Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Applied Social Studies

Learning outcomes

Articulation and progression

Syllabi: Year 4

Management for Non-Profit Sector 1

Social research practice 2

Young people, youth work and the state

Family and Community

Sociology of crime and deviance

The global economy and poverty

Morality and social policy

Object relations

Stress and trauma

Management for the Non-Profit Sector 2

Dissertation

Childcare policy and practice

Disability studies

Sociology of education

Gender and sexuality

Legal aspects of social care

Futures of welfare

Analytical skills

Grief and bereavement

Learning outcomes

Field / Standards / Learning outcomes
Knowledge -breadth / An understanding of the theory, concepts and methods pertaining to a field (or fields) of learning. / demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the evolving theory and practice of social care and of the complex relationships between these elements
Knowledge -kind / Detailed knowledge and understanding in one or more specialised areas, some of it at the current boundaries of the field(s). / demonstrate a comprehensive and detailed knowledge and understanding of the social care field, including recent developments
Know-how skill & range / Demonstrate mastery of a complex and specialised area of skills and tools; use and modify advanced skills and tools to conduct closely guided research, professional or advanced technical activity. / demonstrate advanced social care skills and knowledge across a range of societal and care contexts
Know-how
& skill selectivity / Exercise appropriate judgement in a number of complex planning, design, technical and/or management functions related to products, services, operations or processes, including resourcing. / demonstrate the ability to formulate, design and implement management functions in the social care field
Competence-context / Use advanced skills to conduct research, or advanced technical or professional activity, accepting accountability for all related decision making; transfer and apply diagnostic and creative skills in a range of contexts. / demonstrate proficiency, creativity and accountability in: the conduct of research; programme and service planning, delivery and evaluation; and innovation and development
Competence-role / Act effectively under guidance in a peer relationship with qualified practitioners; lead multiple, complex and heterogeneous groups. / demonstrate the capacity to engage in a multi-disciplinary team; engage appropriately in supervision
Competence- learning to learn / Learn to act in variable and unfamiliar learning contexts; learn to manage learning tasks independently, professionally and ethically. / demonstrate the ability to transfer learning skills across client groups and contexts; take responsibility for continuing professional development
Competence- insight / Express a comprehensive, internalised, personal world view manifesting solidarity with others. / operate ethically as a reflective social care practitioner; express an appropriate professional identity; demonstrate empathy and solidarity with client groups; demonstrate a commitment to anti-oppressive practice and professional integrity

Articulation and progression

Access

The Institute of Technology Sligo has established policies to allow for access to a full range of learners. The Applied Social Studies programme has a strong tradition in the encouragement of applications from mature age and other non-standard applicants. This is reflected in the high quota of such students admitted to the programme.

In addition the programme is committed to access via life long learning, distance education, outreach and work-based provision.

Entry to the BA(Hons) is open to persons holding a BA in Applied Social Studies or equivalent.

Progression

Graduates of this level 8 award may progress to research-based postgraduate study at the Institute or at other institutions, or to a range of taught Masters and other level 9 programmes outside IT Sligo. It is proposed to develop a taught masters or other postgraduate programme at the Institute in the post Programmatic Review period.

Syllabi: Year 4

Module title / Management for Non-Profit Sector 1
Module Number / SOCI416
Prerequisites / None
Module Credits / 10
Credit Level / 4
Module Duration / 60 hours
Learning Objectives
On completion of this module the student will:
  • Have developed an analytical approach to the role of management in social care organisations
  • Be able to analyse the factors that contribute to effective staff performance and to be able to devise strategies for staff management
  • Understand human resource management principles and be able to apply them in appropriate settings
  • Have explored the factors that stimulate organisational change and the development of strategies for managing in order to achieve organisational effectiveness
  • Have explored career aspirations in supervisory/management roles
  • Explored the potential of strategic management and the skills for its successful implementation
  • Have a good knowledge of occupational health and safety issues

Syllabus content

Management in the Non-profit sector

  • What is management?
  • The role of management in the non-profit sector
  • Approaches to management

The role of the manager

  • The role of the manager
  • Managerial skills
  • Issues in social care management

