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1. Study
2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Masters
5. Social Policy and Social Justice

Course Fact File

Code	MSOCSJ
Duration	1 Year Full-time; 2 or 3 Years Part-time
Teaching Mode	Full-time, Part-Time
Qualifications	MSocSc
NFQ Level	Level 9
Closing Date	Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.
Non-EU Closing Date	Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.
Course Delivery Method	Online
Start Date	8 September 2025

Course Outline

Are you motivated to contribute to positive social change? Are you committed to working in coalition with others to imagine and realise a more socially just and inclusive future? If so, then you will find Social Policy and Social Justice a fascinating field of research and practice.

In your studies, you will be encouraged to think creatively about complex social questions. You will examine key social policy concepts, welfare state ideologies, and critical perspectives on justice, citizenship, and solidarity. You will explore issues relevant to race and ethnicity, religion, age, genders and sexualities, and class, and develop your personal and professional capacities to work alongside marginalised social groups to promote social justice, human rights, and social inclusion. You will also develop specialist knowledge on themes such as: sustainability and climate justice; disability and mental health; migration and mobilities; childhood and youth; and creativity and well-being.

You will also develop valuable social research skills – with the support of your academic advisor – for planning and undertaking ethical, robust, and thoughtful research that promotes social justice and advances social policy analysis.

Whatever your background, we welcome applicants who – in an increasingly polarised society – remain empathetic, courageous, and hopeful.

Part I

Core Modules

SS6809 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Awareness (10 credits)
SS6811 Social Research: Methodology and Ethics (10 credits)
SS6812 Social Policy and Social Justice (10 credits)

Elective Modules

Choose three modules:

SS6814 Disability, Mental Health and Social Justice (10 credits)
SS6815 Sustainability, Climate Justice and Eco-Social Policies (10 credits)
SS6816 Migration, Mobilities and Social Policy (10 credits)
SS6817 Childhood, Youth and Society (10 credits)
SS6818 Culture, Creativity, Well-being and Social Justice (10 credits)

Part II

SS6813 Dissertation in Social Policy and Social Justice (30 credits)

Course Practicalities

Our MSocSc Social Policy and Social Justice online course is designed to cater flexibly to your life and is suitable for people with employment and care responsibilities. Full-time and part-time options enable you to choose a mode of study that is appropriate to your life circumstances. Online delivery facilitates our students to engage with the course material as it suits, with some opportunities to meet online with lecturers and students.

Social Policy and Social Justice modules include short lectures, assigned readings, activities, small group sessions, and online discussions. This is an advanced degree and the workload for each module is considerable so you have to be able to manage time well. Regular communication from lecturers will allow you to gauge progress according to expectations.

On this course, you will produce a variety of academic outputs through coursework as a method of evidencing learning. Continuous assessment portfolios enable our students to showcase diverse skills in articulating social policy and social justice-oriented arguments and analyses in a variety of forms, such as short reflection exercises, policy reports, critical reading exercises, and essays. Formative (ungraded) assessments such as participation in group discussions, peer review exercises, presentations, and collaborative projects will also be used to promote your development and peer engagement. You will also complete a 15,000-word dissertation with the support of an academic advisor.

Why Choose This Course

Participation in Social Policy and Social Justice will be a transformative experience and equip you with competencies to foster social inclusion, and motivate and inspire others through reflection and social action. You will also have the opportunity to analyse and design social policies that contribute to positive social change.

• This is the only online Masters-level course in social policy and/or social justice that allows you the flexibility to complete a programme over a one to three-year period, at a pace that suits you;
• The curriculum is produced by a diverse group of academics who are experts in the field of social policy and whose internationally recognised research informs the course content, alongside contributions from community-based practitioners and service users that enliven understandings of the development and impact of social policies;
• The course comprises a unique combination of compelling modules that address critical contemporary societal challenges;
• Participation in the course enables you to develop human-centric skills, such as critical thinking, empathy, creativity, reasoning, planning, and problem-solving
• Creative assessment practices allow you to develop a diverse set of highly valued skills, fostering your capabilities to contribute to positive social action, professional social justice-oriented policy-making and practice, and high-quality social research.

Skills and Careers Information

Our MSocSc Social Policy and Social Justice graduates will achieve a critical understanding of social policy and social justice issues, including advanced knowledge in special interest topics. They will gain advanced analytical, writing, communication, planning, collaboration, negotiation, and leadership skills, which will inform a purpose-driven, empathetic, and creative approach to problem-solving. These human-centric skills are highly sought after in the contemporary and future workplace.

Studying social policy and social justice opens up exciting, meaningful, and impactful career pathways. Our graduates typically will find employment in government, local government, and non-profit sectors, and policy organisations, research institutions, human rights organisations, NGOs, and advocacy groups.

Requirements

• Applicants must have a Second Class Honours Grade 2 in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in any of the following relevant subject areas, social policy, sociology, philosophy, politics and government, public policy, social care, social work, early childhood studies, public health, history, law, economics, archaeology, anthropology, theology or have completed the UCC Higher Diploma in Social Policy or the UCC Higher Diploma in Facilitating Inclusion & Disability Studies.
• Applicants who have a minimum Second Class Honours Grade 2 in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in subject areas not listed above but who have extensive relevant professional experience such as community activism, youth work, social work, trade union activism and development work will also be considered. Such applicants may be required to attend an interview to discuss motivation, experience to date, and readiness for undertaking study at this level.

Consideration under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may also be given to applicants who do not meet any of the above academic entry requirements.

Fees and Costs

How To Apply

The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

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