Course description
Course delivery
The postgraduate programme runs over two years. The university
operates all aspects of its taught courses on a modular basis. Modules
are delivered over two semesters, the first running from September to
December and the second from late January to June.
Course content
The course is designed in a way that achieves a balance between
academic learning and the development of social work skills. There is a
strong emphasis on integrating practice and theory, with the purpose of
producing highly competent practitioners.
The content of the course is consistent with three sets of guidelines, the
Department of Health Requirements, the Benchmark Statements for
Social Work provided by the Quality Assurance Agency and the National
Occupational Standards.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAINING
Over the two years of the degree there will be a minimum of 200 days of
structured academic learning. This will include the key areas of human
growth and development, mental health and disability; assessment,
planning intervention and review; communication skills with children and
adults and those with particular communication needs; law; and
partnership working and information sharing across professional
disciplines and agencies.
THE QUALITY ASSURANCE AGENCY'S BENCHMARK STATEMENTS FOR SOCIALWORK
Students will develop a knowledge of social work services and service
users; the context of service delivery; values and ethics; social work
theory; and the nature of social work practice.
THE NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS
Students will develop a knowledge of key roles and the skills associated
with these roles; preparing for and working with people to assess needs
and circumstances; planning, carrying out reviews and evaluations of
social work practice; supporting people to represent their needs, views
and circumstances; managing risk including risk to oneself and
colleagues; managing and being accountable for one's own social work
practice within an organisation; and demonstrating professional
competence in social work practice.
FIRST YEAR
In your first year you will be introduced to social work theory and its
application to working with people. This will be supported by the study of
other disciplines including, law, social policy, ethics and organisations.You
will be given the opportunity to develop skills in communication,
assessment, intervention, planning and review, and demonstrate your
ability to work directly with service users, especially in the areas of mental
health and disability.
In the first year of the programme students are required to complete a
placement which will be an introduction to the various aspects of the
knowledge and skills required in social work. In addition to the placement
there are six modules.
Law for Social Work Practice is designed to enable students to
demonstrate their ability to research and apply relevant legal skills and
knowledge to those areas of the law for which social work practice has a
statutory duty and which are likely to be significant for many service
users. Students will also be expected to use legal research skills and be
capable of presenting a reasoned legal argument.
Social Work Practice: Skills Theory and Methods will enable students to
develop their values, knowledge, and skills in relation to social work. The
module is assessed by three interconnected forms of assessments
which provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their
knowledge and understanding of the practice of social work and the
research that underpins it. They will also develop their ability to practice
as effective anti-oppressive practitioners.
Working With People analyses working with people by the evaluation of
theories, skills, values and issues of practice. It provides relevant links to
the research methods and the disciplines of sociology and psychology.
Ethics, Values and Anti-Oppressive Practice in Social Work aims to
develop and assess both knowledge of ethical principles, and ethical
theories and the skills to apply ethical concepts and values to social work
case situations, including social work research. It also assesses a
student's skills in reflecting on their own values and how these impact
upon case intervention.
Social Policy for Social Workers encourages students to independently
research literature and research methodology on current social policies
and to evaluate their impact upon social service users.
Organisations is designed to provide students with a knowledge and
understanding of organisations in order to inform their critical and
research-based analysis of personal social services and to prepare them
for effective practice.
The First Placement is of one hundred days duration. It is designed to
enable students to develop their social work practice skills. It also
provides an opportunity for the student to meet the requirements of the
National Occupational Standards.
SECOND YEAR
In the second year in addition to the placement, there are three modules.
Critical Professional Practice develops further the Working With People
module of the previous year with further analysis of theories, skills,
research, values and issues of practice. International and Comparative
SocialWork requires students to access and evaluate comparative social
studies and associated research,enabling them to identify commonalities
and differences in theory and practice, and to understand their relevance
to professional social work.
The Dissertation aims to develop and assess knowledge, understanding
and skills in the investigation, research, and evaluation of issues related
to effective and ethical social work practice and policy.
The Second Placement, like that of the first year is of one hundred days
duration. Also as with the first year placement it is designed to help
students to develop their social work practice skills and to meet the
requirements of the National Occupational Standards. In addition
however it is concerned with enabling students to integrate a critical
analysis of their experience within the agency and to use the Code of
Practice for Social CareWorkers as a significant reference point.
Course delivery
The course is taught via lectures, seminars, tutorials, supervision in
practice placements and individual investigative work. Group and
individual assignments are completed at various stages of the course. In
the Dissertation the student will work individually, supervised by a tutor.
Transferable skills
The programme is designed to develop skills that will make it possible for
students to operate effectively in the increasingly complex world of social
work. However these skills will be of value for a wide range of work
settings. Skills include the ability to deal with people in a caring and
professional manner; the ability to assess situations for change; the
ability to write concise and coherent reports; computer literacy; the ability
to make convincing presentations (both spoken and written) of ideas; the
ability to summarise and present data; and the ability to work individually,
or as part of a team, in producing solutions to problems.
Assessment
Progress is assessed mainly by continuous assessment and, in one
module, by exam.
Career prospects
Currently there is a national shortage of qualified social workers and this
is likely to continue for a number of years.
