MSc Social Work
Key Facts
UCAS code/ course code: L500
Qulification/level: MSc
Duration: Full-time two years
Start Date: September 2011
Location: High Wycombe Campus
Course description
This course is designed for graduates who are interested in qualifying as a social worker. Social workers act as adviser, advocate, counsellor and listener to vulnerable or troubled members of our society. As a social worker, you will help people find solutions to their problems and enable them to live more happily within their local communities.
Qualified social workers practice in a wide range of settings in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. These may include: local authorities, hospitals, voluntary services for drug and alcohol users and youth justice services. In order that you, as a prospective social worker, truly understand the people who will rely on you, this course involves frequent participation from service users and professionals.
Once qualified, you will have a good choice of career opportunities and be able to continue to undertake post-qualifying training to enhance your knowledge and skills.
Course content
The course will cover a range of areas and can involve a variety of service user groups. There is a vast scope for specialisation and in the final year you will be required to undertake a piece of primary research for your dissertation.
The programme consists of three academic modules in each year, covering all aspects of social work. There is also a practice placement of 100 days in each year with scope for specialisation in the second year.
The academic modules for this course are:
First year
- Social Work in Contemporary Society
- Preparation for Practice
- Service Users, Groups, Theories and Methods
- Practice Learning 1
Second year
- Research Methods
- Inter-professional Practice
- Practice Learning 2
- Putting the Law into Practice
- Dissertation
Further information
Higher education institutions offering a professional social work course have to be accredited by the GSCC. They ensure that our teaching and facilities are of the highest quality and up-to-date with the latest developments and guidelines for professional practice.
In line with this, it is now required that all students complete work-based learning during the course of their studies. You will need to be registered with the GSCC as a student social worker in order to complete the course and undertake the practice placements.
Entry requirements
The applicant must be a Graduate with relevant, or non relevant degree, possessing a lower second class or above. In order to comply with GSCC requirements, they must also hold GCSEs in English and Mathematics at grades A-C. Candidates must also have at least six months experience of direct social care, either in paid employment, as a volunteer in the voluntary sector or in a caring capacity.
