Expand+To compete for a place as a school leaver, an applicant must satisfy the minimum entry requirements as well as any specific programme requirements, and then compete on the basis of the results obtained in their school leaving examinations.

Applic...

Hide-To compete for a place as a school leaver, an applicant must satisfy the minimum entry requirements as well as any specific programme requirements, and then compete on the basis of the results obtained in their school leaving examinations.

Applicants may combine results achieved in different sittings for the purpose of meeting the minimum entry requirements for programmes, with the exception of Medicine (CK701). However, results achieved in separate years of school-leaving exams may not be combined for the purpose of scoring points.

Leaving Certificate applicants compete on the basis of a Points scheme.

Age Limits for Entry
For 2020 entry, CAO applicants for full-time degree programmes should have reached 17 years of age by 15th January 2021. Where a candidate below that age seeks to enter UCC, a special application must be made by the applicant to the Admissions Officer. Such an application should be accompanied by a letter of support from the Principal of the school at which the student is completing their school leaving examination.

Exemption from Irish And/Or The 3rd Language
In certain circumstances, applicants may be exempt from Irish and/or the third language requirement. Please refer to the NUI Handbook, the UCC Calendar or talk to your Guidance Counsellor for further details.

Infectious Diseases Policy
Students enroled on certain courses in the College of Medicine and Health are at increased risk of contracting and transmitting certain infectious diseases as a result of being in the clinical environment as part of their course. It is important, therefore, in order to protect patients and students that healthcare students are screened for, and immunized against, certain infectious illnesses. Students enroling in the School of Nursing and Midwifery are screened and immunized by the Health Service Executive Occupational Health Service and are subject to the HSE policies in this regard. All other undergraduate students in the College of Medicine and Health are subject to the UCC Infectious Disease Screening and Blood Borne Virus Policy. Details will be sent from the Admissions Office once a student has accepted his/her place.

Expand+QQI FET (FETAC) Students
Entry to degree programmes at UCC is available on a competitive basis to students who present with a recognised QQI award. For a full list of linked programmes, and the relevant QQI FET requirements, see www.ucc.ie/ e...

Hide-QQI FET (FETAC) Students
Entry to degree programmes at UCC is available on a competitive basis to students who present with a recognised QQI award. For a full list of linked programmes, and the relevant QQI FET requirements, see www.ucc.ie/ en/study/undergrad/fetac.

Students must meet the requirements and have achieved distinctions in the awards as outlined for each programme.

Due to the competitive nature of the Nursing Programmes, scores will only be calculated when the appropriate award is presented together with all the required modules and grades from a single sitting. For full details of the QQI FET award scoring scheme see www.qqi.ie.

Expand+MATURE STUDENT APPLICANTS
To be eligible to compete for a place as a mature student, you must be 23 years of age on or before 1 January 2021 and apply via www.cao.ie by 1 February. Please check out the CAO website for more information on the applic...

Hide-MATURE STUDENT APPLICANTS
To be eligible to compete for a place as a mature student, you must be 23 years of age on or before 1 January 2021 and apply via www.cao.ie by 1 February. Please check out the CAO website for more information on the application process as a mature student. There is a helpful video for mature applicants.

There are places for mature students on all undergraduate programmes. As a mature student you do not need Leaving Certificate points to enter UCC. However, some degree programmes have specific educational requirements so it is essential that you check the CAO Mature Student Guide, the Mature Student Office website www.ucc.ie/en/mature or contact our Mature Student Advisor for further details mso@ucc.ie. The Mature Student Office will be happy to help you with your application.

If you are a mature applicant, please note that you can also apply to UCC based on Leaving Certificate (LC) or QQI FE results. You may apply under all three pathways, if applicable (LC, QQI FE, Mature). Just ensure to tick boxes 1, 2 & 8, on the Qualifications and Assessment Summary section on the CAO application form, to be assessed under all three pathways.

Expand+Entry 2021

Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2021 at 5:15pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2021 at 5:15pm

Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2021 CA...

Hide-Entry 2021

Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2021 at 5:15pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2021 at 5:15pm

Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2021 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2021 at 5:15 pm

Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2021 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2021 5:15 pm

Exceptional online late application (see page 21 of the 2021 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2021 at 5:15pm

Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.

LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5:15pm on 1 February 2021. The closing date for late applications is 5:15pm on 1 May 2021, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2021 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2021 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.

Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5:15pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2021 in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system.

If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.

Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.

Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, Maynooth University and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these six HEIs, you should apply through CAO.

Refer to page 21 of the 2021 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.

Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2021 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:

General Restricitons
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices

Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course

Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants

Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR

Expand+Are you open-minded? Are you committed to social justice? Do you support and advocate for human rights? Are you interested in a career that promotes people’s wellbeing? Would you like to develop skills to analyse and navigate our supercomplex world...

Hide-Are you open-minded? Are you committed to social justice? Do you support and advocate for human rights? Are you interested in a career that promotes people’s wellbeing? Would you like to develop skills to analyse and navigate our supercomplex world?

The Bachelor of Social Science degree (BSocSc) invites you to study the social, cultural, psychological, political, and economic influences that shape the world we live in. If you embrace thinking about complicated and multi-layered social issues - such as mental health, children’s rights, education, disability, drugs and alcohol use, racism, sexual identity, housing and homelessness, equality, sustainability, and criminal justice – then Social Science is for you!

