MA/PgD in Advanced Social Care Practice

Master of Arts/Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Social Care Practice

The social care profession is dedicated to protecting and assisting the most vulnerable in our society. Social care professionals are on the front line in attempting to address pertinent social issues like child abuse and domestic violence, in promoting equality of opportunity for those with special needs and dignity for the marginalised in our society. Such a profession requires highly competent, confident and qualified persons with specialised training and knowledge of international best practice.

There have been few avenues to date for career development for graduates in the social care field. This postgraduate programme is aimed at increasing the choices available to social care graduates, thus in turn, enabling graduates to stay in education for longer. In the past, social care education was generic and provided a good basis for understanding the totality of issues confronting people who use its services.

This programme is designed to support professionals in extending their knowledge and skills to a higher level, including novel and emerging techniques linked to evidence based practice. It will encourage social care professionals to keep themselves well-informed on current policy, strategy and quality considerations that impact on their work.

This innovative postgraduate social care degree has been designed after extensive consultation to identify the needs of the sector. Furthermore, each module will be created following annual consultation with professionals in order to introduce ideas emerging from international best practice.

The programme is intended for social care professionals, social workers, community workers, youth workers, psychologists, teachers, school liaison officers, Garda liaison officers, as well as those working with any area of social disadvantage.

The MA/PgD in Advanced Social Care Practice:

• focuses on educational and training needs of social care professionals employed within the care sector, past and current social care graduates, as well as employers (CEOs, managing directors, managers, deputy managers, team coordinators/leaders, training officers)
• offers flexibility of provision: evening course, day release or weekend hours
• provides flexible modes of delivery (lectures, tutorials, discussions, blended learning, group work, case studies, problem solving)
• incorporates modular delivery, on-campus as well as at a variety of locations off-campus to facilitate organisations/agencies
• includes work-based assessments
• features on-going review and consultation with social care practitioners/professionals to ensure currency and adaptability to address the ever-changing nature of the social care environment
• maintains high standards of education and training for social care professionals in line with current national and international legislation and protocols
• supports the learning, enhancement of skills and professional development of social care professionals and those working in related disciplines

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Minimum Entry Requirements

Applicants should hold an honours degree (Level 8) in applied social studies or cognate discipline.

Download: Postgraduate Steps application form

Modules

Any learner who enrols will have three potential avenues open to them as follows:

• Completion of 6 modules, including the mandatory module on Research Methods and a Dissertation, plus four elective modules leading to a Master of Arts in Advanced Social Care Practice.

• Completion of 6 elective modules over time, leading to an award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Social Care Practice.

• Completion of 1 module (10 ECTS credits) leading to a minor award at postgraduate level.

The following modules have thus far been developed:

Mental Health, Law and Policy, Preventing and Resolving Interpersonal Conflict, Promoting Inclusion through Person Centred Approaches, Behaviours that Challenge, Approaches to Supporting Families, Research Methods and a Dissertation.

New modules will be introduced in response to developments in the area of social care. This innovative new process is designed to respond to the sector’s education needs in a flexible, timely and appropriate manner. It is demand driven. Content will evolve along with the sector and the changing environment. The awards will be built module by module, as required.

Progression

Learners who are awarded module-level awards are eligible to progress towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Social Care Practice or an MA in Advanced Social Care Practice. Graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma can progress to the MA in Child and Youth Care. Graduates of the MA in Advanced Social Care Practice can progress to study at PhD level.

Professional Recognition

Career Opportunities

Additional Information

The Master of Arts/Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Social Care Practice is supported by Work-Based Learning at AIT and by the Education in Employment initiative.