Information & Communication Studies

BSc (Hons) (NFQ Level 8) or BA (Hons) (NFQ Level 8)

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Curricular information is subject to change.

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Why is this course for me?

Information & Communication Studies (ICS) equips you with the knowledge, skills, and tools to help you to make sense of a world where every aspect of human experience is affected by digital technology, media, data, and information in all formats. ICS explores digital information, social media, and communication and analyses their effects on societies, culture, politics, privacy, health, education and the many different spheres of public, private and personal life. Ultimately, ICS is about people, and understanding how people and technology interact and influence each other in the 21st Century.

Course Pathways
What Will I Study

First Year

All first year social sciences students study the core module, Societal Challenges in the Twenty First Century. Additional modules may include:

  • Information and Social Media
  • Digital Technology
  • Digital Judgement: Truth, Lies & the Internet
  • Information, Society & Culture
  • Plus another subject
  • Plus Elective module

Second Year

  • Core Competencies for Digital Citizenship
  • Social Media & Participation in an Online World
  • Exploring Text with Python
  • Computer-Mediated Communication
  • Social Studies of ICTs
  • Information & Collaboration in Organisations
  • Plus another subject
  • Plus Elective modules

Third Year & Fourth Year

  • The Digital Self
  • Digital Media Ethics
  • Digital Storytelling
  • Web Publishing
  • Information Architecture: Designing the Web
  • Web UX Evaluation
  • Gender, Race and Media
  • Digital Research Skills for Social Sciences
  • Data Visualisation
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Research & Discovery module (4th Year only)
  • Plus Elective modules

In third year, students can apply for an optional paid internship for one trimester in a range of organisations in the public and private sector, which help to inform future career decisions through  real-world experience.

Assessment

Students attend lectures and tutorials and undertake independent study and project work. Assessment including a wide variety of digital projects.

For detailed information on subject content click here.

How Will I Study
Study Information & Communication Studies (BSc Social Sciences)

Click To View The BSc Social Sciences Course Combination Grid

Study Information & Communication Studies (BA Joint Honours)

Click To View The BA Arts Course Combination Grid

International Study Opportunities

Students may study abroad for a year or a semester. Destinations include the USA, Australia, China and Canada.

Career & Graduate Study Opportunities

Information & Social Computing is relevant for careers in: Web design and development, Social media, Social computing, User experience design, Investigative research, Publishing, Digital marketing and Business.

Graduates can progress to various Master’s courses:

  • MSc Communication & Media, which prepares students for public and private sectors careers in digital media industries, communication regulation and policy, media design, management and research.
  • MSc Human-Computer Interaction and MSc Information Systems, which prepare students in careers in human-computer interaction, usability, user experience, user research and information systems-related professions.
  • Master of Library & Information Studies (MLIS), which prepares students for careers including librarianship, information consulting and digital media management.

Graduates can also pursue research careers by studying for a PhD.

Other Entry Routes
Testimonial

“Studying Information & Communication Studies in UCD has allowed me to understand how digital information is incorporated into our technology and in our digital life in today’s society. I like the variety of modules offered in this course. If you want to explore information and social media, look into the introduction of Artificial Intelligence, or understand web design and its development, this course is for you. So far in this course I have taken a keen interest in information design and web publishing. These modules have helped me to expand my skills and digital knowledge by using the Internet and social media platforms.”

Christina Adeline Carlota, Student

Contact Information

Fiona Smyth
UCD School of Information & Communication Studies,
Newman,
Belfield,
Dublin 4

Email: fiona.smyth@ucd.ie

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