The Bachelor of Social Science at University College Dublin recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary as the premier Bachelors degree of its kind in Ireland. It has a long established reputation for teaching excellence and a proven track record of students gaining employment on completion of the programme.  It is aimed at students who wish to explore and understand the societies in which they live and the design, implementation and impact of policies and social services. You will be supported and encouraged in developing reflective, analytic and employment-oriented skills. You will work individually and with your peers to learn how to evaluate evidence and identify solutions to key social challenges, nationally and internationally. You will be taught by academic experts who will, through a mixture of lectures and small group teaching, support you in choosing the modules that best suit your interests and develop your career needs. 

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(opens in a new window)DN750 - BSocSc Social Policy and Sociology on MyUCD

DN750 - BSocSc Social Policy and Sociology in the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice

The subject of Social Justice draws on a range of academic disciplines in order to advance understanding of issues such as inequality, discrimination and human rights abuses. It will appeal to those who would like to acquire the knowledge and skills to understand and challenge injustice and help bring about social change.

Why study Social Justice? If would like to acquire the knowledge and skills to understand and challenge injustice and help bring about social change then the study of Social Justice is right for you. The subject of Social Justice draws on a range of academic disciplines in order to advance understanding of issues such as inequality, discrimination and human rights abuses. On completion of your studies you will have acquired an in-depth understanding of the underlying causes of and remedies for social and economic injustice, which will equip you for further study or employment in fields such as public policy; international development; human rights; community development; social research; advocacy/campaigning.

What will I study? The undergraduate programme in Social Justice at UCD address themes such as global poverty and inequality; gender and sexual inequality; human rights and social justice; inequality in Irish society; childhood inequality; social justice movements; racism; and the problems and possibilities of economic development. Over the course of your four-year programme in Social Justice you will engage with an effective, research-led, evidence-based, socially engaged curriculum. You will advance your knowledge about the key social issues of the 21st century, while developing your skills in relation to critical thinking, research, analysis, problem-solving and communication. Lecturers in Social Justice are highly rated by students and a number have won university learning and teaching awards. We place a strong emphasis on participatory learning and your studies will take place within a supportive and stimulating environment where you will have the opportunity to engage with like-minded people who share your interest in Social Justice. Our aim is to support students to become critical, reflective citizens with the capacity to act as effective agents of change locally and globally. 

Find out more about the BSc Social Science Social Justice joint major, including what subjects you can study as the other part of your joint major (opens in a new window)here.

The BCL with Social Justice programme, the first of its kind in Ireland, combines the study of Law with the study of social exclusion, its causes and remedies. It will appeal to students who are interested in issues of equality, diversity and disadvantage, and who want to look in-depth at the social context in which law operates. On completion, you’ll be uniquely equipped to offer a critical perspective on issues such as the adequacy of our criminal justice system, the legal treatment of women and minority groups, and the underlying causes of social and economic injustice. Find out more (opens in a new window)here.

Progression route from Community Drugs and Alcohol Outreach programme

This pathway to the award of the University College Dublin NFQ Level 8 BSocSc degree is only available to students who have completed the University Certificate in Community Drugs and Alcohol Support. This is a unique progression pathway designed to offer students who may have found difficulty accessing higher education through traditional routes the opportunity to complete a Bachelors degree with considerable cachet amongst potential employers, both in Ireland and internationally. The Social Policy major component of this pathway also fulfils one of the important criteria for entry into the MSocSc Social Work. Students enter directly into Stage 2 of the BSocSc programme and, if all modules are passed, complete it in 2 years. Find out more about the pathway here.