Year 1 core modules

• Assessed Readiness for Direct Practice

  An intensive practical skills based module which takes place for 3 days per week for the first 6 weeks of the course. Students will need to attend these day and pass the practical assessment in order to progress to the first placement.

• Social Work Knowledge, Values and Skills (30 credits)

  This module provides an introduction to the underpinning theory for the knowledge, values and skills that a Social Work student will require during their practice. It will run alongside the new module, Assessed Readiness for Direct Practice (ARDP).. As ARDP will provide opportunities for practising required skills, this module will enable students to learn, evaluate and critique the theories that underpin professional social work practice. It will be an opportunity for students to understand how social work as a profession fits into the wider political and social context, aspects of statutory, voluntary and private contributions to the social care field, the perspective of service users and carers and the wide range of theories and skills that are utilised in professional social work.

• Well-being across the Life Course in a Diverse Society (30 credits)

  Understanding what influences people's 'well-being' is a key element in working safely and effectively in social work. This module provides an opportunity for students to examine the various factors that influence well-being. In doing so, the module promotes a holistic approach to well-being to enable students to understand the broader socio-economic context in which social work takes place and to develop critical perspectives on interventions which take the various sociological and psychological factors that affect service users' well-being into account. This necessarily includes exploring critically the perspectives of service users and carers.

• Communicating Skills and Partnership Working in Professional Social Work (30 credits)

  Social workers need to be able to communicate thoughtfully and effectively within the context of professional and inter-professional relationships. This module therefore looks at the principles of good communication, barriers to communication and how to overcome them, as well as various useful communication tools. Linking closely to other modules in the course, this module will also help develop to critical and reflective thinking about how to put these and other skills, knowledge and values into practice. The module therefore includes sessions on: communication, reflection, anti-discriminatory practice, assessing risk and working in partnership with service users and other professionals/agencies.

• Placement

  In addition to attending special 'skills day' after which you will be assessed as 'ready for direct practice', you will also undertake 70 days of practice placement during year 1.

Year 2 core modules

• Analytical Thinking and Decision-Making in Professional Social Work (30 credits)

  This module provides a critical examination of key aspects of professional decision-making in social work. As part of this, it invites study of both the principles underpinning and the skills required for effective assessment and intervention in diverse areas of social work, including risk and risk management. Building on the knowledge and skills gained in Year 1, this module further encourages students to reflect critically and analytically on how to practice in ways that are anti-discriminatory and inclusive of service-user perspectives.

• Powers, Duties and Accountability in Professional Social Work (30 credits)

  The aim of this module is to examine the legal and professional context that underpins the provision of social welfare services and is intended to enable you to examine and evaluate the sources of your power and structures of accountability as a local authority social worker. In addition, the module will give priority and emphasis to duties relating to the safeguarding of children and other vulnerable groups. The module will explore the quality assurance mechanisms which apply to professional social work practice, as well as the responsibilities and role boundaries inherent within multi-disciplinary and multi-agency models of working

• Dissertation (30 credits)

  The dissertation requires you to select and apply appropriate research methods to produce a substantial piece of academic work with which to conclude the course. As well as research methods, the Masters dissertation expects you to demonstrate the transferable skills of time management, organisation and communication.

• Placement

  You will also undertake a 100-day practice placement during year 2.