爱尔兰国立高威大学

Course Overview

This new programme – beginning in 2017 - is aimed at motivated school leavers and mature students with a strong penchant towards the study of fundamental issues and concerns for Social Sciences. The programme will strongly focus on the applied nature of the Social Sciences and equip students with practical research skills, in addition to focussing on career development and readiness, and further educational opportunities. There will be an internship and dissertation or project component to the programme giving students real-world experience and knowledge of working in areas of Social Scientific inquiry. The growth in interdisciplinary study and research is building knowledge and the national capacity to respond to complex societal challenges providing new solutions that cannot be provided by one discipline alone. This innovative transdisciplinary degree programme will draw on key strengths of Schools and Disciplines right across the College of Arts, Research Institutes and Centres, and innovation and entrepreneurship programs across the University.

Further Education

Graduates of the Applied Social Sciences will be equipped with the talents, knowledge and experience to undertake a wide range of research-based or taught postgraduate programmes. With its strong focus on the applied nature of the Social Sciences, students undertaking the programme develop very practical contemporary skills that are immensely advantageous to the broad range of postgraduate opportunities available. The University offers an array of taught master’s degree and postgraduate diploma programmes of interest to Applied Social Sciences graduates. In the past number of years, the College has also pioneered the development of structured PhD programmes which combine the traditional research dissertation of the PhD with generic and discipline-specific training modules designed to enhance students’ skills and employability. The internship in year three of the programme will be an invaluable asset in the toolkit of graduates of the Applied Social Sciences programme.

Career Opportunities

The Applied Social Sciences programme offers clear pathways that lead to an array of career opportunities across a wide range of interests including governmental, agency and business sectors. Guidance will be offered throughout the programme to ensure students are undertaking the most appropriate modules for their own personal career goals and development. Careers post-graduation include (but are not limited to); Irish and international NGO’s, Agencies and authorities at local, national, EU and international levels, Public Service, Politics, Irish Aid Programmes, Community Work, Security and Crime Prevention, Contemporary Urban Planning, Environmental & Sustainability Policy, International Development, Human Resource Management, Business and Industry, Marketing, Industrial Relations, Journalism, the media and social research. Moreover, with its emphasis on broad societal contemporary challenges, the programme offers new and existing opportunities for students to develop careers in business, industry and commerce, working with private sector companies, SMEs and multinationals, by proving unique understandings of innovation and entrepreneur processes and practices.