Leading and supporting staff

  • Approaches to leadership/Power
  • Decision making and facilitation
  • Motivation
  • Team-building

Strategic management

  • Strategic management process
  • Developing strategic plans/Service planning
  • Scenario Planning

Organisational management

  • Organisational types and life cycles
  • Effective organisational structure and design

Human resource management

  • Workplace culture
  • Managing conflict
  • Organisational policies
  • Stress management/Time management

Staffing issues

  • Job descriptions
  • Recruitment and selection
  • Training and development
  • Grievance and disciplinary procedures
  • Staff Appraisals/Personal development planning
  • Staff Supervision

Organisational Control

  • Establishing quality standards
  • Monitoring and evaluation

Public Relations and Communications

Managing Change
  • Nature and importance of change
  • Managing the change process
  • Creating a learning organisation

Occupational Health and Safety

  • Management of health and safety in the workplace
  • Health promotion in the workplace

Assessment
Continuous assessment:
Exam
Total / 40%
60%
100%
Module title / Social research practice 2
Module code / SOCI402
Credit rating / 5
Credit level / 4
Prerequisite modules / SOCI302 Social research practice 1
Corequisite modules / None
Total contact hours / lecture / 26
tutorial / 17
computer lab / 8
Module aims
This module re-introduces students to the fascinating area of research methodology and its use within the caring professions. A key question to be addressed in this module in an applied and practical way is ‘how do we know what we know?’ The module will provide students with some of the skills that researchers use to investigate social phenomena. Students will begin work on their dissertation topic and produce a detailed literature review and research proposal.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module the student will be able to:
  1. explain the process of how to ‘do’ research develop a research topic
  2. design research questions
  3. conduct an extensive literature review
  4. construct a detailed research proposal

Syllabus content

  1. The research journey: the theory
  • explain the process of how to ‘do’ research
  • define the topic
  • developing research questions
  • collecting data: qualitative and quantitative approaches
  • analysing qualitative and quantitative data
  1. The research journey: the skills
  • design a research project
  • conduct a detailed literature review on a self-selected topic
  • explore value of research in the construction of evidence
  • assess ‘evidence’ from a variety of sources including internet, books, journals, newspaper articles, press releases
  1. The research journey: the practice
  • write a detailed research proposal
  • make use of various computer software packages such as Excel, SPSS, NVivo and Q4

Achieving and assessing learning outcomes

learning outcome / learning methodology / assessment method
1.explain the process of how to ‘do’ research / class discussion, reading, group activity / presentations, problem based learning activities - assignment 1
2.develop a research topic / class discussion, reading, group activity / presentations, problem based learning activities - assignment 1
3.design research questions / class discussion, reading, group activity / presentations, problem based learning activities – assignment 1
4.conduct an extensive literature review / class discussion, reading, group activity / presentations, problem based learning activities - assignment 1
5.construct a detailed research proposal / class discussion, reading, group activity / presentations, problem based learning activities – assignment 2
Allocation of marks
Continuous assessment [100%]
  • complete an annotated bibliography of 15 items on a specified topic. This will be a mixture of books, journal articles, web sites, newspapers etc. Present both as an oral presentation and as a piece of written work (30%)
  • construct a detailed research proposal (70%)

Recommended reading
Bryman, A
(2004) / Social research methods. Oxford: OxfordUniversity Press.
Edwards, A. and R. Talbot
(1999) / The hard-pressed researcher: A research handbook for the caring professions. New York: Longman.
Humphries, B. ed
(2000) / Research in social care and social welfare. London: Jessica Kingsley.
May, T.
(2001) / Social research.London: McGraw-Hill.
Sarantakos, S.
(2004) / Social research.London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Supplementary reading
Kane, E. and M. O’ Reilly De Brun
(2001) / Doing your own research. London: Boyars
Baker, T.
(1994) / Doing social research.New York: McGraw Hill.
Ballinger, B.
(2001) / The curious researcher: A guide to writing research papers. Pearson
Bulmer, M.
(1984) / Sociological research methods.London: Macmillan
Hughes, J.
(1997) / The philosophy of social research.London: Longman

