Social Work (Postgraduate Entry)

Course Overview

Social workers work with a wide cross-section of society, including some of the most disadvantaged and excluded people. Our MA in Social Work provides a variety of opportunities for you to develop the knowledge, skills and appropriate values to work positively with people who have lived experience of social work practice.

Why study with us

• Values for ethical and effective social work practice are at the heart of the MA in Social Work course, underpinned by connection to people with lived experience of social work, research and the professional evidence base.

• You’ll spend at least 200 days (including 30 skills days) gaining different experiences and learning in practice settings. This enables you to build on your academic learning, developing a critical professional skills. You will demonstrate values-based practice to professional standards.

• Teaching takes a blended approach of lectures, seminars and in-person learning opportunities.

What you'll do

• In Year 1 the focus is understanding of the contexts for social work practice; self-awareness and self-development for resilience and effective practice; developing skills for working with others (communication, observation, assessment, intervention, criticality, writing, relationship building and digital professional skills); and developing and applying this knowledge with, and learning from people with lived experience of social work practice.

• In Year 2 you’ll have the opportunity to build on your skills and knowledge from the first year to consider and work with key complexities and challenges in social work practice, be supported to reflect on your developing professional capabilities, and plan for your intended social work career.

• The experiences, messages and views of social work practitioners, service users and carers underpin the course and are drawn upon to support your development as an effective social work practitioner in response.

Future Careers

Recent graduates of the MA in Social Work have gained jobs in social work teams in safeguarding/support roles, in children’s, young people and adult’s services, and with local authority, third sector and private organisations.