Over the course of three years, Social Science students develop highly valuable skills – including argumentation, problem-solving, critical thinking, writing, analytical, and research skills – that enable them to flourish as learners, people, professionals, active citizens, advocates, and activists.

On the Social Science course, you will examine social issues from many perspectives, and study several subjects including Social Policy, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, and Economics. The course is designed on the understanding that this is the first time that most students are encountering the social sciences. As such, students are not expected to have prior knowledge of the various subjects and the first year is focused on introducing you to key concepts and theories.

In the second and third years of the course, you will again take a number of ‘core’ or compulsory modules in social policy, sociology, economics, philosophy, and psychology. You will also be invited to choose (elective) modules of particular interest to you from a large range of possibilities. The course also offers you the chance to develop your practical experience through optional work experience in an organisation of your choice in Ireland or abroad. And, if you are interested in languages, you can also study French, German, Spanish, Italian, or Irish/Gaeilge. This flexibility in design allows you to shape the degree to fit your own specialist interests and career plans.

An exciting and important element of the degree is the opportunity to engage in research about a social issue of special interest to you. Final year students undertake a social research project that they design and carry out with the guidance of an academic and with opportunities to collaborate with local community organisations. Students therefore produce ‘real world’ research that responds to key social issues in the 21st century.

Choose this course if you are concerned about shaping a more fair and just society and if you are motivated to contribute positively to people’s wellbeing. You will find yourself amongst a group of students and academics who are similarly driven to think critically about social justice and social issues.

The BSocSc degree course is delivered in a student-centred way, based on a strong commitment to supporting our students to flourish intellectually and professionally. Three dedicated coordinators look after students in each year of the course. They are an important resource for students who may have queries about module choices, the structure of the course, or are looking for academic advice.

Teaching and learning practices include small group tutorials, seminars on study and writing skills, and ongoing tutor and staff availability throughout the year. As academics who are also committed teachers, we are highly regarded for our innovative teaching and learning practices. In particular, we have developed effective teaching practices that draw on digital technologies to support student learning using fun, creative, and formative methods of engagement that enhance students’ digital skills alongside their academic development.

An ethos of connection to and service to society underpins our teaching and learning practices. Committed to developing independent and critical thinking skills, our graduates develop vital research, argumentation, and analytical skills that will equip them for successful engagement in work, study, and active citizenship.

In summary, the BSocSc in UCC is a highly-regarded academic degree with an excellent national and international reputation for its teaching and learning, research, and community engagement practices.

Placement or Study Abroad Information
Placements are offered on an optional basis on the BSocSc. Students undertake a minimum of 150 hours work in a setting relevant to their studies and placements are completed in the summer months.

Students have undertaken placements in a diverse range of local community settings and social services agencies. Many students have chosen to complete their placements abroad, in places like India, Sri Lanka, Belarus, Romania, Ukraine, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa.

Expand+Year 1 Modules:

Core
Politics and Social Policy
Introduction to Sociology
Key Issues in Sociology
Social Psychology Lifespan Development
Markets and Government: An Introduction to Economics

Electives
Philosophy and Social Science - An Int...

Hide-Year 1 Modules:

Core
Politics and Social Policy
Introduction to Sociology
Key Issues in Sociology
Social Psychology Lifespan Development
Markets and Government: An Introduction to Economics

Electives
Philosophy and Social Science - An Introduction
or
Social Practice and the Social Professions

Year 2 Modules:

Core:
Social Policy, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Economics

Electives:
Social Policy; Sociology; Statistics; Languages; Chinese Studies; Philosophy

Year 3 Modules:

Core:
Politics and Social Policy, Social Research Project

Electives:
Sociology; Social Policy; Economics; Social Work and Social Services; Sociology and Society; Applied Psychology; Languages; Philosophy; Statistics

See the College Calendar for more detailed information on the programme and the Book of Modules for a more detailed description of programme modules.

Course Practicalities
Written exams will take place before Christmas and in May. Not all modules will have formal examinations. Most modules include continuous assessment.

In the final year, students write a research project on a topic of their choosing and with the guidance of an academic supervisor.

**All Applicants please note: modules listed in the course outline above are indicative of the current set of modules for this course, but these are subject to change from year to year. Please check the college calendar for the full academic content of any given course for the current year.

Expand+Skills and Careers Information
The Social Science degree is ideally suited to those who are broadly interested in working with people in a social- and community-focused context. Our graduates are employed in a variety of settings and public and volu...

Hide-Skills and Careers Information
The Social Science degree is ideally suited to those who are broadly interested in working with people in a social- and community-focused context. Our graduates are employed in a variety of settings and public and voluntary sector organisations, such as community and health services, probation, social care, local government, housing associations, and social service/advocacy groups.

In terms of postgraduate opportunities, a big advantage for Social Science graduates is that they can access a broad range of postgraduate courses in diverse fields including:

* social work
* occupational therapy
* speech and language therapy
* planning and sustainable development
* community and youth work
* social policy and social research
* criminology
* teaching
* marketing and management
* journalism

Students who are interested in person-centred careers – but who may be undecided about what particular area they would like to specialise in – will enjoy space and time to grow and mature and to explore their options. Along the way, the degree enables students to develop valuable transferable professional and academic skills including critical thinking, problem solving, social analysis, writing and research skills.