Undergraduate Humanities and Social Sciences

Learning rooted in real challenges

With only 20 students on the course, the programme aims to develop a tightly-knit learning community. You will frequently work in teams on engaging challenges based on real data and reflecting issues based on those encountered by industry, the public sector and non-governmental organisations, and will frequently meet and hear from industry partners.

Politics (DC295)

Select Politics + One other subject from:

Why this programme?

• Set yourself apart with the only BA dedicated to International Relations in Ireland
• Investigate the organisation and interaction of modern societies
• Avail of the opportunity to study abroad or undertake an INTRA work placement
• Be part of a School known for its expertise in Governance and International Relations
• Benefit from the skills and experience of our dedicated, supportive and highly qualified academic team

The BCL (Law and Society) degree consists of a mixture of compulsory and optional modules.

In Year One, all modules are compulsory.

In Years Two and Three, there are some compulsory modules but you’ll also choose from a range of optional modules.

Law (DC292)

Select Law + One other subject from:

History | International Languages | Media Studies

Law: You will take a wide range of law subjects which will provide you with an insight into the complex and interesting nature of the Irish and EU legal systems. 

History: You will explore how human beings behave grounded on a close examination of how they have behaved in the past in all spheres of the world but with a particular emphasis on Ireland.

Caithfidh tú an Chéad agus an Dara bliain in DCU ag díriú ar na trí réimse seo go príomha:

International Languages (DC293)

Select International Languages + One other subject from:

Course Structure

The languages available on the BA in Applied Languages and Translation Studies are:

Media Studies (DC291)

Select Media Studies + One other subject from:

English | International Languages | Politics

Media Studies: You'll learn how we are shaped by culture, about the social and economic pressures on media organisations and the way mass media are used by government, corporations and others to influence us as citizens and as consumers.

The BA in Social Sciences and Cultural Innovation seeks to develop in students the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to thrive in a globalised world defined by exponential technological growth, unprecedented access to real-time information, and unparalleled levels of human mobility and interconnectivity. The programme gives you an in-depth understanding of the many forces that define our individual and collective experiences, and is structured around three core pillars relating to the study of Culture, Media and Politics respectively.

In the course of your Multimedia degree, you’ll acquire a command of the concepts and practices in digital text, image and sound manipulation, and multimedia authoring. In this way, you will be equipped to contribute to multimedia product development and to manage a diverse range of multimedia projects. You will participate in many group-based projects, reflecting the media design and production industries that this programme prepares graduates for and developing your skills in effective and creative teamwork.

You will:

The BA in Journalism offers some scope for specialisation with optional modules, but every student takes the same broad range of core modules in their three years.

An essential element of the final year of the course is an eight-week placement in a media organisation where you’ll trial your abilities in the working world. Every journalism student must complete a relevant work placement arranged or approved by DCU.

The Communications Studies course is structured around four key elements: foundation modules, core modules, production modules and optional modules.

The foundation modules in Year One provide a basic grounding in the disciplines you’ll need for more advanced work in later years.

Core modules in Years Two and Three help you develop a critical awareness of developments in the areas of communication, media and cultural studies.

In the first two years of the course, there’s an equal weighting of the three disciplines.

Three compulsory research methods modules taken in Year One will provide core learning skills that you’ll use throughout your degree.

Humanities (DC009)

At registration, choose two from the following list of subjects:

The course offers intensive jazz and contemporary music education within a focused, supportive learning environment. It is designed to provide a balance of “traditional” jazz techniques alongside contemporary approaches to improvisation, so that students can experience the full breadth of the contemporary music world and develop into creative, versatile and employable musicians.

The DCU Bachelor of Arts Single Module (BASM) study option allows you to undertake study at (level 8) degree level for personal enjoyment or professional development. You can complete your modules without having to commit to study towards an exit award or alternatively accumulate your credits towards an award of Diploma or Degree, the choice is yours

With close attention to particular religious traditions, ethical issues, and interreligious dialogue, students will engage with the sources, beliefs, and practices that have shaped the societies and cultures in which we live.

Throughout the course you will take modules on systematic theology, church history, scripture, ethics, world religions, as well as optional ancient languages (Hebrew, Greek, Arabic). In your final year of study you will have the opportunity for individual guided research, working on a topic of your choice with a supervisor on an extended research paper.

One of the most exciting and rewarding elements of the course is our hands-on approach to School Placement. Over the four years of the course students have an opportunity to gain valuable and extensive experience within a range of teaching and learning environments including engagement in observation of practice, micro-teaching, peer-teaching, team-teaching and school-based placement (in both primary and post-primary sectors). Students are supported throughout their professional development by experienced School Placement tutors and school-based cooperating teachers.