Social Care Distance Learning Course NUI Galway

Catzz

I am thinking of doing the BA Social Care course through distance learning in NUI Galway. Has anyone done this course. Is this an accreditated course. Is it a worth while course.

smolt99

Hi Catzz,
I am also considering doing the the BA Social Care at NUI. Just like you Im unsure. I live in Cork but Im willing to travel to any workshops in the Galway area. Distance learning is the only option for the time being as I am primary carer of our new baby. I do some voluntary work with people who have disabilities and I may try to do more if I start the course. Do you think this amount of work would be sufficient enough?

LadyMayBelle

Hi Smolt; It is a recognised course. I did one year of it while waiting to get into the social work masters, because it was part time (which meant one eve a month) and because it was during the era when you could get courses paid for

The majority of disabilty service providers these days will not emply people without some kind of social studies/care/science degree or a pre-nursing cert, whatever. On my course alone, most of the students were already working in the social care field, had gotten jobs there before that requirement came in and were now be encouraged to go back and train (even though some would have had over twenty years field experience). I had 7 years experience in intellectual disability, but some others had very little, it didn't matter too much as you applied the learning to your work and knowledge.

You can do one year, which is the cert, and each year you pass, you get elevated to the diploma, degree etc. First year is pretty handy; you look at Health and Wellbeing, Basic Anatomy, Basic Personal Care and Social Policy. You must also attend a weekend event in the college (a Saturday and a Sunday where a conference is held on either vulnerable adults or some other relevant field). When I did it you just had to write essays for each module with one module having a tick box exam. You will also carry out a short placement in an organisation, maybe Rehab or Simon or Brothers of Charity, where ever, and complete a project on that.

You say you have voluntary work experience already, which is great. Generally they like to give you placement in a different field just to broaden you horizons and to clarify 'social care' for you a bit.

I have a friend who is now in the final year (fourth) and found it very do able. Things may have changed a little but it still counts as a recognised course. Any further questions you should clarify them with the Health Promotion Department (they host the course).

I just checked their webpage and see they have added an IT module, now that I imagine would be fairly basic, as people coming onto the course may not necessarily have computer skills, so if you are using boards, I say you would be okay!

You should email them though maybe and see about whether they have classes in Portarlington or somewhere that may be nearer?

http://www.nuigalway.ie/courses/adult-and-continuing-education-courses/social-care.html

smolt99

Thanks ever so much Lady May,

This option of distance learning sounds promising. I have contact numbers for the coarse coordinaters. Thanks again

Catzz

Hi Smolt99. I rang NUI Galway today about the BA Social Care course done through distance learning. They said that it is recognised by the university but it isn't an accreditated course. They said they are trying to get it accreditated and are going through the registration process but there is no guarantee that they will get it and it could take a few years. I would love to do the course but don't fancy paying out all that money if it is not accreditated. What do u think?

LadyMayBelle

Hmmm that is very interesting. i wonder whether the lost the accreditation then because when I did it there was about 7 people from Rehab Care who were being made do the course. My bad for assuming it was accredited, apologies... Im not sure now: i guess it depends it depends how far off accreditation it is. I know my MA course wasnt being accredited back in the early 00s but the first batch of students got their official qualification as soon as it did. Have to think....

Catzz

I e-mailed a guy that would be high up in the area of Humanities and Social Care. He said that it is certainly recognised as an NUI degree. He said in the past the qualifications were through the Institute of Technology Sector and were recognised as basic qualifications by the Health Boards/HSE with the Level 7 ordinary degree(formerly National Diploma) as the baseline. At the end of the day, it comes down to the views of significant employers. It might get accredited in the future.
Think i will look around and see what other colleges do it.

smolt99

Hi all,

I am at a real loss whether to go ahead and apply for the BA in social care at NUI. For one I can not understand why the college offers a degree that it not accredited . Also, can anyone tell me does the college coresponde with organisations and potential employers in regards to work placement. I have heard the contact between college coordinaters is very limited. I do not what to sound negative about the whole thing but just a little concerned as this will be a big commitment for the four years.
Ps, I have not got any official confirmation of the course not being accredited.

Catzz

It is very hard to know what to do as i really wanted to do this course and it would suit me as i work. NUI Galway told me that it is not an accredited course. but they are trying to get it registered. I might try and ring the HSE and see what they think about it. If you knew by the end of the 4 years that it would get the registration, then that would be ok. But it is a risk. What are you going to do?

sinorita

Hi there Catzz,

I'm in the same boat as you. I work full time also and have always wanted to work in social care. This course sounds perfect for me. But the accreditation has worried me. What if at the end of the four years and after all that money, that the course won't be accredited??

Catzz

sinorita wrote: »

Hi there Catzz,

I'm in the same boat as you. I work full time also and have always wanted to work in social care. This course sounds perfect for me. But the accreditation has worried me. What if at the end of the four years and after all that money, that the course won't be accredited??

