation for professional social work or social service careers, in addition to careers in counselling, social care management and the probation service.

Society and Public Policy

Students are introduced to social policy topics covering a wide range of social and public services and modules in public sociology. This pathway prepares you for a wide range of graduate programmes and employment in public services, NGOs, community development, youth work, social enterprise and public policy advocacy.

Work, Organisations and People

Students combine social policy and sociology with modules from organisational psychology and industrial relations. This pathway prepares you for study in a wide range of organisation orientated graduate programmes and for employment in business and personnel management, industrial relations, marketing and corporate responsibility and governance.

Students can apply to study abroad for a year in partner universities by extending the degree to 4 years. Destinations include Netherlands, Malta, Hong Kong and Canada.

This degree provides an excellent grounding for a wide range of careers such as: Social research and policy analysis • Journalism • Online and New Media • Social work • Community work • Social services management • Human Resources Management • The Civil and Public Service The degree opens up many pathways for career development and further study both within the School and beyond. For example many students in the Social Work pathway progress into the Schools Professional Masters of Social Work.

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

UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice
sp-sw-sj@ucd.ie

The UCD College of Social Sciences and Law is a broad and diverse, but connected community of students and faculty who are committed to creating a more sustainable and equitable future for all. We work together in a culture of collaboration to support each other to thrive and achieve our full potential, in service of broader societal goals. Through our undergraduate and graduate education, research and external engagement, we aim to ensure that our students, faculty and staff thrive and contribute to sustainable well-being on our campus, in Ireland and across the wider world. Our faculty are globally recognized experts in their fields, advancing knowledge through research, engaging with government, business and civil society to enhance our world, and using their knowledge to design and offer cutting-edge education within their disciplines and across the disciplines of Archaeology, Economics, Geography, Information & Communication Studies, Philosophy, Politics & International Relations, Psychology, Social Policy Social Work & Social Justice, and Sociology. Our ambition is that our students will debate and engage with the greatest societal challenges of our time by becoming informed citizens who will play a leading role in shaping societies around the globe toward more sustainable futures.  

The Social Sciences degrees at UCD incorporate a diverse range of formal and informal learning opportunities for students, delivered by excellent researchers who are leading their fields globally, and embedding the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDG’s) in their educational activities where appropriate.

BSocSc Social Policy & Sociology

The Sociology and Social Policy programme explores key social issues affecting societies in Ireland and worldwide including poverty, homelessness, addiction, mental illness, social stratification, criminal justice, globalisation, gender equality, sexualities and reproductive health, childhood and children’s services, and tax and welfare systems. By learning about how policy makers respond to societal challenges, students are equipped to make a difference to the world, affect cultural change, contribute to public service or corporate responsibility to advance the sustainable development goals. 

• No Poverty (SDG1)
• Good health and wellbeing (SDG 3) 
• Gender Equality (SDG 5) 
• Reduce Inequalities (SDG 10)
• Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)
• Climate Action (SDG 13)
• Peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16)

Non-EU Undergraduate Fee information can be found here.

UCD offers a number of competitive undergraduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD undergraduate degree programme. For information on Undergraduate Scholarships, please see the UCD International Scholarships webpage.