Masters Degrees (Paid Work Placement)

Drawing on current research across the social sciences, government guidance, and legislative frameworks, this degree focuses on the issues that are key in facilitating your professional and academic development as a social worker- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-social-work/

Why study MA Social Work at Goldsmiths?

-This Masters programme is ideal if you are a graduate, with relevant experience, interested in pursuing a professional career in social work

-It prepares you according to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency – Social Workers in England and the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF), the Quality Assurance Agency subject benchmark for social work, and the Department of Health's requirements for social work training

-Social work education at Goldsmiths has a long and distinguished record – we house one of the most respected social work units in the UK, and you will be taught by established social work academics and associate lecturers who have considerable research and/or practice experience in their fields

-Our social work programmes are highly regarded by potential employers within London and further afield, and our graduates have an excellent record of securing employment; they've gone on to work in local authority children's services departments, adult services departments, and independent sector and voluntary sector agencies such as the NSPCC, Family Action and Mind, and a recent graduate was named Newly Qualified Social Worker of the Year

-We'll equip you with the knowledge, values and skills you'll need to practise as a reflective and ethical social worker, equipped for the challenges of contemporary social work practice

-You will cover areas of human growth and development; community; needs and services; law and organisational contexts of social work; and research methods. Specific learning will include mental health and disability, and social work processes of assessment, planning, intervention and review

-The Masters includes practice placements in two settings and with different service user groups, so you'll be able to gain invaluable real world experience

-We'll encourage you to think deeply about human rights and social justice, and to embed these values in your practice

-You will develop your skills for reflective and evidence-based practice and will be able to further your research mindedness

This programme is approved by the Health & Care Professions Council.

Excellence in practice and teaching

Goldsmiths has a long tradition of social work education, and our programmes are internationally regarded as excellent in both practice learning and critical studies. They also have a strong focus on anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice.

We have a lively programme of research taking place in areas as diverse as:

-the links between child abuse and domestic violence
-multi-family group work with teenage parents
-service user perspectives and transnational adoption
-mental health social workers' use of mental health laws and coercion
-equality and diversity in social work education
-the effects of political conflict on social work practice and education
-reflective professional social work practice
-evaluative approaches to service provision

Our research informs and underpins our teaching and students are invited to share our interests as well as develop their own through undertaking a small scale research project and developing their research mindedness in a final year extended essay.

Find out more about service user and carer involvement in social work education at Goldsmiths.

South East London Teaching Partnership

The Department of Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies at Goldsmiths has recently entered into a formal Teaching Partnership with the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Lewisham for the delivery of social work education at Goldsmiths.

We are one of only four sites across the country to have received government funding to develop and test new and innovative approaches to social work qualifying education, early career training and continuing professional development programmes. As a result, a significant number of social work practitioners, from all levels within these three local authorities, are involved in the MA Social Work programme, delivering or co-delivering lectures, workshops and seminars. This means that there is a very close relationship with practice to ensure that by the end of the programme students are equipped to deliver authoritative, compassionate, social work practice that makes a positive difference to people’s lives.

You will be encouraged to make links between anti-oppressive practice, social work values, the legal framework, theories, methods and skills of intervention and social work practice throughout the course.

Intake

The programme has an intake of around 35-40 students each year. Goldsmiths is committed in its policy and practice to equal treatment of applicants and students irrespective of their race, culture, religion, gender, disability, health, age or sexual orientation. We particularly welcome applications from members of minority groups.

The teaching includes lectures and workshops with the entire student group and small study groups, reflective practice discussion groups and seminars of between 10 and 14 students. A significant proportion of the course takes the form of small study groups and seminars.

The MA is a full-time course. It is not possible to study the course part-time. It is not possible for students to transfer from a social work course at another university onto the second year of the Goldsmiths MA in Social Work course.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact the Admissions Tutor.

Modules & Structure

Successful applicants on the MA in Social Work commit to studying on a full-time taught course over two years. On successful completion you will receive a MA in Social Work which is the professional entry qualification to be a social worker and it enables you to apply for registration as a social worker with the Health and Care Professions Council.

The curriculum aims to provide you with the value, knowledge and skill base for practice and is organised around study units, workshops, lectures/seminar modules, projects and private study. The teaching and learning opportunities centre on the key areas of the social sciences and their application to Social Work practice, as well developing your intellectual capacity, and the skills necessary to get you ready for practice. There is an expectation that you attend at least 85% of all aspects of the programme.

The structured learning includes specific learning in:

human growth and development, mental health and disability
social work theories and methods; assessment, planning, intervention and review
communication skills with children, adults and those with particular communication needs
law, and partnership working across professional disciplines and agencies
social science research methods, including ethical issues
Practice is central to the programme, and there will be practice placements in two settings and with different service user groups (eg child care and mental health). The learning on the programme builds over the two years and prepares you to apply your knowledge to practice situations. We work closely with a range of practice organisations in the Greater London Area. The placements are allocated by our placement tutor and matched with individual profiles. In some instances you may have to travel long distances to your placement organisation. You will need to cover the cost of travel to your placement. You will be expected to work the core hours.

At Goldsmiths we recognise:

the unique contribution that all students bring as individuals to the programme in terms of their personal qualities and life experiences
that professional training builds on the uniqueness of each individual by facilitating the student’s exploration of the values, knowledge base and skills of Social Work practice
that it is the student’s responsibility not only to develop a technical acquaintance with the framework of Social Work practice but also to demonstrate competence through its application in practice
that Social Workers are at the interface of society’s attempts to promote welfare
Social workers have a dual responsibility to act within the state’s welfare framework and also to recognise the pervasive influence of oppression and discrimination at an individual and a structural level in most of the situations in which they work. We will prepare you for this professional responsibility.

Year 1

In year 1 you are introduced to social work as a professional activity and an academic discipline. You consider key concepts such as the nature of need, community, social work services, and the significance of the service user perspective.

You are also provided with an introduction to: life-span development, assessment in social work and a range of social work intervention approaches. Your assessed practice consists of 70 days spent as a social worker; this gives you the chance to develop your communication and social work practice skills with service users, and to work in partnership across professional disciplines and agencies.

Year 2

Year 2 provides you with an overview of the legal and organisational context of social work, and extends your knowledge and skills in one of the two main specialist areas of social work practice: working with children and families, or working with adults in need. You will work in small groups to explore methods of intervention, research and theories which are relevant to a particular area of social work, while another assessed practice element enables you to meet the professional requirements for social work training via 100 days of practice under the guidance of a practice assessor.

You are expected to demonstrate competence across a range of standards and this is formally assessed. The learning on the MA Social Work programme builds over the two years and prepares you to apply that knowledge to practice situations.

Practice placements

You are required to spend 170 days in practice settings.

In Year 1 there is a practice placement lasting 70 days and in Year 2 the practice placement lasts 100 days. These placements are arranged through the allocation system devised by the College. The practice placements will be supported by 30 days for the development of practice skills.

You have an identified Practice Educator for each of the two practice placements. Most of our placements are located in South East London, so if you live elsewhere you will need to travel.