Module title

/ Young people, youth work and the state

Module code

/ SOCI403
Credit rating / 5
Credit level / 4
Prerequisite modules / None
Corequisite modules / None

Total contact hours

/ lecture / 17 hours
tutorial / 17 hours
other / guest lecture series
Module aim
This module aims to critically analyse the experiences of young people in Irish society in the 21st century, with a particular focus on diverse identities, social exclusion and citizenship. The module will consider how representations of ‘youth’ in the popular and academic discourse impact on policy and provision. In addition it will examine and assess the contribution of the youth services to personal and social development opportunities for young people in the context of social exclusion, and citizenship.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module the student will:
  1. assess the experiences of young people in Irish society from academic research and media perspectives with a view to outlining the key issues affecting young people in contemporary Irish society
  2. critically examine the representation of young people in the popular and academic discourse and the impact of this on policy provision by the state and the non-state sector
  3. outline the policy context for the development of youth services in Ireland and critically assess the challenges facing youth service provision at the start of the 21st century
  4. demonstrate an understanding of the diverse identities of young people with particular reference to gender, class, ethnicity and disability
  5. describe the social education model of youth work with reference to the contribution of this approach to addressing the developmental needs of young people in the context of structures of social exclusion and conceptions of citizenship with regard to young people
  6. outline the role of the youth worker as professional and best practice models of youth services provision

Syllabus content

  1. the experience of being young in Ireland to-day: research and popular conceptions of the issues affecting young people: representation of ‘youth’ in media and academic discourse: impact on youth policy and youth service provision in Ireland to-day
  2. historical development of youth services; policy and provision with particular reference to the National Youth Work Development Plan and the Youth Work Act 2001:models of youth service provision: national voluntary youth organisations; statutory provision and recent developments
  3. identity and young people: gender, ethnicity, class and disability: innovative responses from the youth service
  4. appraisal of the social education model of youth work; principles and methodologies of the approach. models of best practice with particular reference to addressing developmental needs in the context of social exclusion and weak conceptions of citizenship for young people
  5. the professional youth worker: roles and responsibilities, structures of employment; programmes; types of youth work: centre-based work; outreach work; specialist youth work: addiction, homelessness
  6. professional issues: care and control; professional identity; standards, resources planning

Achieving and assessing learning outcomes

learning outcome / learning methodology / assessment method
  1. assess the experiences of young people in Irish society from academic research and media perspectives with a view to outlining the key issues affecting young people in contemporary Irish society
/ lecture, selected reading group discussion / research project with a focus on a literature review carried out with respect to selected central texts on young people in irish society, media representations of ‘youth’: the impact of the above on historical development and current trends in the sector
  1. critically examine the representation of young people in the popular and academic discourse and the impact of this on policy provision by the state and the non-state sector
/ student lead research and peer presentations / as above
  1. outline the policy context for the development of youth services in Ireland and critically assess the challenges facing youth service provision at the start of the 21st century
/ lecture, selected reading and group discussion / as above
  1. demonstrate an understanding of the diverse identities of young people with particular reference to gender, class, ethnicity and disability and innovative youth sector responses
/ selected readings, agency visits and group feedback on best practice models / appraisal report on a youth work agency with particular reference to the approach taken to gender, ethnicity, class or disability issues for young people within the agency, the social education model of youth work in practice by the youth workers and the professional issues impacting on the role of the youth worker
  1. describe the social education model of youth work with reference to the contribution of this approach to addressing the developmental needs of young people in the context of structures of social exclusion and conceptions of citizenship
/ lecture, selected readings, youth work agency appraisals, group discussions / as above
  1. outline the role of the youth worker as professional and best practice models of youth services provision
/ lecture, interviews with professional youth workers and agency visits / as above
Allocation of marks
Continuous assessment [100%]
  • research project (50%)
  • youth work agency appraisal report (50%)

