School of Social Work and Social Policy
Bachelor in Social Studies
Year 2 Senior Fresh
Course Handbook 2023‐2024
, Table of Contents
Welcome by Dr Joe Whelan, Course Director, Bachelor of Social Studies................................................. 5
Welcome to International Students .......................................................................................................................... 6
General Information ........................................................................................................................................................ 7
Emergency Procedure ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Data Protection for Student Data .......................................................................................................................... 7
Student Feedback and Evaluation ........................................................................................................................ 7
College Maps .................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Student Supports .............................................................................................................................................................. 8
College Tutor ................................................................................................................................................................. 8
Supports within School of Social Work and Social Policy ........................................................................... 8
Practice Education Team .......................................................................................................................................... 8
Placement Cluster Leaders ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Trinity College Dublin Students Union (TCDSU) ............................................................................................ 9
Student Counselling Services .................................................................................................................................. 9
Support Provision for Students with Disabilities ........................................................................................... 9
Student Learning Development .......................................................................................................................... 11
Library Facilities ....................................................................................................................................................... 11
Financial Assistance................................................................................................................................................. 11
General Programme Information............................................................................................................................ 12
Course Director.......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Professional Staff ...................................................................................................................................................... 12
Head of School ............................................................................................................................................................ 12
Director of Undergraduate and Learning (Undergraduate) ................................................................... 12
Practice Education Team ....................................................................................................................................... 13
School Office Location and Opening Hours .................................................................................................... 13
BSS Course Committee ........................................................................................................................................... 14
Staff – Student Liaison ............................................................................................................................................ 14
BSS Student Representatives ............................................................................................................................... 15
Bachelor in Social Studies Practice Panel ....................................................................................................... 15
External Examiner .................................................................................................................................................... 15
Overview of the Bachelor in Social Studies Degree (BSS) ............................................................................ 16
Regulatory Body - Health and Social Care Professionals Council/ Social Workers Registration
Board (CORU) ............................................................................................................................................................. 16
Aims and Objectives ................................................................................................................................................ 16
2
, Programme Learning Outcomes......................................................................................................................... 18
Teaching and Learning Methods ........................................................................................................................ 19
Timetable ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19
Bachelor in Social Studies Regulations and Conventions Booklet ............................................................ 19
School of Social Work and Social Policy Marking Scale ................................................................................. 20
Course Expectations ................................................................................................................................................ 23
Attendance .................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Punctuality................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Reliability ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Participation ............................................................................................................................................................... 24
Peer Support and Respect ..................................................................................................................................... 24
Deadlines for Assignments ................................................................................................................................... 24
Students’ expectations of staff............................................................................................................................. 25
Online Student Code of Conduct ......................................................................................................................... 26
BSS Senior Freshman Academic Year Structure 2023/24........................................................................... 29
BSS Senior Freshman Course Structure 2023/24............................................................................................ 31
Module Outlines ........................................................................................................................................................ 31
Module Leads and Role Description for Module Lead on the BSS ........................................................ 31
European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) ...................................................................................................... 32
Workload related to ECTS ..................................................................................................................................... 32
BSS Senior Freshman Course Assessment .......................................................................................................... 33
SOU22011: Introduction to Social Research 1: (5 ECTS) ......................................................................... 35
SOU22012: Introduction to Social Research 2: (5 ECTS) ......................................................................... 35
SSU22112: SF Practice Placement (15 ECTS) .................................................................................................... 36
Placement..................................................................................................................................................................... 36
Readiness for placement Process....................................................................................................................... 36
Preparing for the Placement ................................................................................................................................ 36
Placement Aims, Learning Outcomes, Structure and Issues ................................................................... 37
Choice of Placement................................................................................................................................................. 38
Placement duration.................................................................................................................................................. 39
Placement Supervision, Tutorial Support and Practice Project ............................................................ 39
Student’s Practice Project ..................................................................................................................................... 40
Reading Time .............................................................................................................................................................. 40
Assessment of SSU22112 SF Placement ............................................................................................................. 40
Student Placement Project Format ................................................................................................................... 41
3
, Supervisor’s Assessment of Student’s Placement Performance ........................................................... 43
Learning Agreement ................................................................................................................................................ 45
Health and safety ........................................................................................................................................................... 46
Vaccination Policy: ................................................................................................................................................... 46
Critical incidents ....................................................................................................................................................... 47
Health Concerns ........................................................................................................................................................ 47
Garda Vetting................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Access to Agency Held Information ....................................................................................................................... 48
Foundation Scholarship Examinations ................................................................................................................. 49
Guidelines for the Presentation of Written Work ............................................................................................ 50
Guidelines on Plagiarism ............................................................................................................................................ 57
Detection of Plagiarism .......................................................................................................................................... 57
College Regulations on Plagiarism .................................................................................................................... 57
BSS Course Code of Conduct ..................................................................................................................................... 63
Fitness to Practise ......................................................................................................................................................... 67
Fitness to Study .............................................................................................................................................................. 68
BSS Prizes ......................................................................................................................................................................... 69
Appendix I: Learning Agreement for BSS SF Students .................................................................................. 70
Appendix II: Supervisor’s Report on Senior Fresh 50 Day Block ............................................................. 77
Appendix III : BSS Attendance Policy ................................................................................................................. 81
Appendix IV : Placement Log ................................................................................................................................... 84
Appendix V : Student Consent Protocol when Acting as a Service User in Learning Activities ... 85
Alternative formats of this handbook can be made available on request