We have partnership agreements with the following organisations for placements in social work:

London Borough of Brent – Childrens Services
London Borough of Brent – Adults Services
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea – Adults Services
London Borough of Lambeth – Childrens Services
London Borough of Southwark – Childrens Services
London Borough of Southwark – Adults Services
London Borough of Lewisham – Childrens Services
London Borough of Lewisham – Adults Services
London Borough of Croydon – Adults Services
Royal Borough of Greenwich – Childrens Services
Royal Borough of Greenwich – Adults Services
London Borough of Bromley – Childrens Services
London Borough of Bromley – Adults Services
NSPCC (London Region)

We also work with about 20-30 voluntary/private social care agencies each year. Here are some that we've worked with recently:

Equinox Care Mental Health Services
Body and Soul HIV Service
Jamma Umoja Family Assessment Services
Advocacy in Greenwich Learning Disability Service
Lewisham Refugee Network
Turning Point Mental Health Services
Carers Lewisham

Assessment

The programme is assessed by a range of methods including essays, assessed role plays, take home papers, project work, a practice based case study, a final year dissertation, and the production of a practice portfolio for each placement.

Assessment of practice is by reports by your Practice Educator. This includes direct observation of your work with service users as well as your practice portfolio, and a narrative giving an evaluation of your work.

Professional standards

Social work is a regulated profession. From 1 August 2012, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) took on the regulation of social workers and the regulation of the performance of social work courses. This means that social work students will need to adhere to the standards set out in the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Guidance on conduct and ethics for students (HCPC 2009), and work towards meeting the HCPC Standards of Proficiency - Social workers in England (HCPC 2012). These are the standards social work students are expected to demonstrate at the end of their last placement/ qualifying level.

Skills

You'll develop the ability to practise social work in a wide variety of settings with different service user groups.

Careers

The programme will enable you to register and practise as a qualified social worker.

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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The Masters in Social Work is the professional postgraduate qualification for social work throughout the UK. The course aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills and values appropriate for work in a variety of social work settings. The teaching and learning is delivered by qualified/registered Social Work academic staff who are actively engaged in research, consultancy, direct practice and publication.

Course content

Social workers deal with some of the most vulnerable people in society at times of greatest stress. By the end of this programme you will have been assessed against the Standards of Proficiency for Social Work and the Professional Capabilities Framework. Once qualified, you will be able to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for registration. Competent practice is essential for the award and you will undertake 200 days of practice learning (placement and skills for practice) during the programme. Practice learning through placement experience is undertaken in blocks of the course and skills for practice, 30 days experiential skills for practice during Year one (in the university), 70 days (in placement) during Year 1 and 100 days (in placement) during Year two.

For students enrolled on the programme, you will be expected to travel to placements with employer providers and be able to travel to service users. Being a holder of a current UK driving licence is therefore desirable.

Year One
During this initial year your knowledge and skills for social work practice is developed and assessed. The value base of social work is emphasised and you will engage in teaching designed to support your learning and understanding of anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practice in a model that promotes social justice and relationship based practice. The Preparing for Professional Social Work Practice module is designed to develop students’ skills, knowledge and understanding about social work. The course is delivered by a range of qualified social work academics, service users and social work practitioners, which includes 30 days experiential skills. You will have an opportunity to undertake a five-day shadow placement with an employer provider in a social work setting. The first year is designed to prepare and assess students’ ‘readiness for direct practice’ prior to the 70 day placement

Year Two
You will develop your understanding of different service user groups and service provision in social work settings building on the teaching and learning during Year one. The teaching will provide opportunities for you to work in small learning sets developing your reflective critical thinking skills. A module on diversity develops your understanding of the correlations between oppression, discrimination and inequality and how gender shapes organisations and service delivery. A 100-day assessed placement learning opportunity will be completed in a social work setting. During this final year you will also undertake research which is either empirical or literature based which is presented in a final dissertation.

Masters in Social Work students will have the opportunity to enrol onto the Developing Housing Practice module. This is a 10 credit level 7 module which, on completion, gives students partial accreditation with the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) which is equivalent to 10 credits towards postgraduate housing related training. This would be offered to the Masters students as an elective online module. There are a number of overlaps between housing and social work which include: vulnerable adults, people seeking asylum, safeguarding children, domestic abuse, hate crime, community safety and anti-social behaviours. This optional module would support the employability of the Masters students and offer a unique partial accreditation in housing-related training which complements social work.

Course modules (16/17)

-Life Span 1: Human Growth and Development
-Diversity
-Social Work Law and Policy
-Dissertation and Research Skills for Effective Social Work Practice
-Preparing for Professional Social Work Practice
-Life Span 2: Assessing and Managing Risk in Child and Adult Protection
-Developing Housing Practice, Knowledge and Provision
-Gender and Sexuality Studies in Social Work

Methods of Learning

This programme promotes an approach to learning that engages students as active participants. This includes group work, role play, individual skills development, inquiry based learning, seminars and lectures. Students link academic learning to two supervised and assessed placement learning opportunities. Over the two years you will experience a range of social work services and work with service users.

Facilities and Special Features

-Prepares you for professional social work practice
-Enables you to develop their practice skills
-Develops your skills and knowledge in working with other professions
-Raises political awareness and encourages you to be a creative, critical and reflective thinker
-The Social Work subject team sign up to and hold the International Federation of Social Work definition of social work
-Students will have the opportunity to develop a range of communication skills in the first year through experiential teaching and learning facilitated by Service Users, Social Work Practitioners and Practice Educators.

Careers

You will undertake 170 days of practice learning (placement). You will complete a student profile during the first year of study and through strong partnerships between the University and employer providers, you will be matched to a specific service placement. You will be expected to be able to travel effectively to and from the placement and be able to carry out community based duties (where required) during the placement which may involve independent travel. It is therefore desirable that you hold a current UK driving licence. Placement learning opportunities can be outside of Northampton. All placement providers are quality assured by the University.

Other admission requirements

English Language & Mathematics: Social work entrants must hold at least a GCSE grade C in English Language and Mathematics (O level grade C or CSE grade 1 are the equivalent). Key Skills Level Two qualifications are also acceptable. For students whose first language is not English an IELTS score of 7 is required.

You will be required to declare that you have these qualifications.
-Ability to write thoughtfully, insightfully and coherently about your motivation in applying for the course and understanding and commitment to the social work profession.
-Relevant work experience. Students must demonstrate (100 days or equivalent) relevant previous experience in social care or a related area. This could be paid or voluntary work.
-Students yet to graduate should provide an academic reference on the application, indicating their predicted degree classification. Students who have already graduated can also provide a professional reference.
-All applicants must confirm prior to interview/offer decision making that they have the ability to use basic IT facilities, including word processing, internet browsing and the use of email, and may be asked to specify how these skills have been obtained.

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Why take this course?

The aim of this course is to enable you to become confident practitioners in the fast-changing world of social work. With an emphasis on professionalism, professional judgement, relationship focussed work and protection, you will develop the capability to work across all areas of the social work profession.

We endeavour to recruit students to our health and social care courses who have the right values base and demonstrate appropriate behaviours. We embed the values of the NHS Constitution throughout our admissions processes and they are an essential part of the curricula. Find out more about the values we look for.

For further health information, please see our additional health information page.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Be taught by experts at the forefront of research and who are fully informed on developments within the social work field
Experience broad ranging teaching methods including simulation and workshops in preparation for, and during, two respective work placements
Work alongside service users and carers using creative and contemporary techniques in social work practice
Put your learning into action during your practice placements

What opportunities might it lead to?

