MSc Social Work

What's covered in the course?

You will experience student-centred academic learning on campus and practice-based learning in a service delivery setting, in the community.

Academic learning will include a carefully blended mix of face to face lectures, workshops and seminars, complemented by online resources. In addition to practitioners and academics from other relevant disciplines, teachers include experienced social work academics, practitioners, who are currently in practice and service users and carers who are experts by experience. They will assist you to obtain the knowledge, skills, values and professional capabilities you need for successful social work practice in today’s world. This includes legal, theoretical and research knowledge, the core skills of reflection, assessment, communication, resilience, report writing and leadership, and the values of being empowering, person-centred, strengths-based, results and outcomes focused.

Half of the programme involves gaining invaluable direct practice experience through placements, provided by our practice partners and overseen by our dedicated practice tutors. You will experience two placements one in year 1 and the second in year 2. Whilst on placement you will be supported by a qualified practice educator who will always be a registered social worker.

Our practice partners include Local Authorities and established private, independent and voluntary sector agencies. There are a number of innovative projects that allow you to experience social work in the growing area of educational settings.

Our experienced academic staff have worked in a variety of social work teams and settings including child and adult safeguarding, foster-care, physical and learning difficulties, sensory impairment, and mental health and hospital social work.

You will be taught at our modern City South Campus and have access to Mary Seacole library, personal development department, careers support, disability services, accommodation services, financial advice, student counselling services, students union, study spaces, laptops, skills rooms, and a variety of shops and cafes.

Employability

By the end of the course you will have the knowledge, attitudes and skills that employers need and want. You will also have the skills that will ensure your future and ongoing success as a social work practitioner.

The skills that enhance your employability are developed through our teaching and learning strategy which has a significant focus on embedding core skills whilst at University and developing these further during your practice placements.