How you learn

Our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive. We take a global approach to social work – both individually and with student project groups – encouraging collaboration, professional curiosity, problem-solving skills and critical reflection.

You’ll explore case studies and real-world examples with practitioners and people with lived experience – intellectually challenging social work problems at national and global levels. You’ll develop evidence-based solutions, portfolios of evidence and transferable employability skills – preparing you to successfully register as a professional who makes ethically sound assessments and research-informed decisions.

You learn through:

• Lectures and seminars
• Specialist lectures from social work practice, carers and experts
• Interactive workshops
• Learning through reflection on practice
• Professional portfolio
• Presentations
• Use of digital technologies
• Directed learning
• Independent learning

Course topics

On this course you’ll integrate the underpinning knowledge base of social work practice, contemporary policy and legal frameworks which affect individuals and communities. You’ll learn to exercise initiative to address global social work practice issues, preparing you to register as a social worker.

You’ll utilise practice skills required in a contemporary employment setting within professional social work standards/guidance from Social Work England (SWE), and codes of ethics from the British Association of Social Work (BASW). These include planning and implementing tasks, adaptability, autonomy, leadership and reflective practice.

During your final year you’ll undertake a research project in a field of social work practice – with the potential to disseminate your research project further afield and within practice partnership forums.

Course support

You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate-level employment through a number of key areas:

• Industry-specific employability activities such as live projects, learning in simulated environments and networking opportunities
• Individual and group course support from academic advisers, a research supervisor and colleagues
• Placement support from a practice educator (a qualified social worker) and an onsite work-based supervisor and placement tutor
• Reinforcement and enhancement of topics, writing and study skills covered in prior study
• Activities to build transferable and employability skills, reflecting on your own experiences and learning

Graduate view

‘Being able to learn on the job and go on placement is a great opportunity to meet different people from the profession, and develop a deeper understanding which you don’t get from a textbook.’

Katie Bell, MSW Social Work

Course leaders and tutors

Chrissie Edmonds

Senior Lecturer in Social Work

Chrissie Edmonds currently occupies a range of roles across the department, including Module Leader for the BASW and MSW, Placement Tutor for students whilst on prac … Read more

Applied learning

Placements

Practice-based learning is a core element of this course. We work in partnership with five statutory sector, local authority social work providers, three NHS Foundation Trusts, and third sector organisations. It’s through working in partnership with these provider organisations that we’re able to allocate your placements. While our dedicated placement team manages the placement finding process, academic staff are key in supporting you in your placement application.

Practice learning is supported in a number of ways:

• Allocation of a suitably qualified Practice Educator (PE)
• Where the PE is based offsite, a trained work-based supervisor is also allocated.
• Allocation of a named member of academic staff to act as placement tutor
• Learning agreement processes that check learning expectations including your supervision, provision of work opportunities, building of evidence against the practice standards of the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) (BASW, 2018) and explaining key aspects of the procedures
• Midpoint review meeting conducted by the placement tutor
• Concerns meeting where indicated

Handbooks for practice learning and regulations, plus supporting information

There are two placement modules which are assessed in a different way to other modules. To meet the regulations of the Professional Capabilities Framework (BASW 2018), your practice capability and evidence must be passed by your practice educator in these two placements. You’ll be assessed through direct observations, supervision discussions, reflective journal submissions, feedback from people with lived experience and colleagues, and your own written work.

Networking opportunities

You’ll have extra-curricular career-focused activities from job fairs to employer events, volunteering and leadership awards, and training to assist with professional development. As a department we celebrate international social work with a global audience, so you’ll be able to engage in a range of online international activities and events.

Our student Social Work Society, our Global Majority Student Group and the Diverse Voices Conference are opportunities for you to come together and share experiences with other students and academic staff. From the point of student recruitment to assessment, our colleagues with lived experience and employer partners enhance your student experience and create real links to practice. You’ll have many opportunities to learn with and from students across the college, representing a range of health and social care professional groupings.

Field trips

A range of experiences are built into the course to develop your skills in connecting theoretical knowledge to real-world applications. As a department we value the importance of learning from diverse experiences, broadening your professional understanding and becoming a culturally competent social worker. Through the Turing Grant Scheme, we have a range of active partnerships across Africa, Europe and India, offering volunteering visits to community development or refugee agencies.

Future careers

Social work is an in-demand profession with a protected title. Our MSW is a professionally approved course which prepares you to become a newly qualified social worker. We have an excellent record of graduate employment – there are many aspects of employability skills designed into the modules and practice learning.

Previous graduates of this course have gone to work in:

• Local authority children and families social work teams
• Local authority adult social work teams
• Safeguarding roles
• Mental health low/medium secure units
• Community mental health teams
• Third sector organisations, like NSPCC, Womens Aid, Fostering Sector agencies

The course considers the Knowledge and Skills Statements for both adults and children's workforces. This provides key knowledge in preparation for your Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE).

Where will I study?

You study at Collegiate Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

Collegiate campus

Collegiate Campus can be found just off Ecclesall Road, a bustling student district.

Collegiate Campus map | Campus facilities 

Location

Collegiate Crescent
Sheffield
S10 2BP

Get directions

Collegiate library

Collegiate Library can be found just off Ecclesall Road. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

Learn more

Entry requirements

Fees and funding

• Home students
• International students

Home students

Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2024/25 is £20,620 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time. Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2024/25 are: Year 1: £18,905 Year 2: £1,720.

If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.

International students

Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2024/25 is £34,410 for the course which includes placement costs.

Postgraduate student loans

Up to £11,222 available for Home students on most masters courses.

Learn more

Additional course costs

This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

Additional costs for Social work courses (PDF, 331.7KB)

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.