This Master's course is a professional qualification for social work approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). It will provide you with the opportunity to acquire advanced knowledge, theory, values and skills to work with vulnerable individuals and groups in society.

Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:

Social work practice
Community healthcare practice
Practice teaching
Voluntary organisations

Module Details

This Master's degree is a professional qualification for social work approved by the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC). It will give you the chance to acquire the knowledge, theory, values and skills to work with vulnerable individuals and groups in society. It will also enable you to develop the flexibility to work in any sector of social work – children and families, mental health, disabilities, vulnerable adults, or within a wide range of voluntary and independent organisations providing services to people who are homeless, who misuse substances, who are in the criminal justice system or who have experience of the care system. You will study the following units:

Year One

Social Work Theory and Context
Evidence-based Practice and other approaches to research
Empowering service users and promoting inclusion
Practice Placement 1
Legal and Policy Frameworks for Social Work (1)

Year Two

Legal and Policy Frameworks for Social Work (2)
Project - Writing for a publication
Practice Placement 2
Critical Practice across Service User Groups

Programme Assessment

You will be allocated a personal tutor, who will support, advise and assist you throughout the course. We use a variety of teaching methods including lectures, group work and other classroom strategies, group and creative work with service users and carers, and simulation work and skills workshops. To see examples of how we work closely with service users, visit http://www.swig.uk.net.

Assessment is primarily based on written, oral or portfolio evidence and is measured against HCPC Standards of Proficiency and the Professional Capability Framework developed by the College of Social Work. There are no formal written examinations.

Student Destinations

On successful completion of the course you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), enabling you to work as a professional social worker in a wide variety of statutory, voluntary and independent sector agencies. This course will enable you to develop the flexibility to work in any sector of social work – children and families, mental health, disabilities, vulnerable adults or in the wide range of voluntary and independent organisations providing services to people who are homeless, misuse substances, are in the criminal justice system or who have experience of the care system.

Roles our graduates have taken on include:

Social worker
Care manager
Persistent offender coordinator
Family support worker
Housing adviser

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About the course

The Social Work MA programme aims to educate and train individuals to be reflective, research-minded practitioners who are able to work critically and professionally and in accordance with the principle of anti-oppressive practice.
Graduates who successfully complete this programme are eligible to apply for Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration.

The professional and academic elements are closely integrated throughout the programme. There are 170 placement days, with the working week divided between time in placement and time in the University.

Aims

This MA Social Work degree programme aims to provide high quality post graduate social work education and training to equip students with comprehensive pre-entry skills to work in any agency employing social workers in the United Kingdom.

Although the statutory sector is the major employer, increasingly social workers are being recruited into voluntary and private sectors in a variety of service provision roles including community-based, residential or day care services in the UK and abroad.

The programme seeks to encourage the personal responsibility of students to function as independent learners and to develop a critical and reflective appreciation of the role of social work in society.

The curriculum provides teaching in both academic and practice elements, which are fully integrated at Brunel University London. It is designed to ensure that learning occurs in an incremental way, with learning outcomes that develop across levels enabling students to demonstrate progression in professional knowledge, skills and values through two years of study.

Specifically, the programme aims to:

- Prepare students for critical and reflective professional practice according to the HCPC’s approval standards of education
- Equip students to practise ethical, innovative and effective social work practice that actively promotes social justice in a diverse society
- Integrate learning in academic and practice elements of the programme so that students have a holistic understanding of social work in variety of professional contexts
- Enable students to identify, understand and critically appraise evidence and research which can inform social work practice
- Enable graduates to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and apply for membership with the British Association of Social Workers (BASW).

Course Content

Compulsory Modules (year 1)

The Foundations of Social Work Practice
Social Work Theories and Perspectives
Life-span Behaviour and Development
Legal Frameworks for Social Justice
Social Policy and Sociology
Professional Skills Development I
Practice Learning I
Approaches to Research

Compulsory Modules (year 2)

Assessment and the Management of Risk and Complexity
Effective Practice with Domestic Violence, Mental Health and Substance Misuse
What Works in Social Work
Professional Skills Development II
Practice Learning II (100 days)
Dissertation

Year 2 Pathways (choose one)

Social Work with Children and Families
Main topics: working with children in need and child protection; theory, research, law, policy and practice; inter-professional workshops on the impact of parental problems including parental substance misuse and domestic violence; critical review of inter-agency and inter-disciplinary practice through serious case reviews; children looked after and leaving care and service user voices; theory and research specific to social work practice with children and families; risk analysis and risk management; the centrality of relation based practice in direct work and communication with children and young people; the family court system and skills in analysing and presenting case material.

Social Work with Adults
Main topics: the development of community-based care and support and integrated adult health and social care including ideological underpinnings and contemporary issues in policy and adult social work practice; person-centred and care management approaches to community-based adult social work practice; and adult practice specialisms.

Note: As this programme may involve regular access to children and/or vulnerable adults, students will be required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application, previously known as a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. The application will cost £51.86 (this amount may be subject to change) and the University will send further instructions as part of the admissions process. For further guidance please email [email protected]

Work Placements

Brunel University London has an excellent placement team that takes care to match students to appropriate children and families and adult social work placements within the London area. Placement providers have been consistently positive about their experience supervising post-graduate students and have frequently hired students back into permanent posts after they have completed their degree.

Teaching

A wide range of teaching methods are used in the MA Social Work programme including lectures, seminars, workshops, coupled with individual tutorials and group tutorials to ensure large group learning is translated in a more discursive way. Assessments include essays, exams and presentations and students are expected to complete a total of 180 credits of assessed academic work along with a 60 credit dissertation.

Special Features

The programme is transitionally approved by the Health and Care Professions Council.
Students enjoy first-rate facilities in the new Mary Seacole Building.

We are one of the leading providers of university-based social work and social policy research in London and have attracted funding from, amongst other sources, the ESRC, the AHRC, Nuffield Foundation, the Rowntree Trust, the European Union, the Department for Education and Skills and the NHS.

Students benefit from close links with social care providers in local government and in the voluntary sector.

Service users and carers are crucial to our work, and our BEEC (Brunel Experts by Experience Committee) enables them to be involved at all stages of the MA, from interview to assessment.

Recent groundbreaking research into personalisation, service user involvement, Family Drug and Alcohol Courts, young onset dementia and youth and religion, amongst other areas, feed into our taught programmes, making them highly relevant and up-to-date. Our academics include the authors of best selling books on citizenship, community care and child protection.

Anti-oppressive practice has been at the core of our education and training philosophy for some years and this emphasis is evident in the teaching of this programme.

Brunel University has a long history of securing a range of quality placements across London and surrounding areas. We have substantial experience in working across the statutory and independent sector and have strong partnership links.

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This course offers students knowledge, skills, understanding and reflective practice in the field of community youth work and an opportunity to gain a professional qualification in community youth work. The programme has three main aims: 1. The development of effective professional practitioners in community youth work. 2. The delivery of a postgraduate programme that will challenge, develop and engage critically in issues that relate to the field of community youth work through informed and innovative methods of teaching and learning. 3. To enhance the professional skills and employability of community youth workers.

