An update from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is DCU’s largest Faculty, blending long-established subjects, such as History, Journalism, Literature, Public Policy, Law, Irish and Theology with newer disciplines, such as Security and Conflict Studies, International Relations, Translation Technology and Climate Change.

DCU is ranked in the top 200 universities globally for ‘arts and humanities’ and in the top 250 universities for ‘social sciences’. Five of the Faculty’s disciplines are ranked in the top 300 universities in the world in the 2021 QS World University Rankings by Subject: top 150 (and number 1 in Ireland) for Communication and Media Studies; top 200 for Politics and International Studies and for Linguistics; top 250 for English Language and Literature, and in the top 300 for Law.

In 2020, the Faculty took in a record number of undergraduate and postgraduate students: more than 30% of DCU’s first year undergraduates opt to take our degree programmes. We also registered a record 200 PhD students. Two new innovative undergraduate courses were launched, focusing on challenge-based learning: the BSc in Global Challenges and the BA in Climate and Environmental Sustainability.

We launched three new interdisciplinary research centres: the Anti-Corruption Research Centre, the Centre for Climate Change & Society, and the Centre for Religion, Human Values and International Relations.

Our expert staff and incredible students and alumni continue to make contributions beyond the university, from prime time media commentary on topics, such as Brexit, to expert policy contributions on disinformation and online advertising, to collaborative community art projects such as the MELLIE Visual Voices Exhibition at the IMMA. In line with DCU’s vision, we are truly transforming lives and societies.