Expand+Apply By Sept 11th, 2017

Applications for this course are accepted through our online application centre. To apply for the degree, you will need to:

◾Satisfy the entry requirements for the programme
◾Provide a range of documents to...

Hide-Apply By Sept 11th, 2017

Applications for this course are accepted through our online application centre. To apply for the degree, you will need to:

◾Satisfy the entry requirements for the programme
◾Provide a range of documents to support your application
◾Submit a personal statement explaining why you want to apply

What Supporting Documents Will I Need?

You will need to provide us with a range of documents as part of your application. These are:

◾Proof of identity. Common examples included scanned copies of a driving license or passport (for international applicants).

◾Employment Validation: Formal confirmation that you are working for more than 10 hours a week in a qualifying service is required. Please use the employer validation form we have provided for download below.

◾Volunteer Form: You will need to complete a Volunteer Form if you are currently working as a volunteer. This is available for download below.

◾Educational Transcripts: These are copies of previous educational achievements that confirm you satisfy the course entry requirements. They could, for example, include a copy of your leaving certificate or a scan of a level 5 certificate. It is particularly important that applicants wishing to transfer from another course, or be considered for Advanced Entry, provide transcripts confirming they have completed a Level 6/7 course worth at least 60 credits (NFQ) or more in Social Care or Social Studies within the last 10 years.

◾Personal Statement: This document essentially explains why you want to take the course and how you see it helping you achieve your professional and personal goals. You can learn more about it below and download a simple document that will help you write it.

◾International Applicants: International applicants are required to provide documentary evidence of proficiency in English and eligibility to study in Ireland before beginning an accredited course. A document explaining why it is necessary and what documents are required for a successful application can be found below.

What is a Personal Statement and Why is it Important?

A personal statement briefly describes:
◾Who you are
◾What you do
◾What you hope to achieve in your career on both a personal and professional level
◾How you think the course will help you achieve your goals

Personal statements are particularly important for us when assessing individual applications. We believe in selecting students not just based on their previous academic achievements but on how a particular educational programme can help them achieve their personal and professional goals. Personal statements help us understand why you want to take the course and if it is the right one for you.

Expand+3 years

The course uses a ‘blended’ approach. Each module combines online learning, tutorials (telephone, online, virtual) and face to face workshops. Learning materials are explicitly designed to accommodate the pressures that come with trying to...

Hide-3 years

The course uses a ‘blended’ approach. Each module combines online learning, tutorials (telephone, online, virtual) and face to face workshops. Learning materials are explicitly designed to accommodate the pressures that come with trying to balance work, life and learning. They make it possible to build study time around your work schedule.

Regular online tutorials will expand your knowledge of the topic and answer any questions you have as you study. Each one-day seminar focuses on how the module topic is impacting the sector, will deepen your understanding of the subject matter and help you apply it in your working practice.

Underpinning all of this is our learning community. This is made up of tutors who have extensive first-line experience, learning support staff who understand the human challenges people can face when attending college and our students who are defined by their commitment to supporting each other. We believe this creates a learning experience that is unique to the Open Training College, one that meets the specific requirements of people working in our sector and improves the quality of service our users receive.

This is known as the Supported Open Learning Model.

Expand+To apply you must:

◾Be either 23 years of age when you apply, or

◾Have successfully completed a Leaving Certificate/QQI/FETAC Level 5 Certificate.

All applicants must be employed or volunteering in a service for people with disab...

Hide-To apply you must:

◾Be either 23 years of age when you apply, or

◾Have successfully completed a Leaving Certificate/QQI/FETAC Level 5 Certificate.

All applicants must be employed or volunteering in a service for people with disabilities for at least 10 hours a week.

International Applicants must provide appropriate documentary evidence of proficiency in English (i.e. IELTS 6.0).

Transferring from Another Course

People who want to take advantage of our advanced entry system, which allows you use previously gained academic qualifications to gain specific exemptions, must have completed a Level 6/7 cognate* qualification to 60 credits (NFQ) or more in Social Care or Social Studies within the last 10 years. Visit the advanced entry page to find out more process.

* A cognate qualification is one that is similar in nature, content and quality to the course being applied for.

Expand+This degree programme will prepare social care workers for CORU registration. Focusing specifically on the disability sector, the three-year, part-time/open learning degree provides participants with the skills to work effectively within the rapidly ...

Hide-This degree programme will prepare social care workers for CORU registration. Focusing specifically on the disability sector, the three-year, part-time/open learning degree provides participants with the skills to work effectively within the rapidly evolving disability services sector. After completing it, you will be able to deliver better services to the people you support.

The Degree Is Specifically Designed for People Working In The Disability Sector

The course is exclusively aimed at people working in disability services. It was created by people with extensive first-line experience who fully understand the area and the problems that come with attempting to balance work, life and learning when you work in it.


It Is Entirely Practical
It is an applied programme dealing with real world challenges. The choice of course materials is determined by the needs of people employed in the sector. They are dealt with from the perspective of someone working in the disability arena and their relevance/quality is determined by the ways in which they can be applied to, and improve, everyday practice.
Similarly, our assignments tackle issues that you are likely to face in the workplace. While you are completing these you will have access to our expert tutors and a community of people who are almost certainly trying to deal with the same issues. As such, successfully completing the course will provide you with a unique opportunity to address real-world challenges and improve the quality of service your organisation delivers.