Visit the website: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/course/msc-community-youth-work-pt-jn

Course detail

- Description –

The programme will initially be studied in part-time mode. Students will follow six modules for the postgraduate diploma in community youth work for the professional endorsement by the NSETS leading, if desired, to the award by dissertation of a MSc in Community Youth Work. Students will be required to have the postgraduate diploma before embarking on to the Masters level. The modules are arranged to meet the criteria set out by NSETS and to meet the needs of students training to become professional workers. All students will follow a placement module which is supervised by a University tutor and a practice teacher. The placement is an opportunity for CYW staff to assess at first hand the development of professional practice based on monitoring student skills through reflective practice. The course maintains both academic and professional coherence through the use of modules that underpin fundamental concepts of community youth work. Past experience suggests that it is important to build a strong collegial group early on in the programme. While it is envisaged that other modules will be taught alongside the undergraduate course the first module is explicitly designed to create a sense of belonging for the new intake.. This is followed by more applied modules, i.e. principles and practice of youth work; communities in focus and the in-situ/exigency placements at the beginning of year. After the placement students will follow the principles and practice of youth work: leadership, management and supervision module preparing them for management roles in youth work and the critical thinking and professional development module to consolidate their learning and to focus on areas that they may wish to research or develop further including inter-professional collaboration. The modules have been designed to facilitate the underpinning knowledge, skills and understanding needed to become a professional community youth worker. The modules are: (i) THE CONTEXT OF YOUTH WORK; (ii) PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF YOUTH WORK; (iii) COMMUNITIES IN FOCUS; (iv) IN-SITU AND EX-AGENCY REFLECTIVE PLACEMENTS; (v) PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF YOUTH WORK; SUPERVISION, LEARDERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT; (vi) CRITICAL THINKING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Award of postgraduate diploma in community youth work with professional endorsement; (i) DISSERTATION Award of MSc in Community Youth Work.

The dissertation is the culmination of the MSc in Community Youth Work. It is a sustained piece of independent research focussing on the participants’ practice and understanding in her/his particular circumstance and context. This study will allow the students an opportunity to both research new areas within their existing contexts and afford those newly qualified postgraduate diploma level students an opportunity to explore areas of interest. The dissertation will have an additional taught component consisting of research methodology, design techniques and ethical considerations necessary to complete a rigorous piece of independent research.

Career options

Students normally have to be in full-time, paid employment. The course is professionally recognised by the North South Education and Training Standards (NSETS) committee which is the professional body for youth work practitioners in Ireland.

Many students change employment either during or following completion of the course, while others are promoted to managerial or a project-based leadership role.

How to apply: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/apply/how-to-apply#pg

Why Choose Ulster University ?

1. Over 92% of our graduates are in work or further study six months after graduation.
2. We are a top UK university for providing courses with a period of work placement.
3. Our teaching and the learning experience we deliver are rated at the highest level by the Quality Assurance Agency.
4. We recruit international students from more than 100 different countries.
5. More than 4,000 students from over 50 countries have successfully completed eLearning courses at Ulster University.

Flexible payment

To help spread the cost of your studies, tuition fees can be paid back in monthly instalments while you learn. If you study for a one-year, full-time master’s, you can pay your fees up-front, in one lump sum, or in either five* or ten* equal monthly payments. If you study for a master’s on a part-time basis (e.g. over three years), you can pay each year’s fees up-front or in five or ten equal monthly payments each year. This flexibility allows you to spread the payment of your fees over each academic year. Find out more by visiting https://www.ulster.ac.uk/apply/fees-and-finance/postgraduate

Scholarships

A comprehensive range of financial scholarships, awards and prizes are available to undergraduate, postgraduate and research students. Scholarships recognise the many ways in which our students are outstanding in their subject. Individuals may be able to apply directly or may automatically be nominated for awards. Visit the website: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/apply/fees-and-finance/scholarships

English Language Tuition

CELT offers courses and consultations in English language and study skills to Ulster University students of all subjects, levels and nationalities. Students and researchers for whom English is an additional language can access free CELT support throughout the academic year: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/international/english-language-support
 

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Why Study?
This full time course offers the opportunity to achieve a Masters degree and a professional qualification in social work. The course is committed to excellence in academic standards and research mindedness. The social work programme involves service users and carers in all aspects of the course and supports an inter-professional perspective in both the theory and practice of social work. Students will be required to undertake 200 days of placement in a social work setting supported by practice teachers and assessors. Students study the law, social work with children. Families and adults, research methods and complete a dissertation. There is a small group in each year and the staff are committed to providing a stimulating, supportive and challenging environment for study.

What you Study
On the social work training programme, theory and practice are reflectively integrated, so that one informs and develops the other and this is progressively developed through the course. Practice and theory have equal value on the programme. As a research intensive university the course will benefit from the research environment informing the teaching and learning on the programme. Students will be encouraged to leave the programme with a research / evidence based practice outlook and a commitment to continue to be critically reflective of and involved in the research and evaluation agenda within social work practice.The practice educators are as integral to the programme as the university tutors. The Practice Assessment Panel as the module team for the practice modules brings together practitioners tutors and service users and carers in the delivery, assessment and quality assurance of practice within the programme.

The social work team are committed to extending and developing the place of service users and carers in the design, delivery, assessment and quality assurance of the programme. In addition there is a firm commitment to similarly developing the place of practitioners on the programme. We are aware that this is unlikely to be a smooth progressive development, particularly given the competing demands on everyone's time and the problematic of tokenism and truly representative functioning of involvement on the programme. Nevertheless there is currently a very good level of service user and carer and practitioner involvement in the BA social work programme in all aspects and the MA programme will do likewise. The programme has begun a project with service users and carers to use their experience and knowledge in helping social work students learn about the service user experience and to attain knowledge and skills around interviewing.The programme will be contextualised within a commitment to anti-oppressive practice.

Students will be expected to critically reflect on themselves and others in relation to the experience of oppression. Students will be expected to develop effective anti-oppressive approaches to the provision of social work in a variety of practice placements and in the academic work on the programme.Students will be supported through an intensive level of personal tutor support that takes them through the programme helping them to negotiate both academic work and practice placement. The Masters programme will be a small group of around 20 students with personal tutorial support in groups of five. This will provide an environment within which students can grow and develop and where potential shortfalls in learning, both before, and during the course, can be identified and appropriately supported.

The social work team has worked hard to develop new and interesting placements in the voluntary and statutory sectors. In particular we have developed innovatory placements in the extended schools and children's centres in Wakefield. This will give students an opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge alongside other professional workers in line with the most recent workforce and practice developments predicated on the Every Child Matters Agenda and the Children Act 2004.This placement development will also make a contribution to the development of practice placements nationally in line with the university's knowledge transfer and research strategies via a funded evaluation of the work and regional and national workshops that will flow from it.

As a further development from this work the social work team are engaged with the delivery and evaluation of a knowledge transfer project that has received national government funding through the Innovation Unit, to develop the schools based workforce through the transfer of social work skills. Students will benefit through discussion and analysis of this in line with the university's strategy for research minded teaching and learning. In addition there will be a contribution to the development of the local economy and workforce also in line with the university strategy map.The MA programme will seek to develop the international agenda through internationalisation at home and in addition move towards a planned development of international partnerships and tutor and student exchanges in the future.

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The MSc Advanced Computer Science with Placement offers students exposure to key topics that are driving emerging technological developments and trends.

Computer Science is one of the fastest moving academic disciplines and the outcomes of research and innovation in this field could have a massive social impact.

