Print PageApplied Social Studies courses
Courses in Applied Social Studies prepare students for a profession of care, protection, welfare and advocacy for the most deprived and vulnerable members of society. Social Care involves working with children, adolescents, families and the elderly who may need professional help in order to function at the optimum level emotionally, intellectually and socially.
A Social Care qualification is distinct from a qualification in Social Work in that Social Carers are the professionals who essentially provide care to the service user whereas social workers may be more adversarial or representative of service user's needs and concerns.
Social Care is carried out in residential centres, day centres, and in the community. The qualified carer has identified service users' needs and learned to use relevant knowledge, skills and techniques that allow for a more effective and expanded understanding of the relationship between the service user, the family, society and the Social Care worker.
For current employees of the Social Care industry, ITB offers a work based programme designed to enable continuous learning and development throughout their careers. See ITB’s part-time prospectus for further information.
View our full range of full time and part time Applied Social Studies courses...
Full time Applied Social Studies course list
Part time Applied Social Studies course list
Work Placement
As part of the course content, each student is required to successfully complete work placements in Year 2 and Year 3 of the Social Care course. In order to commence work placement, each student must undergo the ITB Garda vetting process. To ensure the protection of the public, and to justify public trust and confidence, the Institute is committed to ensuring that only suitable candidates are allowed to undertake specific parts of the programmes. Without satisfactory Garda clearance, students will be unable to complete the work placemen and thus will not be able to complete the programme or receive an award. All places on the social care course are provisional and subject to the student obtaining satisfactory Garda vetting from the Central Garda Vetting Unit. The current legal minimum age for application for sole application for Garda vetting is 18 years of age. In the event of an applicant being between 16 and 18 years of age, written consent is also required from a parent or guardian.
In addition to Garda vetting a medical assessment and provision of personal references may be required in regard to suitability for placement
Career Opportunities
Graduates will find career opportunities as Social Care Workers, Leaders and Managers and will work with children, adolescents, people with learning or physical disabilities, people who are homeless, people with alchohol or drug dependency, families, the aged, asylum seekers or refugees. Work is usually carried out in residential centres, day centres and in the community.
