Information for Secondary School Students
What is Information and Social Computing?
We live in a society in which information is central to our work, democratic governance, culture, health and life choices. Increasingly the interaction among people, information and technology impacts a variety of businesses and professional careers.
Information and Social Computing focuses on all the ways in which information is:
- organised
- stored
- presented
- searched
- shared, and
- used
by individuals, groups, organizations and society using a variety of technologies.
SILS is the only school of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. It is the only place where Information and Social Computing can be taken as a subject at undergraduate level.
Currently, Information and Social Computing is available as a subject in the following undergraduate programmes:
- Bachelor of Arts (CAO Code: DN500)
- Bachelor of Social Science (CAO Code: DN550)
BA and BSocSc students who choose the 30-credit major Library and Information Studies option can obtain an entry-level qualification that is recognised by the Library Association of Ireland (LAI). This qualification permits access to LAI membership, and qualifies graduates to Library Assistant standard,which is the grade before any professional management level.
Students can also choose to apply to our professional postgraduate programmes following graduation; successful completion of either the GDLIS or MLIS programmes leads to a professional qualification in Library and Information Studies, which is fully recognised by the LAI and enables holders to apply for professional managerial positions in Library and Information Science.
What do students learn in our undergraduate programmes?
Within the BA and BSocSc programmes, students can choose Information and Social Computing as a 20-credit minor or a 25-credit joint major, along with another subject of their choice (subject to restrictions). Information and Social Computing modules can also be chosen as electives in other undergraduate programmes, subject to availability.
At Stage 1, students must take a minimum of 2 Information and Social Computing modules, in order to proceed to the next stage. The Stage 1 modules offer a basic foundation in key areas of the subject, namely an overview of information and social computing; the information society and its economic impact; developing information literacy skills and reflective information practices; and the presentation and design of information.
The kinds of topics and learning covered in the Stage 1 modules include:
- Methods to search for information
- Ways to evaluate information
- New and emergent information technologies
- How to write academic essays and professional reports
- Information management
- Web publishing & web design
- Privacy and censorship
- Roles of social networking
What kinds of careers could graduates pursue with an Information and Social Computing degree?
- Knowledge officer, knowledge administrator
- Information Architect, web content manager, web designer
- Soical media consultant, social computing consultant, social media officer
- Social web editor, social media coorindator, interactive media specialist
- Assistant Librarian, trainee liaison librarian
- Digital library co-ordinator
- Information manager
- Health service information managers - records management
- Proof reader, copy editor, indexer
- Market researcher
- Journalist / Publisher
- Content strategist
- Public sector information manager
- Business analyst, management consultant
- Public relations officer, marketing manager
- Learning resources centre manager, senior learning resource advisor, reader development officer
- Information officer, information specialist, information research specialist, information adviser, community and information officer
- Cataloguer, indexer, library technician, metadata specialist
- Legal information and records and manager, clinical knowledge database Ttrainer, research and projects officer, research assistant
Graduates of our undergraduate programmes have obtained positions in such diverse careers as advertising managers, information managers, bank officials, webmasters, instructional designers, librarians, PR executives, civil servants, research analysts, teachers, marketing executives, and information and resource officers.
Applying to the BA programme (DN500) through CAO
Students who apply for the BA degree now have the opportunity to declare a preference for a two subject joint major when they choose DN500 on their CAO form. If Information and Social Computing is chosen at this point, students will be automatically pre-registered for two Information and SOcial Computing level one modules – either a combination of IS10010 & IS10030 OR IS10020 & IS10040, and will be guaranteed a place in both of these modules. If desired, students will have to option to change their module choices later, depending on availability.