The subject spans all aspects of modern life, and this programme offers you the opportunity to apply new skills and advanced techniques to the area of your choice, whilst allowing you to demonstrate that you are at the forefront of your discipline.

Core to this programme is the opportunity to further develop the scope of your problem solving skills by studying advanced programming languages and new programming paradigms.

You will choose to study optional, research-led modules that allow the freedom to build a distinctive personal portfolio of skills and knowledge. These are structured around advanced topics in the School's three core research areas:

• Complex Systems
• Visual Computing
• Data and Knowledge Engineering

You may choose to apply for a paid 7-12 month professional work placement to be undertaken on completion of Spring semester and before completing the MSc course with a 60-credit dissertation. This provides valuable work experience to develop your IT Professional skills.

Distinctive features

• An advanced computer science degree.

• Designed for computing graduates who wish to differentiate themselves further through an advanced mastery of the discipline.

• In addition to coverage of core advanced computer science topics, students may further differentiate themselves by selecting from up to two of three research topics in which to specialise (Complex Systems, Visual Computing, Data and Knowledge Engineering).

• 7-12 month experience as an IT Professional for students who successfully find a suitable placement.

Structure

Students will undertake a placement following the taught stage of the course and prior to undertaking their individual project and dissertation. Most students start their placement in the summer of Year 1. The breakdown is as follows:

Year 1: 20 credits core modules, 100 credit optional modules.
Year 2: 120 credits placement, 60 credits dissertation.
This is a full-time course undertaken over two calendar years. It is also available as a full-time course over one year or a part-time course over three years, both without placement.

You will undertake an individual research project and complete a dissertation (worth 60 credits) under the supervision of a member of academic research staff.

Year one

This specialist Master’s degree will provide graduates of computing with the opportunity to enhance your knowledge, skills and understanding of the subject through modules taught by research experts in their specialist area.

As well as being taught a compulsory module on new programming paradigms, you will choose from a range of carefully selected modules focusing on contemporary and relevant topics currently emerging within the discipline.

Core modules:

Programming Paradigms

Optional modules:

Information, Network & Cyber Security
Security Techniques
High Performance Computing
Visual Computing
Pattern Recognition and Data Mining
Computer Science Topic 1: Web and Social Computing
Distributed and Cloud Computing
Human Centric Computing
Informatics
Digital Forensics
E-Commerce and Innovation
Secure Applications, Identity and Trust

Year two

Your work placement will normally last between 7 and 12 months, usually taking place at the end of the spring semester in July between the taught elements of the course and your final dissertation, allowing you to practice the new skills you have learned and apply the knowledge you have acquired, in the workplace.

You will return to university following successful completion of your work placement at the start of the summer semester the following year to undertake your individual project and write your dissertation, with the aim of completing the course within 24 months of entry.

Core modules:

Placement
Dissertation

Teaching

The School of Computer Science and Informatics has a strong and active research culture which informs and directs our teaching. We are committed to providing teaching of the highest standard and received an excellent report in the most recent Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) review.

Modules are delivered through a series of either full or half-day contact sessions, which include lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials and laboratory classes.

Most of your taught modules will have further information for you to study and you will be expected to work through this in your own time according to the guidance provided by the lecturer for that module.

Support

All students are allocated a personal tutor who will monitor your progress throughout your time at university and will support you in your personal development planning. You will see your Personal Tutor at least once each semester.

Our Senior Personal Tutor can also advise and respond to any personal matters as they arise. The School also has a formal student-staff panel to discuss topics or issues of mutual interest.

Students are responsible for obtaining their placement. The School actively assists students on “with Placement” courses in finding a suitable placement.

Feedback:

Feedback on coursework may be provided via written comments on work submitted, by provision of ‘model’ answers and/or through discussion in contact sessions.

Assessment

The taught modules are assessed through examinations and a wide range of in-course assessments, such as written reports, extended essays, practical assignments and oral presentations.

The placement is assessed through a reflective report that demonstrates that the student has developed skills as an IT Professional.

The individual project and dissertation will enable students to demonstrate their ability to build upon and exploit knowledge and skills gained to exhibit critical and original thinking based on a period of independent study and learning.

Career prospects

Graduates from this course will be ideally placed to pursue a number of careers, such as systems architects, programmers and software developers, and could also pursue a research career via doctoral studies.

The selection of modules on offer aim to enhance your transferable skills and boost employment prospects.

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Effective social work demands a strong bond and understanding between professionals of different disciplines so that users of social work services receive the best possible care. This Masters degree combines perspectives from social care, health, education and other relevant disciplines to ensure you can work effectively in the multi-disciplinary environment of today’s social work.

The programme emphasises effective practice and the practical relevance of theory in practice learning placements. You will have the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and experience of a range of academics, practitioners, employers, policy makers, service users and carers who have backgrounds in social care, social work, health education and other cognate disciplines.

If you are a graduate from a relevant discipline, who is able to recognise the perspective of service users, their families and carers, and who can demonstrate a clear commitment to becoming a social worker, then this Masters degree is for you. Upon successful completion of the course, you will gain eligibility to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a qualified social worker.

What will I study?

The programme is underpinned by the national requirements for social work education and training as agreed by the Health and Care Professions Council and The College of Social Work. The degree therefore requires you to demonstrate an understanding of, for example: Human growth, development, mental health and disability; Assessment, planning, intervention and review; Communication skills with children, adults and those with particular communication needs; Social work law and policy; Partnership-working and information-sharing across professional disciplines and agencies; Safeguarding; Working with conflict.

In Year 1, you will examine the historical and contemporary functions of social work in society and consider the legal and social policy frameworks within social work practice. You will be introduced to a range of sociological and psychological theories and social policies in order to understand some of the social problems and issues faced by individuals, families and communities in contemporary society. The concepts of social inclusion and exclusion will also be considered. Upon the successful completion of an assessment exercise, designed to ensure that you are fully prepared for direct practice, you will undertake a practice placement.

Year 2 is designed to develop your competency to practice in specialist social work contexts. It will also enhance your research skills. You will adopt a global perspective on social work and focus on issues such as race, diversity and equality. A second practice placement will be undertaken and you will complete a period of independent research, culminating in the submission of a dissertation.

How will I study?

Academic-based learning will be delivered through lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshops.

You will spend 170 days in practice learning placements supported by 30 days of assessed social work practice skills across the programme. These placements are organised and monitored by the University. You will undertake supervised and assessed work whilst on placement, all of which will contribute to the outcome of your degree.

How will I be assessed?

The programme is assessed through a combination of essays, presentations, text analysis, group work, portfolios, carers’ assessments, video/audio diaries, role plays and examinations. Practice learning will also be assessed, using a range of techniques.

Who will be teaching me?

You can expect input from staff with expertise and knowledge of a range of health and social services settings, together with high quality and emergent research profiles. Contributors to the programme also include people who have direct experience of services, expert practitioners, magistrates, politicians, senior managers and policy makers.

What are my career prospects?

A Masters degree in Social Work is your entry to a range of career opportunities in working with children, adults and communities. You will be able to work within the statutory, voluntary, private and charitable sectors.

Upon successful completion of the programme, you will gain eligibility to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.

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A professional training course and academic award equipping students with essential knowledge and skills to enter a competitive jobs market.

Course overview

This is an approved two-year postgraduate qualification that leads towards professional registration as a social worker.