Recommended reading

Banks, S.
(1999) / Ethical Issues in Youth Work London Routledge
DES
(1994) / A review of youth work practice in community based projects. Dublin: Stationery Office.
DESYouth Affairs
(2003) / National youth work development plan 2003-2007
Dublin: Stationery Office.
DHC
(2001) / Our children -Their lives [National children’s strategy]. Dublin Stationery Office.
Jenkinson, H.
(2000) / ‘Youth work: struggle for identity’. Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies2(2)
Kennedy, P.
(1999) / ‘Irish youth policy’. In S. Quinn et al (eds) Contemporary Irish social policy. Dublin: UCD Press.
Roche, J. and S. Tucker
(1999) / Youth in society: Contemporary theory, policy and practice.
Smith, M
(1982) / Creators not consumers [out of print. Downloadable from Irish Social Care Gateway:
Supplementary reading
Children’s Research Unit TCD /DJELR
(2000)
/ Impact and effectiveness of Garda special projects
Fleming, T. and M. Murphy
(2000) / Squaring the circle: An analysis of programmes in Dublin to prevent early school leaving.Dublin: Dublin Employment Pact.
Focus Ireland
(1997) / Profiling the needs of young people in local areas. Dublin: Focus Point.
Galvin, A.
(1995) / Contrasting models of youth work: An empirical analysisDublin: Catholic Youth Council.
Government of Ireland
(2001) / Youth Work Act (2001) Dublin: Stationery Office
Government of Ireland
(2003) / Code of practice child protection for the youth work sector. Dublin: Stationery Office.
McGrath B. and J. Canavan
(2001) / Researching rural youth: A mixed methods approach: Galway: NUIG
Newman, F. and S. Becsky
(1996) / Youth policy and youth work in ireland NYCI/Dublin
NYCI/DES Youth Affairs
(1996) / Youth in focus: Overview of the N.Y.C.I. Dublin
O’Sullivan, E. and R. Gilligan, R.
(1998) / No school-no future.Dublin: National Youth Federation.
Women’s Aid Dublin
(2001)
/ Teenage tolerance: The hidden lives of young Irish peopleDublin: Women’s Aid.
Journals
National Youth Federation Irish Youth work Resource Centre / Irish Youth Work Scene
Youth UK / Youth and Policy

Family and Community

Module title

/ Sociology of crime and deviance

Module code

/ SOCI405
Credit rating / 5
Credit level / 4
Prerequisite modules / None
Corequisite modules / None

Total contact hours

/ lecture / 34 hours
tutorial / 17 hours
Module aim
This module seeks to reach an understanding of the social construction of crime and deviance in society today. Theories of deviance, crime, social harm, social control, punishment, crime prevention and intervention will be explored in an Irish and international context.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module the student will:
  1. be familiar with major theories of crime and deviance and social control
  2. be able to understand inequality issues in the analyses of causes and consequences of crime, deviance and social control in society
  3. evaluate different responses to crime with regard to punishment, prevention and intervention programmes aimed at reducing crime
  4. understand restorative justice
  5. explore the reality of crime for social actors who experience the consequences of crime.
  6. examine international trends in crime and punishment

Syllabus content

1Introduction, origins of criminology, present day and emerging theories of crime and deviance

  • trace the early origins of criminology from classical interpretations, positivism, functionalist, to conflict approaches to understanding crime and deviance
  • give a critical interpretation of contemporary theories of crime causation including a discussion of personality traits, social disorganisation, consumption patterns, relative deprivation, etc
  • contest and debate why it is that only certain behaviours seem to be subjected to criminal sanction, while others may go unpoliced, unnoticed and may be approved of by society
  • discuss the key aspects of interactionist, labelling and critical criminology perspectives in analysis of social order and power and the construction of ‘crime’, ‘criminality’, ‘criminal behaviour’, and ‘white-collar crime’
  • explain feminist interpretation in relation to crime and deviance today
  • analyse the work of Michel Foucault on ‘discipline’ and ‘governmentality’ and the problem of crime and assess the value of Foucault’s overall contribution to the sociology of crime and deviance
  • describe new theories considering new social harms emerging in a ‘global world’: globalised criminal networks, human rights abuses; regulation, surveillance and repression in urban spaces; risk society; fear of crime and cultural criminology exploring issues of image, meaning and representation of crime and crime control.

2Inequality, crime and crime control