Yes that is the problem. Don't think i want to take the risk if it doesn't work out. Hopefully it will pass it's registration soon.

sinorita

The closing date is 16th July. Another way of studying in social care etc is to study in a.i.t part time. This will take up to 8 years to do in order to have a recognised qualification :mad:

Catzz

Yes, I'm not sure how that works. Doesn't seem right. They seem to look for you to have completed the ordinary Level 7 degree before you enter the honours degree. So your probably right.
Was in touch with the Irish Association of Social Care Workers and they told me to get in touch with the registration council to find out where they are at with the course. Will let you know what they say. Hopefully it will be postive. They said that Universities wouldn't recognise courses willy nilly without establishing the course standing. So that sounds promising. :rolleyes:

sinorita

Catzz wrote: »

Yes, I'm not sure how that works. Doesn't seem right. They seem to look for you to have completed the ordinary Level 7 degree before you enter the honours degree. So your probably right.
Was in touch with the Irish Association of Social Care Workers and they told me to get in touch with the registration council to find out where they are at with the course. Will let you know what they say. Hopefully it will be postive. They said that Universities wouldn't recognise courses willy nilly without establishing the course standing. So that sounds promising. :rolleyes:

Well Catzz,

Any good news for us?!! Was thinkin today of takin career break and do it full time(if i get the grant)...no way i'm doin 8 years p/time!!

Catzz

Haven't got much info yet. Was on to CORU. He said that there is no actual accredited courses in Social Care but some that are approved by statatory bodies like them. He is going to look into the course and get back to me. It will be tomorrow by the time i hear anything.
Someone from the IASCW said that there is a HSE center that recognises this course. You would prob have to ring a few places that would be possible areas that you wish to work in and see if they recognise the qualification.
If you could do it full time, that would be great. Sounds like a good option if you can do that. Will be in touch if I have more info.;)

crofty28

Hi all,

The BA Social Care is HETAC Level 9 Acreditted & Is a fantastic course for any1 wanting to, or already working in Social Care. I've just completed the degree (we are the 1st group in Galway to have done so) and can't stress enough what a fantasic course this is. There is a lot of work in the final 2 years but it really does provide a practical theoretical framework to apply to a care setting & therefore inprove existing practice in your field. It is recognised by employers, as it is an honours degree & covers a vast range of relevant modules. I've just secured a master's in NUIG, & feel very confident as a result of the course content. The BA is ideal for ppl working fulltime or with young families as the work is manageable if you commit yourself & are willing to put in the time. I made loads of friends & really enjoyed what I was learning about 2.
Hope this helps :rolleyes:

Catzz

Is this the distance learning BA in Social Care? I was talking to the college and they said that it is not an accredited course. So wouldn't be HETAC. Not all employers recognise it. Brothers of Charity Galway don't seem to recognise it.
Sorry but this is just the information i have got from a few people that i have contacted in relation to this.
Last day for applying for course was last Friday.

crofty28

Hi Catz,

Not sure who in the college you were in contact with, but the degree is def HETAC level 9, I'm sure of it. There's no way I would've spent all that cash on doing 5 yrs if it wasn't (Bridging yr between 2 & 3). I'm staring a masters in Social Work in September which was really difficult to get so I wouldn't have got in if the degree wasn't recognised. Anyway, good luck with whatever u decide to do.

crofty28

Hi again,

Meant to add, it is regognised by the HSE... as i work for them for the past 4 yrs in community care, i started after diploma.hope this helps.

bazmaiden

Hey listen tbh you're just better off doing nursing because at least you won't be undermined by people walking in off the street with no qualifications taking your job, who not only lack education but also basic human skills.

And the fact that the community employment scheme is gonna be coming in after the budget and will have a parasitic effect on these jobs (social care) means that this course will become redundent, even more so than it already is.

rustopher

So to sum up, social care should be avoided?? Crap, I will have to contact the college myself. I started the course this just September gone (2 classes completed) but i still haven't paid the fees and will be in no hurry to until i find out more. I thought i made the choice.. still hope i did!

macisback

I have to comment, Bazmaiden you could not be more wrong the country is going through a recession, every job is affected by that. If you look to other countries you will see that social care will grow in the future as it is the only model of care we can afford. I am on my second degree and this course is excellent. There are questions looming over FETAC and HETAC accreditation and particuarly organisations that are accredited by HETAC are now known not to be following the rules. The reason why this course if not accredited is because Galway is a university and it accredits itself. Ultimately a degree from a university will stand out above IoT. On the subject of nursing its a great qualification wouldn't knock it but changes and opportunties for employment in nursing will change drastically in the next ten years.

