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MA Social Work

The MA Social Work programme at University of Birmingham offers professional training that will make you eligible to register with the Social Work England as a professional social worker.

Quick Facts

  
Full-Time Duration: 2 years
Starting in: September
Tuition Fee: £21,150 per year
Location: Birmingham, United Kingdom

The MA in Social Work is an exciting course which will enable you to obtain a professional qualification as well as a Masters degree. The programme is committed to social justice, anti-oppressive practice and relationship-based social work and draws upon a number of disciplines informing social work practice. It includes the study of social work values, knowledge, law, theories, methods and skills.

The Social Work programme at University of Birmingham is the oldest in the country and we are proud of our history. It offers a stimulating and dynamic learning environment where you will learn not only from academics, but also current and former service users, carers and practitioners. The involvement of service users and carers is an integral aspect of the programme. This allows you to gain a greater insight into the role Social Work can play in people’s lives, so you can develop an understanding of lived experiences and expectations from the very start of your training.

A social work degree from our university can offer you a variety of opportunities for practising social work overseas. Social workers are in demand in a number of countries and our degrees are recognised in places such as Australia, Canada and Hong Kong.

Courses include:

  • Law for Professional Practice
  • Social Identity, Citizenship and Social Work Practice
  • Social Work Skills, Values and Approaches
  • Theory, Methods and Practice
  • Placement

“The transition from undergrad to postgrad can be a big step up in terms of workload and what is expected of you, but there is so much support available to you as a postgrad student, from academic writing support (if you’ve been out of education for a few years or just want a bit of extra help) to mental health and wellbeing services. The careers support is fantastic – the uni puts on employer fairs throughout the year and you have access to one on one support from the Careers Network team, who can help you develop your skills ready for your next step!”

Emma Sutton // PhD Psychology

Careers

This degree leads to an MA in Social Work with the Professional Qualification in Social Work which provides eligibility to apply to register with Social Work England. This is the qualification required to practice as a professional social worker. As well as equipping you with a professional qualification, gaining the MA allows you to progress on to post qualifying courses or to apply to continue with your academic studies at PhD level.

On successful completion of the MA Social Work, you will be equipped to work in a wide range of areas. The specialist options built in to the Masters will allow you to direct your knowledge and expertise to the area you would like to work in once you have completed the programme, giving you a competitive advantage in the voluntary, private and statutory sectors.

Requirements

  • The entry requirement is an upper second-class (2.1) honours degree classification or higher. Applicants with a 2:2 degree classification may be considered, on a case-by-case basis, if they have further related postgraduate study or extensive professional experience. Normally, this would be a minimum of 2 years of significant and relevant social work or social care experience.
  • We also require GCSE Mathematics and English at grade C/4 or certificated equivalent level two numeracy and literacy qualification.
  • A minimum of 30 days related practice-based experience.

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