To register as a social worker, you will need a qualification that is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This Masters has been approved by the HCPC and endorsed by the College of Social Work so you can be sure that successful completion of the course will mean that you meet professional standards of proficiency.

Our course combines both practice and theory. We organise two main placements for you, the first of 70 days and the second of 100 days. There is in-depth preparation before the placements and you will be assigned a practice educator on placement who will provide on-going supervision as you work with people with a range of needs including those who are experiencing crisis or social exclusion.

We have an excellent partnership with employers across public/voluntary and private sectors to provide high quality placements – as endorsed by The College of Social Work.

Theory-based taught modules include ‘The Social Work Context’, ‘Theories and Models for Social Work Practice’ and ‘Critical Perspectives in Social Work Practice’. The Masters dissertation is an excellent opportunity to explore a specific issue in social work.
The University of Sunderland has been offering professional qualifications in social work since 1997 and we have built up strong relationships with employers, service users and carers. These relationships are an essential foundation for our rigorous training in how to make a difference to people’s lives through professional social work.

Practitioners provide a wide range of teaching input and support in both years of the programme, which enables students to gain a good understanding of how theory relates to practice.

Upon successful completion of the programme you will be eligible to apply to register with the HCPC as a newly qualified social worker.

Course content

The course mixes taught elements with placements and research. You can negotiate the topic of the dissertation to fit your personal interests and our supervisory expertise.
-The Social Work Context
-Theories and Models for Social Work Practice
-Preparing for Practice
-Practice Placement 1
-Critical Perspectives in Social Work Practice
-Social Work Research and Dissertation
-Practice Placement 2

Teaching and assessment

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods which include lectures, seminars and workshops with a strong emphasis on individual participation and discussion. During the first semester you will develop a Practice Skills Portfolio that helps you to reflect and make the best use of supervision.

Compared to an undergraduate course, you will find that this Masters requires a higher level of independent working.
Assessment methods include assignments, written coursework, presentations and workbooks/portfolios.

Facilities & location

Sunderland has excellent facilities that have been boosted by multi-million pound redevelopments.

Course location
The course is based at the Priestman Building on City Campus, just a few minutes from the main Murray Library and close to Sunderland city centre. Thanks to a major renovation programme, the Priestman Building provides state-of-the-art teaching space and resources as part of a vibrant and outward-looking learning environment. Some of your skills learning will take place in the communication skills labs which have full recording and playback facilities. We also have a ‘mock’ courtroom which offers the opportunity to develop skills in this setting.

University Library Services
We have thousands of books and e-books on social science topics, with many more titles available through the inter-library loan service. We also subscribe to a comprehensive range of print and electronic journals so you can access the most reliable and up-to-date academic and industry articles.

Some of the most important sources for your course include:
-JSTOR (short for ‘Journal Storage’), which provides access to important journals across the humanities, social sciences and sciences
-Project Muse, which provides over 180 full-text humanities and social sciences journals
-SocINDEX with full-text articles, which is probably the world's most comprehensive and highest-quality sociology research database
-Archival Sound Recordings with over 12,000 hours of recordings
-Lexis, which provides access to legal information as well as full-text newspaper articles

IT Provision
When it comes to IT provision you can take your pick from hundreds of PCs as well as Apple Macs in The David Goldman Informatics Centre and St Peter’s Library. There are also free WiFi zones throughout the campus. If you have any problems, just ask the friendly helpdesk team.

Employment & careers

92.5% of our 2013/14 graduates were in work or further study six months after graduating (source: Destination of Higher Education Leavers Survey 2014).

The social work profession can be very emotionally rewarding since you will be in a position to make a difference to people’s lives, providing them with support and enabling them to lead the fullest lives possible.

The programme comes from a foundation of over 30 years established experience in social work education and training and has an excellent relationship with local employers.

Opportunities are available in the statutory, independent and voluntary sectors. During the course of your career it will be possible to move between sectors as well as to transfer from one specialism (such as working with children) to another (such as working with people with mental health issues). Promotion can lead to roles such as team leader, as well as very senior roles within the social services departments of local authorities.

Your Masters degree will also enhance opportunities in academic roles or further study towards a PhD.

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This MSc Computing offers students from diverse career and subject areas a balance of software engineering skills and technical abilities required for a career in Software Development.

Through this two-year programme you will get a first-hand understanding of the vital problem-solving role of software, the interdisciplinary opportunities available, and what computational systems can achieve.

Through a gentle introduction and intensive support, you will be introduced to programming skills using important languages such as Java and Python. Emphasis is placed on handling data and you will develop essential skills in SQL (Structured Query Language) for advanced database functionality using industry standard products such as Oracle™.

A choice of taught optional modules allows you to further develop skills in areas of your choice.

Students may choose to apply for a paid 7-12 month professional work placement to be undertaken on completion of Spring semester and before completing the MSc course with a 60-credit dissertation. This provides valuable work experience to develop your IT Professional skills.

Graduates from these programmes will be ideally placed for employment in the computing industry or for careers requiring a combination of their graduate discipline with computing expertise.

Distinctive features

• A conversion course as well as an accredited course recognised by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.

• The opportunity to complement the discipline in which you graduated with the discipline of Computing.

• The facility to tailor the course to your interests by the selection of advanced option modules.

• Flexible choice of project topic, for example: associated with the research activity of the School; fulfilling a business need; reflecting your own interest.

• 7-12 month experience as an IT Professional for students who successfully find a suitable placement.

Structure

You will undertake a placement following the taught stage of the course and prior to undertaking your individual project and dissertation. Most students start their placement in the summer of Year 1. The breakdown is as follows:

Year 1: 80 credits core modules, 40 credit optional modules.

Year 2: 120 credits placement, dissertation.
This is a full-time course undertaken over two calendar years. It is also available as a full-time course over one year or a part-time course over three years, both without placement.

Year ONE core modules:

Information Processing in Python
Web Application Development
Object-Oriented Development with Java
Software Engineering

Year ONE optional modules:

Computational Systems
Computer Science Topic 1: Web and Social Computing
Distributed and Cloud Computing
Human Centric Computing
Information Modelling & Database Systems
Visual Communication and Information Design
E-Commerce and Innovation

Year TWO core modules:

Placement
Dissertation

Teaching

The School of Computer Science and Informatics has a strong and active research culture which informs and directs our teaching. We are committed to providing teaching of the highest standard and received an excellent report in the most recent Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) review.

A diverse range of teaching and learning styles are used throughout the MSc in Computing and the MSc in Computing with Placement. Students will attend lectures, participate in seminars, workshops and tutorials, and carry out practical and laboratory work.

Students obtain support materials either via Learning Central (Cardiff University’s Virtual Learning Environment) or from study packs specially developed for selected modules.

You will also undertake a project and independent study to enable you to complete a dissertation. Dissertation topics may be suggested by you or chosen from a list of options proposed by academic staff reflecting their current interest.

Support

As a School, we pride ourselves on providing a supportive environment in which we are able to help and encourage our students.

All students are allocated a personal tutor who will monitor your progress throughout your time at university and will support you in your Personal Development Planning. You will see your Personal Tutor at least once each semester.

Outside of scheduled tutor sessions, our Senior Personal Tutor runs an open door policy, being on hand to advise and respond to any personal matters as they arise.

The School has a formal student-staff panel to discuss topics or issues of mutual interest, in addition we schedule fortnightly informal gatherings over coffee for all students and staff associated with MSc Programmes.

