Overview

The BSocSc (Hons) (Youth and Community Work) is a three-year full-time degree programme. All applicants are expected to have the equivalent of one year's relevant experience as a volunteer activist or full-time worker. 

To be eligible for the award of the BSocSc (Hons) (Youth and Community Work) Degree, a student will be required to have achieved 180 credits by obtaining 60 credits in each of First, Second, and Third Social Science (Youth and Community Work). A student may not register for more than 60 credits in one year.

Student Vetting Policy and Procedure

Students, or applicants in receipt of an offer, on this programme will be subject to Garda Vetting as relevant. Students will be prohibited from engaging in a relevant work placement unless the vetting process has been cleared. Click here to view UCC's Student Student Vetting Policy and Procedure.

Fitness to Practise

Commencing with the 2013/2014 intake of first year students (including repeats), this programme will be subject to the University's Fitness to Practise Policy - full details may be found here.

Attendance

As the BSocSc (Hons) (Youth and Community Work) is a professional training programme, youth and community work students are reminded that they are bound to attend every class of each module (and every tutorial, class meeting, placement session, placement supervision and placement two-way or three-way meeting), unless unavoidably prevented from doing so. All absences must be satisfactorily explained in writing to the Year Tutor. If a student's attendance falls below 80% in any module, s/he will be required to repeat that module before being allowed to proceed.

Year 1 - Social Science (Youth and Community Work)

In First Social Science (Youth and Community Work) students study prescribed modules to the value of 60 credits.

Year 2 - Social Science (Youth and Community Work)

No student may register for Second Social Science (Youth and Community Work) until he/she has passed the First University Examination in Social Science (Youth and Community Work). In order to be admitted to the Second University Examination in Social Science (Youth and Community Work), a student must have satisfactorily attended prescribed modules to the value of 60 credits in all of the subjects of his/her programme.

UCC Diploma in Youth and Community Work progression pathway

Students who have achieved a 2H2 grade in the Diploma in Youth and Community Work from 2025 onwards may apply for entry to Second Social Science (Youth and Community Work). Students who wish to progress to Second Social Science (Youth and Community Work) should notify the School of Applied Social Studies in writing of their intention to do so by the first Friday of July at the end of their second year of studying the Diploma in Youth and Community Work. Upon successful completion of the Diploma in Youth and Community Work, students who have notified their intention to progress, and who have satisfied specified criteria for attendance, placement practice requirements and interview may register for Second Social Science (Youth and Community Work).

BSocSc (Hons) (Theory and Policy in Youth and Community Work) Year 2 - Alternative Degree Pathway for Students not Proceeding to Third Year - Social Science (Youth and Community Work)

The BSocSc (Hons) (Theory and Policy in Youth and Community Work) is an alternative degree pathway for students who do not satisfy the pass standard for the professional practice/placement modules in Year 2 (SS2107) of the BSocSc (Youth and Community Work) programme over the Summer and/or Autumn Supplemental Examinations.

Such students may opt instead to register for the BSocSc (Hons) (Theory and Policy in Youth and Community Work) (BSocScTPYCW (Hons)) and take an alternative two of the following 5 credit non-professional practice modules: SS2004, SS2007 and SS2025 in Second Year, and four of the following 5 credit non-professional practice modules: SS3005, SS3006, SS3008, SS3011, SS3015, SS3016, SS3019, SS3033, SS3045, SS3118 in Third year.

Note: Students who are required to take these alternative, non-practice based modules, will continue with all other modules of the BSocSc (Y&CW) programme in both Second and/or Third Year.

Year 3 - Social Science (Youth and Community Work)

Only students who have passed the Second University Examination in Social Science (Youth and Community Work) and satisfied all other requirements specified for the Second Year, will be permitted to register for Third Social Science (Youth and Community Work). In order to be admitted to the BSocSc (Hons) (Youth and Community Work) Degree Examination, a student must have satisfactorily attended prescribed modules to the value of 60 credits in all of the themes of his/her programme.

