About Youth And Community Work (bsocsc (hons)) in University College Cork

This undergraduate degree in Social Science (Youth & Community Work) for mature students combines an academic social science programme with a professionally accredited qualification in youth and community work.

This professional qualification is recognised by employers in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and throughout the UK.

This programme is suitable for you if you have developed a concern for social justice and are interested in working with people, particularly those who experience marginalisation and social exclusion.

Your life experience will be an important contribution to the learning on this programme, which will prepare you to work as a professional with a sense of vocation in the challenging but rewarding field of youth and community work.

It is hoped that on completion of this course, you will continue to offer your critical skills and knowledge, either on a paid or voluntary basis, to people, communities and critical social movements.

Early 21st Century society in Ireland is in crisis. Communities continue to be polarised by inequalities in relation to social, economic and political life. Increasingly, a growing gap exists between those in poverty and those who remain the beneficiaries of some questionable policies and practices of our capitalist economy.

In this context, skilled and knowledgeable community and youth workers have a key role to play as facilitators, leaders and participants in movements for social and economic justice.

You will undertake a practice placement in each year of the programme in a wide range of agencies and settings across the youth, community and voluntary sector. These placements provide the opportunity to develop your knowledge and a wide range of skills, as well as building your reputation as a practitioner while still students on the programme.

Placements can be facilitated locally, nationally and internationally. During placements students receive a high level of support, both from our placement supervisors in the School of Applied Social Studies and from the agency or organisation where they are on placement.

Upon successful completion of the course you will be awarded a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science (Youth and Community Work) validated by the North-South Education in Training Standards in Youth Work Agency and recognised by JNC conditions for professional qualification.

The course is designed exclusively for mature students and accordingly offers supports and appropriate pedagogical structure.

Placement or Study Abroad Information

You will undertake a practice placement in each year of the programme in a wide range of agencies and settings across the youth, community and voluntary sector. These placements provide the opportunity to develop your knowledge and a wide range of skills, as well as building your reputation as a practitioner while still students on the programme.

Placements can be facilitated locally, nationally and internationally. During placements students receive a high level of support, both from our placement supervisors in the School of Applied Social Studies and from the agency or organisation where they are on placement.

Skills and Careers Information

Graduates from this course usually choose to seek employment in the following areas:

• Youth and Community Work
• Voluntary Sector
• Women’s groups
• Community Development projects
• Family Centres 
• Travellers’ rights groups
• Groups dealing with Disability, Homelessness, Ageing, Migrants Rights, Mental Health 

Graduates of the programme are employable in a wide range of areas as the skills developed on the course, particularly in the areas of both ‘people skills’ and reflective practice, and also the ability to provide critical analysis, readily transfer to many other areas.

Many former students of the programme play significant roles in their own communities and a number of former students are involved in politics at both local and national levels. Many of the positions on offer following graduation attract professional salaries and provide career opportunities.

A significant number of graduates also pursue postgraduate studies in areas such as:

• Social Policy
• Social Work
• Counselling
• Criminology
• Sociology
• Migration Studies
• Women’s Studies
• Voluntary and Community Sector Management

Academic qualification equivalents

 1.    All India Senior School Certificate 

 2.    Higher Secondary Certificate / Standard 12 

 3.    Indian School Certificate (Year 12) 

Band 1 Programmes

Minimum average of 90% + in any of the recognised secondary school qualifications.

Band 2 Programmes

Minimum average of 80-89% in any of the recognised secondary school qualifications.

Band 3 Programmes

Minimum average of 75-79% in any of the recognised secondary school qualifications.

Additional Requirements

Where Maths is required for a specific degree programme, a minimum score of 85% in Maths is required.

Where a Lab Science subject is required for a specific degree programme, a minimum score of 85% is required in the appropriate Lab Science subject.

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS: 6.5  Minimum individual sections 5.5
• TOEFL: TOEFL 90  Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing 17
• PTE: 63 Minimum individual sections 51

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