Make a real difference to some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people in society. Help disadvantaged people access essential social services. Begin an extremely rewarding career in social work.
Overview
As a social worker, you will have opportunities to make a real difference to some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people in society. You could take your career in a number of directions such as working in child protection, with young people in care, older people, people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, mental health difficulties, homeless people, people with drug dependencies, or with any other group of people with specialist needs.
MA Social Work combines classroom learning and practical experience. You'll study the context of social work, legal and policy frameworks, social work theory, psychological and sociological theory, power, discrimination, and anti-oppressive practice. You will consolidate this theoretical knowledge with two placements to put your learning into practice.
Why us?
- You'll spend 170 days on practice placements
- The course is approved by Social Work England
Course structure
A typical week on the masters in social work will include lectures, seminars and workshops, with a strong emphasis on individual participation and discussion. During the first semester you will also 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 a masters degree requires a higher level of independent working.
Your progress will be assessed with assignments, written coursework, presentations, professional discussions and workbooks/portfolios.
Throughout the MA Social Work course, you'll have one-to-one support from academic staff.
Facilities
You'll be based at the recently refurbished Wearside View, situated on the award-winning Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's. This stunning riverside location benefits from dedicated library services and has superb transport links with the city centre and City Campus.
Career ready
MA Social Work is a highly practical postgraduate qualification. After successful completion of the degree, you will be eligible to apply to register with Social Work England as a newly qualified social worker.
Many social work jobs are with local authorities, but you could also work in an NHS trust, a voluntary agency, a charity, the criminal justice system, or other agencies helping people in need of support.
With a postgraduate degree in social work, you also have the option to continue in academia and apply to study for a PhD.
Read more about what you can do with a Social Science degree.
Centre for Applied Social Sciences
The University of Sunderland’s Centre for Applied Social Sciences (CASS) regularly hosts visiting speakers and it can be an excellent way to learn from the real-life experience of people who already have a strong track record in social work.
CASS is the centre for applied social science research at the University and you may find opportunities to collaborate with the academic team.
Practice placements
Placements are an essential part of your masters degree in social work. You will spend a total of 170 days on practice placements, arranged by our Practice Learning Coordinator. There is in-depth preparation before the placements and you will be supported and supervised by an assigned practice educator.
Placements allow you to apply your learning in a real-life context and get a sense of what type of social work you might want to specialise in when you graduate. When you’re ready to start searching for a social work job, you will already have a wide network of professional contacts who can help you find the right career opportunities.
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