owla

hi there,
i'm in the middle of this course and knew it wasn't accredited by brothers of charity but am now deeply worried about the fact that its not recognised by hse! did that lady ever hear back from CORU, what are they saying.
all in all its a good course but i want a job at the end of it.
does anyone know any more? tutors seem vague about it, have we job prospects at the end?

username007

I have been looking into this and think the problem here is that people are confused over the difference between accreditation and recognition. As universities accredit their own courses, this means that this course is accredited, in the same way as if you had a degree in bioengineering or sociology or whatever from NUIG or any other uni. The IoT sector, as I understand it, is slightly different, in that, they have an accreditation relationship with HETAC, that is, the awards they provide are accredited by themselves under authority from HETAC (think DIT and one or two other IoTs are a little different, but not much. Also, FETAC are not in the running here, as they stop at level 6 and a pass degree is level 7 and an honours degree level 8). Universities can of course match their courses with HETAC and have them accredited by HETAC, but I would imagine that even the suggestion of that here has caused the equivalent of a tremor in the force among senior uni figures. This all means that the notion that the HSE or voluntary organisations are accrediting courses is incorrect. Think of it like this, the HSE employs doctors but does not accredit medical degrees. Nonetheless, this is where the recognition problem arises, in that, any employer, can decide what course they will recognise for a particular job, that’s their prerogative. As such, this course may not be recognised by a particular employer, but that is very different to it not being accredited. When CORU gets rolling, it should all be more straightforward, in that, to register you will have to have completed a course that CORU has approved. This won’t mean that uni’s or anybody else will stop accrediting courses, just that if you don’t do a course approved by CORU, you won’t be able to register and therefore won’t be able to practice, which will mean in reality that any non-CORU approved courses will likely dry up over night. The last time I checked there were something like 50 or 60 courses across the professions that will have to apply to CORU for approval and all courses will be assessed at least once every 5 years after approval, but this is once the boards for each profession are established within CORU.

owla

hi username 007
i've read your post with interest.... and yes I understand.... however considering the HSE are the main social care employers in the country and stand over all the voluntary orgs which employ social care workers.... ....of course they are not accrediting the degree/diploma... but the fact that they are not recognising it? bit strange...... I know someone with a social care dip and working as a care assistant as employer not recognising the qualification..... they're going to continue the course in dublin in another college to get 'recognition'..... so its a merry go round really... I hope CORU hurry up and get our 'accreditations' recognised by HSE as I want to get a job! and I love the course too.

bails01

Hi.......... I have this course completed and is of no use to me I have found out after finishing the course!!!!!!!! No organisation recognises the degree nor have we any positions to apply for. By that I mean normally when a person completes a degree there are certain higher positions in a company that they would be qualified to apply for however with the social care degree as its not recognised there is no positions within an organisation that you could apply for. So take me for instance I was a care assistant before starting the course I done the course hoping to be able to apply for jobs up the ladder, but guess what???? after spending years doing the course and shelling out thousands in fees to the university I am STILL A CARE ASSISTANT (a poorer one might I add), degree doesn't count for anything. As for CORU by the time any degree is recognised in the social care workers field I know I will be retired (and I'm still only in my 30's, by the way) and anyone with the degree in their 20's will also be retired by the time this degree is recognised. So if you want my opinion..... keep your hard earned cash as you will still be doing the same job you are now or find a course that like nursing, psychology or any of those that you can walk out with a degree and find a job with better prospects and less back breaking.

owla

hi bail1
this sounds v. bad! Do you mind me asking what field you are working in?
elderly or disability? Have you gone back to the careers office to see what other options are possible? You would be qualified to apply for advocacy positions which are outside of actual practical caring. Also have you thought of getting into some voluntary work to gain experience outside the sector you are actually working in? ie youthwork. I'm just trying to think of alternatives.
Also, what are the other degree graduates working at?
On a lighter note the coru website has withdrawn all previously 'recognised' qualifications ie the nui one was excluded. So thats obviously a dated theory and there is definitely a move in that stance. Have a look.
Try and be positive, with a negative attidude you won't get far. You have a nui degree.
Get out there and try and use it, even it in the beginning its outside work time. ie volunary sector.