4
Bachelor in Social Studies
Year 2 Senior Fresh
Course Handbook 2023‐2024
, Table of Contents
Welcome by Dr Joe Whelan, Course Director, Bachelor of Social Studies................................................. 5
Welcome to International Students .......................................................................................................................... 6
General Information ........................................................................................................................................................ 7
Emergency Procedure ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Data Protection for Student Data .......................................................................................................................... 7
Student Feedback and Evaluation ........................................................................................................................ 7
College Maps .................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Student Supports .............................................................................................................................................................. 8
College Tutor ................................................................................................................................................................. 8
Supports within School of Social Work and Social Policy ........................................................................... 8
Practice Education Team .......................................................................................................................................... 8
Placement Cluster Leaders ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Trinity College Dublin Students Union (TCDSU) ............................................................................................ 9
Student Counselling Services .................................................................................................................................. 9
Support Provision for Students with Disabilities ........................................................................................... 9
Student Learning Development .......................................................................................................................... 11
Library Facilities ....................................................................................................................................................... 11
Financial Assistance................................................................................................................................................. 11
General Programme Information............................................................................................................................ 12
Course Director.......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Professional Staff ...................................................................................................................................................... 12
Head of School ............................................................................................................................................................ 12
Director of Undergraduate and Learning (Undergraduate) ................................................................... 12
Practice Education Team ....................................................................................................................................... 13
School Office Location and Opening Hours .................................................................................................... 13
BSS Course Committee ........................................................................................................................................... 14
Staff – Student Liaison ............................................................................................................................................ 14
BSS Student Representatives ............................................................................................................................... 15
Bachelor in Social Studies Practice Panel ....................................................................................................... 15
External Examiner .................................................................................................................................................... 15
Overview of the Bachelor in Social Studies Degree (BSS) ............................................................................ 16
Regulatory Body - Health and Social Care Professionals Council/ Social Workers Registration
Board (CORU) ............................................................................................................................................................. 16
Aims and Objectives ................................................................................................................................................ 16
2
, Programme Learning Outcomes......................................................................................................................... 18
Teaching and Learning Methods ........................................................................................................................ 19
Timetable ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19
Bachelor in Social Studies Regulations and Conventions Booklet ............................................................ 19
School of Social Work and Social Policy Marking Scale ................................................................................. 20
Course Expectations ................................................................................................................................................ 23
Attendance .................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Punctuality................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Reliability ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Participation ............................................................................................................................................................... 24
Peer Support and Respect ..................................................................................................................................... 24
Deadlines for Assignments ................................................................................................................................... 24
Students’ expectations of staff............................................................................................................................. 25
Online Student Code of Conduct ......................................................................................................................... 26
BSS Senior Freshman Academic Year Structure 2023/24........................................................................... 29
BSS Senior Freshman Course Structure 2023/24............................................................................................ 31
Module Outlines ........................................................................................................................................................ 31
Module Leads and Role Description for Module Lead on the BSS ........................................................ 31
European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) ...................................................................................................... 32
Workload related to ECTS ..................................................................................................................................... 32
BSS Senior Freshman Course Assessment .......................................................................................................... 33
SOU22011: Introduction to Social Research 1: (5 ECTS) ......................................................................... 35
SOU22012: Introduction to Social Research 2: (5 ECTS) ......................................................................... 35
SSU22112: SF Practice Placement (15 ECTS) .................................................................................................... 36
Placement..................................................................................................................................................................... 36
Readiness for placement Process....................................................................................................................... 36
Preparing for the Placement ................................................................................................................................ 36
Placement Aims, Learning Outcomes, Structure and Issues ................................................................... 37
Choice of Placement................................................................................................................................................. 38
Placement duration.................................................................................................................................................. 39
Placement Supervision, Tutorial Support and Practice Project ............................................................ 39
Student’s Practice Project ..................................................................................................................................... 40
Reading Time .............................................................................................................................................................. 40
Assessment of SSU22112 SF Placement ............................................................................................................. 40
Student Placement Project Format ................................................................................................................... 41
3
, Supervisor’s Assessment of Student’s Placement Performance ........................................................... 43
Learning Agreement ................................................................................................................................................ 45
Health and safety ........................................................................................................................................................... 46
Vaccination Policy: ................................................................................................................................................... 46
Critical incidents ....................................................................................................................................................... 47
Health Concerns ........................................................................................................................................................ 47
Garda Vetting................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Access to Agency Held Information ....................................................................................................................... 48
Foundation Scholarship Examinations ................................................................................................................. 49
Guidelines for the Presentation of Written Work ............................................................................................ 50
Guidelines on Plagiarism ............................................................................................................................................ 57
Detection of Plagiarism .......................................................................................................................................... 57
College Regulations on Plagiarism .................................................................................................................... 57
BSS Course Code of Conduct ..................................................................................................................................... 63
Fitness to Practise ......................................................................................................................................................... 67
Fitness to Study .............................................................................................................................................................. 68
BSS Prizes ......................................................................................................................................................................... 69
Appendix I: Learning Agreement for BSS SF Students .................................................................................. 70
Appendix II: Supervisor’s Report on Senior Fresh 50 Day Block ............................................................. 77
Appendix III : BSS Attendance Policy ................................................................................................................. 81
Appendix IV : Placement Log ................................................................................................................................... 84
Appendix V : Student Consent Protocol when Acting as a Service User in Learning Activities ... 85
Alternative formats of this handbook can be made available on request
4