Students are responsible for obtaining their placement. The School actively assists students on “with Placement” courses in finding a suitable placement.

Feedback:

Feedback on coursework may be provided via written comments on work submitted, by provision of ‘model’ answers and/or through discussion in contact sessions.

Assessment

The taught modules within the programmes are assessed through examinations and a wide range of in-course assessments, such as written reports, extended essays, practical assignments and oral presentations.

The placement is assessed through a reflective report that demonstrates that the student has developed skills as an IT Professional.

The individual project and dissertation will enable you to demonstrate your ability to build upon and exploit knowledge and skills gained to exhibit critical and original thinking based on a period of independent study and learning.

Career prospects

Recent graduates have gained employment in roles such as software developers, systems analysts, business analysts, IT consultants, and support engineers.

MSc Computing graduates are employed by organisations of all sizes locally, nationally, and internationally. For example, recent graduates have taken up positions with local NHS Trusts, Logica, Sun Microsystems, BT, and the National Library of Medicine in the USA, as well as undertaking further doctoral study.

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We are offering two social work qualifications - an MA and a PGDip - for applicants who hold a relevant degree and experience of paid or voluntary work with vulnerable people within the UK.

The Social Work MA is a two-year full-time course (maximum 5 years on a part-time basis) while the PGDip can typically be gained in 18 months.

Graduates completing the MA or PGDip are eligible for registration as a qualified social worker with the social work regulatory body, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

See the website http://www.brookes.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/social-work/

Why choose this course?

- Our graduates are highly employable with 95% obtaining employment on successful completion of their programme.

- Social Work courses at Oxford Brookes University have been ranked highly in league tables (The Guardian and The Sunday Times University Guides).

- This is an evidence-informed course delivered via innovative mixed mode learning methods (classroom, distance and work-based).

- Our courses access a wide range of work-based learning opportunities in Oxfordshire and neighbouring authorities.

- Our teaching benefits from the input of experienced researchers working in established areas of children and families, drugs and alcohol, ageing, and inter-professional education and collaborative practice.

- Oxford Brookes offers a broad range of student support schemes to facilitate your learning and development..

Professional accreditation

Graduates completing the MA or PGDip are eligible to apply for for registration as a Qualified Social Worker with the HCPC.

This course in detail

The core modules are:
- Skill Development and Professional Communication
- The Policy and Law Context of Social Care
- Social Work Practice 1
- Social Work Theory, Assessment and Evidence-Informed Intervention with Adults
- Supporting Children and Families: Building the Evidence
- Social Work Practice 2
- Social Work Theory, Assessment and Evidence-Informed Intervention with Children and Families

In addition, MA students will be required to undertake
- Applied Research Methods
- Dissertation

Please note: as courses are reviewed regularly, the list of modules may vary from that shown here.

Approach to assessment

Our modules are assessed in a variety of ways, including written assignments, class tests, portfolios, presentations and a dissertation.

Practice Placements

Both awards require two practice placements, which will include attendance throughout the summer months.

Attendance pattern

The full-time route is a full-time course which requires five days a week commitment to learning in the University, in practice placement and distance learning.

A typical part-time route would be three days a week. This is dependent on modules taken and the number of years. Practice placement requires a minimum of three days per week attendance.

How this course helps you develop

Graduates of our programmes will have fulfilled the requirements for social work training specified by the Department of Health and the Health and Care Professions Council.

Careers

On successful completion of the MA and PGDip programmes graduates are eligible to apply for registration as a qualified social worker with the Health and Care Professions Council, and then to enter employment.

Graduates of the MA programme will be well-placed to apply for a place on an MPhil / PhD programme should they wish to pursue a career in research at a later date.

Free language courses for students - the Open Module

Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Please note that the free language courses are not available if you are:
- studying at a Brookes partner college
- studying on any of our teacher education courses or postgraduate education courses.

Research highlights

We have a number of promising and senior experienced researchers working in established areas including children and families, drugs and alcohol, ageing, interprofessional education and collaborative practice.

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Overview

The MA in Community and Youth Work integrates advanced study in challenging issues facing society today with accredited professional education for key roles in community development, youth work, and associated equality, human rights, international development, local development, local authority, national institutions, and international agency work. The programme provides an opportunity to engage in education and training in a dialogical environment, combining research and praxis for action, policy influence and advocacy, and participation in shaping society and facilitating young people to reach their potential.

Professional Endorsement:
The MA in Community and Youth Work [incorporating the Postgraduate Diploma in Community and Youth Work (PDCYW) is endorsed by the North South Education and Training Standards Board as a professional qualification in Youth Work and by the All Ireland Endorsement Body for Community Work as a professional qualification in Community Work.

Course Structure

The programme, in line with all postgraduate professional qualifications takes place over two years full time or three years part time in service. Students undertake a full time professional fieldwork placement lasting fourteen weeks in each year, and undertake study visits nationally and internationally. Modules include fieldwork placements and visits, community and youth work theory and practice, equality and human rights studies, youth and community arts, public administration, group work, social policy, social theory and comparative international studies.

Career Options

The programme creates critical thinkers who are engaged professionally to work dynamically in leadership positions in the fields of community development and youth work and a variety of areas such as development, policy analysis, organisational leadership in NGOs and statutory organisations in Ireland, Europe and internationally Graduates are involved in a variety of positions at national, regional, local and international levels in youth projects, community based work and statutory and voluntary organisations.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code
MHB55 Part-time in-service

The following information should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:

Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed. Non-Maynooth University students are asked to provide two academic references and a copy of birth certificate or valid passport.

Maynooth University graduates are required to produce a professional reference for relevant work (voluntary or paid).

Garda Vetting
In line with national provisions for the protection of children and vulnerable adults, all applicants called for interview for the MACYW and DCYW will be required to complete a Garda Vetting Form.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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Overview

The MA in Community and Youth Work integrates advanced study in challenging issues facing society today with accredited professional education for key roles in community development, youth work, and associated equality, human rights, international development, local development, local authority, national institutions, and international agency work. The programme provides an opportunity to engage in education and training in a dialogical environment, combining research and praxis for action, policy influence and advocacy, and participation in shaping society and facilitating young people to reach their potential.

Professional Endorsement:
The MA in Community and Youth Work [incorporating the Postgraduate Diploma in Community and Youth Work (PDCYW) is endorsed by the North South Education and Training Standards Board as a professional qualification in Youth Work and by the All Ireland Endorsement Body for Community Work as a professional qualification in Community Work.

Course Structure

The programme, in line with all postgraduate professional qualifications takes place over two years full time or three years part time in service. Students undertake a full time professional fieldwork placement lasting fourteen weeks in each year, and undertake study visits nationally and internationally. Modules include fieldwork placements and visits, community and youth work theory and practice, equality and human rights studies, youth and community arts, public administration, group work, social policy, social theory and comparative international studies.

Career Options

The programme creates critical thinkers who are engaged professionally to work dynamically in leadership positions in the fields of community development and youth work and a variety of areas such as development, policy analysis, organisational leadership in NGOs and statutory organisations in Ireland, Europe and internationally Graduates are involved in a variety of positions at national, regional, local and international levels in youth projects, community based work and statutory and voluntary organisations.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code
MHB54 Full-time

The following information should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:

Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed. Non-Maynooth University students are asked to provide two academic references and a copy of birth certificate or valid passport.

