About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: L50E12
- Applications: University
- Level: Postgraduate
- Department: Health and Applied Social Sciences
- Campus: Glenside Campus
- Duration: Up to five years part-time
- Delivery: Part-time
- Study Abroad: No
- Programme leader: Judith Thomas
Introduction
This is a Level 3/M programme for qualified, practicing social workers who hold a social work qualification at Honours or Master's degree level and who wish to undertake some of their post-qualifying studies at Master's Level.
The requirements of the Post Qualifying Framework for Social Work Education and Training (GSCC 2005) and the Specialist Standards for Social Work with Adults (2006) are closely embedded in the programme. In delivering the post-qualifying award, the programme therefore seeks to 'consolidate, extend and deepen, initial professional competence' in the specialist context of practice with adult service users, their carers and families (GSCC, 2005). The programme is closely linked to the National Occupational Standards in Social Work and so aims to enhance, maintain and integrate high academic and professional practice standards.
Structure
Content
The programmes are flexible, modular and made up of a number of compulsory and optional modules, each of which has an amount of credit attached to it. The length of time taken to complete the programme will therefore vary from student to student although this is not expected to exceed five years. The programme is made up of 100 credits. At least 40 of these must be at Level M. There are four modules:
| Consolidation of Competence in Social Work Practice | 20 credits, Level 3 |
| Specialist Social Work practice with Adult Service Users and their Carers | 40 credits, Level M |
| Practice Education for Social Work Practice | 20 credits, Level 3 |
| Option Module | 20 credits, Level 3 or Level M |
The structure of the programme is very flexible, but a possible route is:
| Year 1 | Year 1 |
| Consolidation of Competence in Social Work Practice (Sept-Dec) | Option I (Jan-Apr) | Specialist Social Work Practice (May-Nov) | Practice Education (Jan-May) |
Consolidation of Competence in Social Work Practice
This module will enable you to build on and consolidate your competence as a social worker within a specific area of practice. Teaching and learning takes place through a series of five full day workshops over a three month period and is supported by an online site. Topics covered include policy and procedures in adult social work; the contribution of service user and carer expertise; using theory and research to critically reflect on practice; communication and engagement; planning, assessment, evaluation and review in adult services; managing risk; values in adult practice and personal and professional development.
The assignment for the module consists of an assessment of your practice by your employing agency and a reflective assignment based on a direct observation of your practice.
For most students, this will be the first module of the programme.
Specialist Social Work Practice with Adult Service Users and their Carers
This module provides an opportunity for you to explore an area of specialist practice in detail and to relate this to your individual practice. The module is taught through a series of five full day workshops over a six month period and is supported by an online site. Teaching and learning will focus on key issues for adult care practice including legislation and social policy; adulthood, development and transitions; assessment, risk, vulnerability and protection; multi agency working and the value base of social work.
The assignment for the module consists of an assessment of your practice by your employing agency and a 6,000 word assignment on a theme closely related to your own practice.
Practice Education for Social Work Practice
This module focuses on the planning, facilitating and assessing of learning in practice and requires you to be involved in these activities in your work place. The module is taught through a series of five full day workshops over a three month period and is supported by an online site. Teaching and learning focuses on theory and practice, in relation to adult learning and assessment.
The assessment for the module consists of a direct observation of your practice as a facilitator of learning and a reflective assignment based on your experience as a practice educator.
Option Module
There are a number of option modules available. Most of these are accessible to students on a variety of programmes. The timing and availability of these modules will vary according to demand. You should consult your Programme Leader about which modules are available in any particular term, but option modules likely to be of particular interest to social work students include:
Level 3
- Ageing in Contemporary Society
- Leadership and Change
- Issues in Child Protection
- Engaging Communities and Service Users
- Public Health and Health Promotion
- Independent Study
- Principles of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
- Person Centred Care for People with Dementia
- Contemporary Issues in the Delivery of Support Services for People with Learning Disabilities
- Meeting the Mental Health Needs of People with Learning Difficulties
- Working with People with a Diagnosis of Personality Disorder
- Dual Diagnosis: Substance Misuse and Mental Health
- An Introduction to Drug and Alcohol Use and Misuse
- Motivational Interviewing
Level M
- Critical Mental Health
- Evidencing Work-based learning
- Independent Study
- Legal and Ethical Issues and Dilemmas in Health and Social Care
- Leadership and Change
- Ageing in Contemporary Society
Teaching and learning
Inter-professionalism is a key aspect of students' learning on the programme. Learning outcomes associated with inter-professionalism are embedded in each of the modules and these are all open to non-social workers. The option module enables learners to pursue in depth, an area of particular practice interest or specialism, by selecting a module from the faculty option pool. In many cases this will also provide a multi-professional learning experience.