BSocSc (Hons) (Theory and Policy in Youth and Community Work) Year 3 - Alternative Degree Pathway for Students not Completing Third Year Social Science (Youth and Community Work)

The BSocSc (Hons) (Theory and Policy in Youth and Community Work) is an alternative degree pathway for students who do not satisfy the pass standard for the professional practice/placement modules in Year 2 (SS2107)  or in Year 3 (SS3107 and/or SS3104) of the BSocSc (Youth and Community Work) programme over the Summer and/or Autumn Supplemental Examinations.

Such students may opt instead to register for the BSocSc (Hons) (Theory and Policy in Youth and Community Work) (BSocScTPYCW (Hons)) and in Third Year take as an alternative any four of the following 5 credit non-professional practice modules: SS3005, SS3006, SS3008, SS3011, SS3015, SS3016, SS3019, SS3033, SS3045, SS3118.

Notes:

• Students who pass SS3104 and fail SS3107 in Year 3 of the BSocSc (Y&CW) programme over the Summer and Autumn Supplemental Examinations, may opt to register for the BSocSc (Theory and Policy in Youth and Community Work) (BSocSc TPYCW 3 (Hons) and will only be required to take two 5 credit modules (10 credits in total).
• Students who are required to take these alternative, non-practice based modules, will continue with all other modules of the BSocSc (Y&CW) programme in both Second and/or Third Year.

Programme Requirements

For information about modules, module choice, options and credit weightings, please go to Programme Requirements. 

Programme Requirements

*** Only for Incoming First Years and Repeat First Years 2024/2025 ***
*** Click here for Marks and Standards for all other years ***

Marks and Standards

These Marks and Standards should be read in conjunction with the Programme Requirements and the Book of Modules.

Fitness to Practise

All students on programmes subject to Fitness to Practise in UCC will be required to comply with the Fitness to Practise Policy and meet the relevant Fitness to Practise standards, in order to progress to the next year of his/her/their programme. Click here for a list of programmes subject to the Fitness to Practise Policy.

Marks and Credits

Students are required to take modules to the value of 60 credits.
Total Marks for year: 1200.

First Year - Pass and Progression Criteria

To pass first year and progress to second year, students must have satisfied the Fitness to Practise requirements and must achieve:

1. An aggregate mark of 40% across all modules,
2. A pass mark in modules to the value of at least 50 credits, and
3. A module mark of at least 30% in any remaining modules.

Pass by Compensation: Students who satisfy each of the above criteria are allowed to compensate in modules to the value of 10 credits and pass the year overall.

Award of Honours in the Degree Award

An honours classification is awarded for the final degree using the final year examination results and marks carried forward from the penultimate year. The aggregate of 33.33% of the penultimate year marks plus 66.67% of the final year marks will be used to calculate the final degree award.

Honours will be awarded as follows:

1. First Class Honours: ≥ 70%
2. Second Class Honours, Grade I: ≥ 60% and <70%
3. Second Class Honours, Grade II: ≥ 50% and <60%
4. Pass: ≥ 40% and <50%

Award of Honours when a student undertakes Study Abroad
When students study abroad as part of his/her/their degree programme, the calculation of the final degree award is based on modules in the Book of Modules only.

Examination Boards

• Provisional marks for Semester 1 examinations are released in January/February of each year. These marks are subject to approval at the University Examination Board.
• Marks for all modules taken in Semester 1 and 2, including those wholly assessed by Continuous Assessment, will be presented to the University Examination Board at the end of Semester 2.