bails01

Hi owla,

I wouldn't call my attitude negative more disappointed than anything. I work with the elderly and have done so now for nearly 20 years, surely that type of experience counts for something along with me degree but sadly no not to any of the employers I have spoken to. It makes me so angry to see that after all the work and money spent on the degree that at present it is useless to me. As for working with other groups, I already do in my spare time which I don't have much as I have young children and work full time I am involved in 4 youth groups, also I give some time to 1 charity shop when I can and I help out other organisations when they are short staffed as I would be known to a lot of people within the social care fields. Most have not heard of my degree and anyone who would be vaguely familiar with it know of no organisation that recognises it. On the subject of the careers office I contacted them with regards to where I could go from here now that I have my degree all I got back was to apply for any positions I would think I fit the bill for and see what happens. Not the reply I was looking for and that was from the NUI itself. They were unable to direct me in any direction regarding looking for certain positions as the degree is not recognised therefore there are no clear directions to go with regards climbing the ladder in employment.
Also I have spoken to most of the people that were in the class with me and the degree too has made no difference to their job prospects. They are in the same jobs as before the completion of the degree and to make matters worse most work under people that don't have any degree within the social care sector which would make anyone angry.
As for CORU I have been in touch with them lately and they have told me in time this degree will probably be recognised they cannot be sure however but they are working on regulating the social care field so even they say at present (although not in these words, one must read between the lines) that the degree is useless at present.
I do try to be positive honestly but when you keep coming up against brick walls its hard to stay positive. I have no more time to give to any organisation I feel I do as much as I can to get ahead in the social care field. Its a hard world out there and harder when you have a degree that employers do not recognise or even care about:(

rustopher

Sounds tough alright but to be honest I would put a lot of that down to the recession and not the degree. I mean in my class someone has a psychology degree but cant get work, with this course he said he can get further in his line of work. There is a freeze on recruiting new people alright because of the cut backs etc.

Has any employer told u the degree u have is actually useless and is this why u cant get work? Check out the private sectors for employment even starting as a volunteer as mentioned earlier. Have u finished your degree just recently?

bails01

Hi Rustopher,

Unfortunately it's not recession fault. See take nurses for example when a person qualifies as a nurse they know the positions they can apply for basically they know where along the medical line they fit in. However, as most areas of social care are not regulated as of yet meaning that anyone even those without experience or qualifications can apply for work within the social care field. Having the degree is making no difference as we have no place to fit in along the social care chain. Think about it if you do this course what positions/job do you hope you will be qualified to do??? look it up not one looks for this degree in social care??? basically the degree is not seen as important as of yet anyway therefore no employer seems to know where along the chain or where up the ladder a person with this social care degree should be aiming for. All employers I have spoken for do not either know about the degree at all or have heard of it but like I stated do not know where we fit in. One employer asked me this as asked if my degree meant I was on par with nurses (minus the medicine administration), or under nurses or even over nurses in the employment ladder, I was unable to tell him as I don't know where like everyone one I fit in.
The HSE has been contacted by me and I was sent from one person to another as per usual and the end result!!!!!!!!! no one was able to help me as they do not know anything about the degree except that they know you can do one but as of yet it won't help you climb the ladder, so whats the point???? I do not really know why I did the course had I known I had no place to fit in on the jobs ladder I think I would have done psychology or nursing (although nursing is more medical model which I was trying to move away from) at least I would know where my degree fitted in :rolleyes: Am I making myself clear on what I mean by no place to fit in????? I do invite replies I would really like to find out your views on this subject.
Guys I'm not trying to be negative here I just want people to know before they set out to do the course and spend money they can ill afford to spend hoping for a better job position that you need to know what is available at the end of this course. I wish someone had spoken or emailed me with this concern I think I would have put my time and money into another course. I am now just hoping that this course is recognised quickly so that my job prospects improve.

owla

HI bails100
I have been quite upset by the content of your email as I have had reservations regarding this course before. However after 2 days of contemplation I have decided to continue with it.
First of all I have been wondering about the practicality of the course content regarding learning alot about the elderly. I myself do not work in the elderly sector, and can see clearly that 'social care' need for the elderly is catered by nurses and care assistants in day care centres etc. I see there are no job opportunities myself for social care graduates. I work in the disability sector, I am a bit depressed regarding my own job prospects at the moment and this is tied in with the course. However, I find it strange when an employer says to you 'they don't know the course'. I mean this is neither here nor there, I mean I don't know the quantum physics course in London university either but I have no doubt it results in knowledge! I mean 'not knowing' the course is irrelevant, if there are graduates from the health promotion in nui then there are, and know they 'know it'. The lecturer told us they are in meetings at the moment to bring it in line with the other courses and there will be alterations in it next year regarding hours in placement, so this seems to be moving along. In my organisation people seem to have all kinds of degrees/some without. Some have social care degrees from cit and one said to me, knowing that I am now studying aswell, that they hope it will be proffessionalied so that not only 'train the trainer' courses can entitle you to a job in social care. That is one which you should do, they are all looking for that. So I would say, working with the elderly won't get you far in social care, look at the disabilit sector, advocacy seems to be the biggie at the moment. Get onto the course directors please and tell them your fears. Also, I know you have a family, but you can do any kind of top up courses you want now you have your priimary degree! Can you find a specialised area with the elderly you might be interested in. Also I have been for an interview with my diploma and never once was my qualification questioned if that makes you feel better, I didnt get the job however as I have no experience is getting 'forums' together.