MA Social Work

Course overview:

You gain the skills and knowledge to meet the challenges and developments in the social work environment, equipped to undertake any role suitable for a newly-qualified social worker.

It is a course requirement to complete supervised placements. The majority of local authorities who work with the University to provide placement opportunities require you to have access to and use of a car and adequate insurance covering business use to attend visits.

Further details will be provided at interview stage and you will be asked to sign a suitability declaration which also includes confirmation that you hold a valid driving licence. If, due to individual circumstances, you are unable to drive or have particular difficulties in accessing your own transport, these circumstances will be considered but should be discussed with the University at interview.

Where you study:

You study at Teesside University on our Middlesbrough campus. You undertake adult and children placements in the statutory and voluntary sectors across the region.

Professional accreditation

Achievement of MA Social Work gives you eligibility to apply for registration as a social worker with Social Work England, the professional regulator. The course includes two assessed placements in social work settings. The placements will be in different settings with different service user groups and at least one placement will normally be in a statutory setting or in a placement where statutory work can be experienced.

How you learn:

Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, small group work, micro-teaching skills and professional/practice placements.

How you are assessed:

Assessment approaches including essays, small group and individual presentations, dissertation based around service improvement, reports, and assessment of skills in interacting with service users and carers. The assessments have a strong focus on social work practice and preparing you for the workplace. You are also assessed on your practical social work skills in two placements.

Career opportunities:

A master’s degree in social work can lead to a long career as a professional social worker with adults or children. There are many job opportunities in local authority social work departments as well as voluntary sector organizations and increasingly new types of employers such as social enterprises and the private sector.

Master’s degree students are especially attractive to employers because of the skills which they have achieved as postgraduates. A master’s degree can help graduates to advance quickly in their careers. The degree provides graduates with transferable skills including report writing and interpersonal skills. These skills can be applied across a range of graduate employment opportunities.