Supplemental Examinations and Assessment

• Students who fail to achieve the progression standard for the year at the Summer Examination Board must complete Supplemental Examinations and/or Continuous Assessment for those specific module(s), where there is provision to do so.
• Please refer to the Book of Modules for requirements governing the Supplemental Examination and Assessment for individual modules. Note: For some modules there is no Supplemental Examination and Assessment.
• The marks achieved in the Supplemental Examinations and/or Continuous Assessment of a repeat module are considered at the Autumn Examination Board.
• The actual mark achieved by the candidate in the Supplemental or Repeat Year Examination will be recorded on the student record (Academic Transcript).
• The maximum mark that will be taken into account for aggregation and progression purposes is a pass level, unless the student has been granted a cap waiver or deferral by the University Mitigation Committee, or a University Examination Board, or has been approved to defer the previous attempt by the University Mitigation Committee.
• At the Autumn Examination Board, marks from all passed modules approved at the Summer Examination Board are carried forward and are combined with the marks achieved in Supplemental Examinations and/or Assessments. The pass and progression criteria are applied to the aggregate mark achieved.

Note: The mark achieved at the last examination/assessment attempt is the mark that is included in the calculation of the aggregate mark for pass and progression purposes.

Study Abroad

• When students study abroad as part of his/her/their degree programme, they will be assessed by his/her/their host university.
• To pass the study abroad period and progress to the subsequent year, a student must achieve a pass standard as applied by the host institution.
• A Pass/Fail judgement will be presented to the UCC Examination Boards:
  • At the Summer Examination Board for students spending Semester 1 abroad.
  • At the Autumn/Winter Examination Board for students spending the full academic year abroad or Semester 2 only.
• For students failing to achieve a pass mark, Supplemental Assessment will be prescribed by the School in UCC, and these results will be presented at a Winter Examination Board.

Exemptions

All passed modules carry an exemption, which is limited to a period of five academic years (or two in the case of Computer Science modules) subsequent to the award of the exemption.

Repeat Year Examinations

Students repeating the year may do so choosing one of the following mechanisms:

1. Students retain module exemptions, if any, and must repeat all failed/absent modules, including those modules where the failing mark previously achieved was greater than the level of compensation (≥ 30%) but who failed to achieve the progression standard for the year (see above). The pass and progression criteria are then applied to the combination of full marks achieved in modules passed at the first attempt, plus capped marks achieved in modules in the Repeat Year Examinations.​

Note: For students selecting different modules not previously taken, there are no restrictions on the marks awarded for those modules at the first attempt in a repeat year. The selection of different modules by the student means that the student foregoes any previous marks achieved in the original modules (including previously passed modules).

2. Students may forego all module exemptions achieved and repeat the year choosing modules to the value of the full 60 credits. In determining pass and progression, there is no restriction on the marks awarded for modules taken at the first attempt of the Repeat Year. Modules taken at the subsequent Supplemental Examination and Assessment are capped at the pass mark.

Subject to capacity, all students - whether they have failed or passed - are allowed to choose this second option, in an attempt to improve his/her/their grade.

Students repeating the final year are eligible for the award of Honours in the first Repeat Year only. Final year students wishing to repeat the year with a view to improving his/her/their degree result may do so only if they have not been conferred.

Three Year Rule

Students must pass/progress within three academic years of the date of first registration for a year, otherwise they cannot continue in the programme.

Terms and Definitions

Programme Description

• The programme description is outlined in the Programme Requirements tab.

Module Descriptions/Assessment

• Module descriptions, including the pass standard for a module, special requirements to pass a module, and assessment elements and their weightings, are contained in the Book of Modules.

Marks and Credits

• A maximum of 100 marks may be awarded for every five credits of a programme.
• Some modules are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis only, i.e. marks are not awarded.

Pass and Progression

• Progression is defined as the permission granted to a student to register in the subsequent academic year for the next set of modules within his/her/their programme of study.
• Compensation is defined as the process by which a student, who fails to satisfy some of the regulations for credit in a specific module, is nevertheless recommended for credit to be awarded on the grounds that the failure is offset by his/her/their performance in the other modules on his/her/their programme of study.