A broad range of teaching and learning approaches are employed within the programme. Online learning is used widely to support lectures, learning sets and workshop activities.
Study time
This programme shares a common set of educational aims, based on the specialist level criteria set out in the Post-Qualifying Framework documentations (GSCC 2005). These are to enable students to:
- Consolidate, extend and deepen their competence in social work with adults, their carers and their families.
- Think critically about their own practice in the context of the General Social Care Council (GSCC) codes of practice, national and international codes of professional ethics, in a wide range of situations, including those associated with inter-agency and inter-professional work.
- Draw on knowledge and understanding of service users' and carers' issues in order to contribute to strategies and practice which promote service users' and carers' rights, participation, empowerment and choice.
- Use reflection and critical analysis to develop their specialist practice, drawing systematically, accurately and appropriately on theories, models and relevant up to date research.
- Work effectively in the contexts of risk, uncertainty, conflict and contradiction which characterise contemporary social work practice.
- Teach and assess the practice of student social workers and mentor and support students or colleagues.
- Take responsibility for the effective use of supervision to identify and explore issues, develop and implement plans and improve own practice.
- Effectively manage own work and demonstrate a capacity to plan for and respond to change in organisational, inter-organisational and team contexts.
- Develop and implement effective ways of working in networks across organisational, sectoral and professional boundaries, thereby promoting inter-professional working and delivering integrated and person centred care.
Assessment
Assessment methods include reflective and research based assignments, direct observations of practice, assessment under controlled conditions and agency based assessment of practice.
Special Features
Study facilities
The Department is superbly equipped with an extensive range of resources across four campuses. Although teaching and learning sessions will take place at Glenside, students in the Department are able to access facilities at all four campuses.
The library on the Glenside Campus is one of the best health and social care libraries in England with a huge selection of books, journals and audio-visual materials including access to specialist health and social care packages.
UWE Library successfully bid for the substantial library collections which the National Institute for Social Work (NISW) made available when the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) was created. The Library will continue to receive donations of books and journals from SCIE, and will work in partnership with SCIE to make UWE's library resources available to social care professionals regionally and nationally.
Information Technology provision is used extensively to support student learning. At the main Frenchay Campus there is 24-hour access to computing facilities.
Careers/further study
Post Qualifying Award in Social Work
In February 2005, the General Social Care Council (GSCC) launched the revised post-qualifying framework for social work education and training. The new framework allows social workers to continue their education and training in a flexible and modular way.
There are three levels of awards in the new framework, each corresponding to a stage of professional and career development. The three awards are:
- Post-Qualifying Award in Specialist Social Work
- Post-Qualifying Award in Higher Specialist Social Work
- Post-Qualifying Award in Advanced Social Work
There are five specialisms focusing on: mental health; adult social work; practice education; leadership and management; and children and young people, their families and carers.
More details about the new framework and national developments in all areas of post-qualifying social work can be found at www.gscc.org.uk
Accredited Learning (AL) and Accredited Experiential Learning (AEL)
Applicants may seek recognition of learning which has been certified by another university as contributing credit to the UWE programme on which they are enrolled. University credit may also be sought for prior or concurrent experiential learning, which is not certified by another university.
Entry
Entry requirements
- A professional qualification in social work (e.g. Dip SW CQSW)
- An honours degree
- Current social work practice experience with adult service users
This programme is for practitioners who hold a degree and wish to do some study at Master's or 'M' Level.
For graduates who would prefer to study at Level 3 only, the Graduate Diploma Social Work Studies will offer a more appropriate way of attaining the Post Qualifying Award in Specialist Social Work with Adults.
For non graduates, the BA(Hons) Social Work Studies is likely to be the better route.
Fees
It is expected that students will undertake the programme with the full support of their employing agency and that the agency will fund their place on the programme.
Full details of fees for this course can be found on our postgraduate fees pages.
How to apply
Whether you are seeking support from your organisation or are self-funded you can apply in the following ways:
PDF application
We would encourage you to apply using the following pdf application form. Please print this off and fill in the relevant sections and return to our Continuing Professional Development Unit (details below) to process.
Paper application
If you are an employee of a NHS trust funded by the NHS South West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) you should contact your Trust Coordinator/Manager for an application form.
Alternatively if you have a general query or would like to obtain an application form please contact:
Continuing Professional Development Unit
School of Health and Social Care
University of the West of England
Health Training and Research Centre
Frenchay Campus
Bristol BS16 1QY
or
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011