The College is at the Heart of the Sector
We work in partnership with over 180 organisations from the human services and non-profit sector. Together we ensure that the Bachelor of Arts in Professional Social Care (Disability) always reflects:

◾The current regulatory and public policy environment (including HIQA, New Directions and the challenges posed by the new Assisted Decision Making legislation)

◾The issues driving the sector, and

◾Contemporary best practices for managing them


We are a Student-Centred College
The degree is designed to accommodate the pressures and responsibilities that you face. Its mixture of workshops, tutorials and online learning will allow you to balance your work, life and college commitments. Remember; our active learning community (made up of students, tutors and learning support staff) is always there to support you as you learn.

The course content is based on:
◾Our expertise in the disability and broader social care area
◾International best practice
◾Current legislation and policy
◾Ongoing feedback from course participants
◾Input from graduates, professional bodies, regulatory bodies and service users

This is reflected in the choice of learning objectives, course materials and the award winning approach that has been developed to deliver the course.

Learning Objectives

After completing the course you will:

◾Possess a detailed understanding of the services, systems and regulations that affect professional social care practice

◾Understand the various roles of the social care professional
in pan disability services

◾Be able to explain the central importance of human rights and social justice in pan disability contexts

◾Know how to use a range of research, enquiry and analysis methods to investigate social care issues

◾Have the critical and analytic skills required to investigate, understand, and solve problems that arise in professional social care settings

◾Know how to accurately, objectively and sensitively record information relating to service users in a way that complies with current legal, quality and ethical regulations and requirements

◾Be able to work in inter-professional contexts and make substantive contributions to collective decision-making

◾Have the ability to reflect on personal practice, and recognise and address the limitations of your current knowledge, skills, and competencies

◾Know how to engage in self-directed practice and key work with service-users, groups, communities, families

◾Know when to seek professional support/guidance when performing your role

◾Be able to take responsibility for safeguarding and protecting service-users

◾Understand the professional and ethical commitments of being a social care professional

Expand+Year One
The first year of the course provides a detailed introduction to the person centred approach to working with persons with pan disability. During it you will begin developing the core competencies required to use it. During the year you will...

Hide-Year One
The first year of the course provides a detailed introduction to the person centred approach to working with persons with pan disability. During it you will begin developing the core competencies required to use it. During the year you will also acquire the skills needed to successfully complete a third level degree.

Modules
◾Third Level Study Skills
◾Exploring Disability
◾Communications 1: Communication & Interpersonal skills in Social Care
◾Policy & Legislation in Social Care 1
◾Social Care Practice 1: Focus on the Individual (Person Centred Planning)
◾Professional Practice 1: Social Care Practice & Ethics

Year Two
The second year concentrates on developing the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to provide innovative, person centred supports for service users within a rights based, empowering, quality driven environment.

Modules
◾Psychology 1: Lifespan Development & Transitions
◾Psychology 2: Learning Theories & Teaching Strategies
◾Policy & Legislation in Social Care 2
◾Social Care Practice 2: Empowerment & Advocacy
◾Communications 2
◾Professional Practice 2: Quality & Risk in the Context of Regulation (for example, HIQA)

Year Three

The final year of the programme concentrates on the specific social care skills required to deal with practitionership issues that arise from supporting individuals with disability in a rapidly changing environment. It also provides an opportunity to further develop your formal research and analytic skills to critically investigate disability issues from a range of perspectives including the service user, organisational, societal and policy viewpoints.

Modules
◾Social Research Methods
◾Psychology 3: Wellbeing & Positive Behaviour Supports
◾Social Care Practice 3: Exploration of Relationships, Self & Sexuality
◾Social Care Practice 4: Working with Families
◾Active Inclusion

You will also need to select one of the following modules as part of your study:
◾Supporting a Person Within the Autistic Spectrum
◾Supporting a Person in Mainstream Work

Expand+The course is assessed through a combination of assignments, online activities, written examinations and in-class assessment.

It is an applied course so you must be working at least 10 hours per week in an appropriate work environment.

Promotin...

Hide-The course is assessed through a combination of assignments, online activities, written examinations and in-class assessment.

It is an applied course so you must be working at least 10 hours per week in an appropriate work environment.

Promoting best practice in services is integral to the College’s mission. As part of this, we place particular importance on encouraging students to apply what they are learning – as they are learning – in their professional environment. Therefore, our learning materials, workshops and assessments are practical in nature. A significant proportion of assessment marks, for example, are allocated to applying what you learn in real-world settings.

Expand+Successful completion of this course will allow you register as a social care worker with CORU. The registration board has been formed for Social Care and the consultation over the processes and mechanisms for registration as a social care worker are...

Hide-Successful completion of this course will allow you register as a social care worker with CORU. The registration board has been formed for Social Care and the consultation over the processes and mechanisms for registration as a social care worker are at an advanced stage.

Opening Up Other Career & Educational Opportunities

Social care workers can also specialise in a variety of areas after taking further study. Previous students have specialised in areas such as social work, community work, addiction supports, mental health workers and quality management. Completing the course, for example, will entitle you to take to the Honours Bachelor of Arts in Professional Social Care (Disability)) at Level 8 (NFQ), subject to meeting entry requirements.

Being a social care worker means you could progress your career through to management, by becoming a social care leader or a person in charge in disability services. The College provides a route to do this by allowing graduates of this programme progress to a Level 8 Honours Bachelor of Arts in Professional Social Care (Disability) that promotes advanced social care practice and innovative new services after they have completed this course.