MU graduates are required to produce a professional reference for relevant work (voluntary or paid).

Garda Vetting
In line with national provisions for the protection of children and vulnerable adults, all applicants called for interview for the MACYW and DCYW will be required to complete a Garda Vetting Form.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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Designed for graduates who want to move into computing from another discipline, MSc Computing and IT Management provides you with a broad technical knowledge and a sound business context for managing IT systems.

Through this course you will learn the skills needed to develop business applications through a fundamental understanding of software and web development, e-commerce and database management. You will also gain an understanding of the professional skills required to lead IT managers by working as a part of a team on a business change project.

You will have the option of learning about new and emerging technologies, such as cloud computing, that are radically changing the opportunities and threats for the provision of IT systems. You may also opt for human-centric computing which focuses on defining and delivering effective information systems from a human-centric perspective. You also have the option of learning the knowledge and skills required to create interactive visualisations and explanations of data.

Students may choose to apply for a paid 7-12 month professional work placement to be undertaken on completion of Spring semester and before completing the MSc course with a 60-credit dissertation. This provides valuable work experience to develop your IT Professional skills.

The dissertation provides the opportunity of developing your research skills and applying technical and management concepts and techniques to solve a complex computing problem.

This two-year course offers a balanced combination of theory and practice, and can serve either as preparation for a career as an IT professional, doctoral research, or as a self-contained advanced qualification in its own right.

Distinctive features

• The opportunity to undertake a conversion course in Computing and IT.

• It provides an intensive course specifically designed for those who wish to move into computing and IT management from another discipline.

• Professionally accredited by the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.

• The opportunity to learn the technical knowledge and skills needed to develop business applications.

• Working in a team on a business change project to develop IT management skills.

• The facility to tailor the course to your interests by the selection of an advanced option module.

• 7-12 month experience as an IT Professional for students who successfully find a suitable placement.

Structure

Students will undertake a placement following the taught stage of the course and prior to undertaking their individual project and dissertation. Most students start their placement in the summer of Year 1. The breakdown is as follows:

Year 1: 100 credits core modules, 20 credit optional modules.
Year 2: 120 credits placement, 60 credits core module.

Year ONE core modules:

Information Processing in Python
Web Application Development
Information Modelling & Database Systems
Business and IT Management
E-Commerce and Innovation

Year ONE optional modules:

Distributed and Cloud Computing
Human Centric Computing
Visual Communication and Information Design

Year TWO core modules:

Placement
Dissertation

Teaching

The School of Computer Science and Informatics has a strong and active research culture which informs and directs our teaching. We are committed to providing teaching of the highest standard and received an excellent report in the most recent Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) review.

A diverse range of teaching and learning styles are used throughout the MSc in Computing and IT Management. Students will attend lectures, participate in seminars, workshops and tutorials, and carry out practical and laboratory work.

Students obtain support materials usually via Learning Central (Cardiff University’s Virtual Learning Environment).

You will also undertake a project and independent study to enable you to complete a dissertation. Dissertation topics may be suggested by you or chosen from a list of options proposed by academic staff reflecting their current interest.

Support

As a School, we pride ourselves on providing a supportive environment in which we are able to help and encourage our students.

All students are allocated a personal tutor who will monitor your progress throughout your time at university and will support you in your personal development planning. You will see your Personal Tutor at least once each semester.

Our Senior Personal Tutor can also advise and respond to any personal matters as they arise. The School also has a formal student-staff panel to discuss topics or issues of mutual interest.

Students are responsible for obtaining their placement. The School actively assists students on “with Placement” courses in finding a suitable placement.

Feedback:

Feedback on coursework may be provided via written comments on work submitted, by provision of ‘model’ answers and/or through discussion in contact sessions.

Assessment

The taught modules are assessed through examinations and a wide range of in-course assessments, such as written reports, extended essays, practical assignments and oral presentations.

The placement is assessed through a reflective report that demonstrates that the student has developed skills as an IT Professional.

The individual project and dissertation will enable you to demonstrate your ability to build upon and exploit knowledge and skills gained to exhibit critical and original thinking based on a period of independent study and learning.

Career prospects

Recent graduates from the MSc Computing and IT Management course have gained employment in roles such as systems and business analysts, quality assurance testers, IT consultants and project managers.

Graduates are employed by organisations of all sizes locally, nationally, and internationally.

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This MA is the first of its kind in the country, combining academic and professional qualifications. By bringing together Community Development and Youth Work practice with the research methods and theoretical preoccupations of Anthropology, it offers a stimulating synthesis of theory and practice- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-applied-anthropology-community-youth-work/

Taught jointly by the Departments of Anthropology, and Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies, the programme reflects the common concerns of lecturers in both disciplines. The MA fits the spirit of the academic profile of Goldsmiths both in its interdisciplinary and multi-cultural character, and by bringing together academic and practical fields of study.

This Master’s degree is aimed at graduates interested in working in Community Development and Youth Work. We offer two alternative pathways:

* The MA in Applied Anthropology & Community and Youth Work (this programme) results in a qualification in the fields of Community and Youth Work and Anthropology that is fully endorsed by the National Youth Agency and the Joint Negotiating Committee for Youth and Community Workers for pay and qualification purposes

* The MA in Applied Anthropology & Community Development is aimed at applicants who don't have the required level of work experience to apply for the professionally validated programme, and offers students an opportunity to develop community-based theoretical interests and practice

What you study

The MA reflects the common concerns of Social Anthropology and Community and Youth Work, and offers a stimulating synthesis of theory and practice. It consists of an academic programme of lectures, seminars and tutorial assignments, and practical experience. Modules are taken over one academic year if you are studying full-time, and two years if you are studying part-time (part-time study only available to home/EU students). Please note that all modules are compulsory.

The Research Methods in Anthropology module covers the research methods of anthropology, the collection of different types of data including surveys, in-depth interviews, participant observation and participatory research, its uses by subjects, and conflicts of interest. It combines weekly lectures and seminar-based work with the completion of a small individual project in the second term. Assessment is by essay, combining project material with theoretical literature.

Contemporary Social Issues consists of four themes:

* First World/Third World Anthropological Perspectives
* Gender, Race and Class
* Community
* Youth Cultures

It is taught through lectures/seminars, and assessment is by one three-hour examination paper.

Two supervised community and youth work fieldwork placements (totaling 47 days). These are supported by seminars, lectures, workshops and tutorials. Both fieldwork assignments are assessed by your 5,000 word report on each and your agency supervisor's reports. Overall, at least 50% of all fieldwork must be face-to-face with the 13-19 year age group.

Block fieldwork. For all students there is a six-week block fieldwork assignment (30 working days) focused on any aspect of management in a community and youth work agency, negotiable with your tutor. Assessment is based on your agency supervisor's report and a 5,000 word report on the placement submitted by you.

Full-time students attend on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10.00am to 4.00pm and spend the rest of the week on fieldwork placements and library studies. Part-time students attend on Thursdays in one year and Tuesdays in the other.

Assessment: Essay; individual project; take-home paper; fieldwork evaluation and reports; dissertation.

Careers:

Our graduates have gone on to develop their professional careers in community and youth work - for example as Connexions personal advisors, youth officers, community development workers, substance misuse workers, youth workers in a range of settings, and some have gone on to work with people who have disabilities.

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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