The Masters in Voluntary and Community Sector Management provides education, training and skills in managing/coordinating voluntary and community organisations. As such, the course will contribute to the ongoing professional development of workers already in the community and voluntary sector as well as opening the door to wider opportunities in the sector for those seeking employment there. There are more than 25,000 voluntary sector organisations in Ireland. These range from large charitable bodies like Simon, Barnardos and Concern to small residents’ associations, or from broad campaigning bodies like Amnesty International to small single-issue groups in a local housing estate trying to get youth facilities in the area.

These organisations may provide vital services in care, welfare, health, education, housing, poverty alleviation, social inclusion and the promotion of rights. They may also enhance democracy and participation in society through empowerment and capacity-building, lobbying, and campaigning.

The MSocSc in Voluntary and Community Sector Management is a part-time postgraduate degree taught over two years.

Students attend the University one day per week.

Modules (90 credits):

Year 1
Students take 40 credits as follows:

AC6601 Financial Management in the Third Sector (5 credits)
SS6600 Principles, Values and Practice in the voluntary Sector (5 credits)
GV6112 The Third Sector and the State (5 credits)
SS6602 Applied Social Research in the Third Sector (5 credits)
LW6103 Legal Aspects of State Regulation (5 credits)
SS6606 Social Policy in the Voluntary Sector (5 credits)

Plus ONE of the following online modules

Either

FE3824 People Management in Member-Based Organisations (10 credits)
Or
FE 6712 Leadership & Change Management in Co-operative & Social Enterprise, (10 credits)

Year 2

Students take 50 credits as follows

MG6100 Leadership, Organisational Devt./Change for the Third Sector (5 credits)
FE6601 Co-operatives and the Third Sector (5 credits)
EC6301 The Third Sector Economy (5 credits)
IS6012 Application of IT to the Third Sector (5 credits)
FE6602 Social Enterprises and Local Development (5 credits)
SS6605 Research Project (25 credits)

All modules are assessed via continuous assessment.  There are NO end of year exams for the Programme

Details of the programme content and modules are in the Postgraduate College Calendar

• have at least a second class honours in an approved primary degree
• normally have a minimum of two years recent and relevant work experience  (e.g. practitioners/managers in youth work, play work, community work, community education, the community and small voluntary sectors, community renewal and enterprise, faith community workers, community health workers, equality workers, and environment workers)
• have to satisfy a selection committee.

Applications will be considered from those without a primary degree provided that you have a vocational/professional qualification in a relevant subject area as may be deemed suitable by the Head of School and you have held, for a minimum of two years, a position of responsibility of relevance to the course. Final acceptance is subject to approval by the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, and the College of Business and Law, UCC. 

The Additional/Supplementary Statement Questions must also be completed during the online application process.

If you are applying with Qualifications obtained outside Ireland and you wish to verify if you meet the minimum academic and English language requirements for this programme please click here to view the grades comparison table by country and for details of recognised English language tests. 

Application for this programme is on-line at www.pac.ie/ucc.  Places on this programme are offered in rounds.  The closing dates for each round can be found here.  For full details of the application procedure click How to apply.

Please note that you will be required to answer specific additional/supplementary questions as part of the online applications process for this programme. A copy of these additional/supplementary questions are available to view here:- CKE75AdditionalQuestions

ALL applicants must also ensure that TWO Referees Letters are emailed or posted directly to the School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork - one from an academic source outlining your academic qualifications/ability and the other from a voluntary sector group (or, if appropriate, from a public or private sector employer) outlining any voluntary sector experience or other relevant experience you have had in a paid or unpaid capacity - are required for your application to the M.Soc.Sc. in Voluntary and Community Sector Management.

The REFERENCE REQUEST FORMS must be downloaded and printed during the online application process and a copy should be sent to each of your Referees. A copy of the REFERENCE REQUEST FORMS are available to view here:  CKE75ReferenceRequestForms (129kB)

All other required supporting documentation (e.g. evidence of non-UCC undergraduate/postgraduate qualifications) must be UPLOADED via the PAC "Application Status" link or sent in hard copy to The Postgraduate Applications Centre, 1, Courthouse Square, Galway (marked with the applicants PAC application number)

ONLY applications which include two written references from referees can be processed.   Short-listed applicants may be required to attend for interview

You attend the university one day per week (Wednesdays 10am-5pm) for two 12-week terms per year (September to December and January to March) over two years. In addition to this, one module is taught online in Year 1 and students will be required to set aside time outside class to complete that. Assessments including the 12,000-word participatory research project are completed in your own time.

Assessment will be by continuous accumulative assessment over the twelve modules. Each module has different assessment criteria and for specific module related information please consult the relevant module in the current online Book of Modules  

Assessments will include group project work, portfolios, essays, etc. and a participatory research project at the end of the second year (There are no exams).

The Master’s is co-ordinated Dr Feilim Ó Hadhmaill in the School of Applied Social Studies, and taught by lecturers in the School and in the seven other contributing departments within UCC: Management and Marketing; Food, Business and Development; Accounting and Finance;  Business Information Systems; Government;  Economics; and Law. 

Profiles of the lecturers can be found on UCC's Research Profile webpages

Contributing lecturers include:

Professor F.W. Powell 
Professor Alastair Christie
Dr Cathal O'Connell
Dr Kenneth Burns
Dr Fiona Dukelow
Dr Claire Edwards
Joseph Finnerty
Dr Eileen Hogan
Rosemary R. Meade
Dr Feilim Ó hAdhmaill
Michael Ó hAodain
Dr Orla O'Donovan
Dr Jacqui O'Riordan

Lydia Sapouna
Dr Pat Twomey
Pat Leahy

Dr. Eleanor Bantry White

Dr. Caitriona Ní Laoire

Food Business and Development: 
Prof. Michael Ward
Noreen Byrne
Bridget Carroll
Dr Olive McCarthy
Dr Mary O'Shaughnessy

Government: 
Dr Clodagh Harris

Management and Marketing: 
Dr Patrice Cooper

Law: 
Dr Fiona Donson

Economics

Dr Colette Finn

Business Information Systems

Dr. Ciara Fitzgerald

And Dr. Olaniyi Kolawole
Email: olaniyi.kolawole@ucc.ie
Tel. 021 4902228