Social Studies Course

The purpose of the Social Studies course is to equip you with the knowledge, skill and competence required for employment in a Social Care Setting. It will introduce you to the area of sociology and social studies and to develop your understanding and awareness of social issues in your own life and society in general. You will develop basic research skills and learn to recognise the complexity of social issues.

Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of sociology and its relevance to understanding your position as an individual, a family member and as part of a community and wider society
Discuss the process of socialisation and the agents of socialisation by analysing family peer groups, education, media and how they impact on your lives
Examine the area of social stratification in Irish society and describe how this society can be divided into different social strata ie class, gender, race/ethnicity
Discuss the impact of discrimination on individuals in society by looking at discrimination and its impact on the following members of society – travellers, the socially marginalised, elderly people, immigrant and migrant workers of diverse racially and cultural backgrounds, minority religions and homosexuals and transsexuals
Explore the role and function of the family as a social unit, the changes that have taken place in the family within an Irish context taking into account the implications of martial breakdown
Acquire basic research skills by summarising the differences between primary and secondary research, qualitative and quantitative methods
Design appropriate survey methods e.g. questionnaires, interviews, observation as investigate strategies to unfamiliar social problems
Use a variety of media to access information e.g. new information technology, the library classification system
Explore the importance of documenting and acknowledging all relevant sources consulted by employing the Harvard system of referencing and identifying and applying skill of producing a well constructed bibliography
Exercise initiative and independence by investigating the experience of discrimination/discriminating practices encountered by one group in Irish society
Plan direct and manage time and work independently to provide evidence of research e.g. correspondence, note taking, interviews, tape recordings
Process and present findings from research and draw conclusions from your analysis that discusses possible strategies for alleviating discriminating practices for a number of groups in Irish society