This Social Work (Top-up) masters course is an academic qualification where you will experience an integration of practice and research. Social workers have a key role in working with other professionals to offer support to some of society's most vulnerable citizens.
This programme has been designed for Social Work England registered social workers who have a PGDip in Social Work and who wish to achieve a masters level award. We are looking for people who are committed to social inclusion and who are familiar with issues surrounding disempowerment, deprivation and inclusivity. You will bring leadership skills, the ability to empathise and an ability to deal with complex situations working in partnership with others. You will have a strong commitment to developing the social work profession and to developing evidence based practice.
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You will be undertaking independent, guided research in your chosen area which will be directly relevant to social work practice. The curriculum is mapped against the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) Standards of Proficiency (SoPs) and the Knowledge and Skills Statements (KSS) for both children and adults.
Successful completion of the module will allow you to upgrade your PGDip in Social Work to an MA in Social Work. As well as an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the subject, you will also gain and develop research skills, critical thinking and an ability to develop and apply evidence based practice.
You will undertake a dissertation relevant to Social Work practice. You will be supported by an academic supervisor who will help you to navigate your research and the writing of your dissertation.
See the course specification for more information:
We are regularly reviewing and updating our programmes to ensure you have the best learning experience. We are taking what we've learnt during the pandemic and enhancing our teaching methods with new and innovative ways of learning. Please regularly check this section of the course page for updates.
This programme involves undertaking a small scale research project. You will have the opportunity for individual supervision from an academic adviser and the module leader will run a series of dissertation workshops which comprise the module.
Please email Rahaman Mohammed for further information.
Assessment
You will be expected to produce a 12,000 to 15,000 word dissertation.
We have developed new approaches to teaching and learning for the 2021/22 academic year, and have resumed the majority of our teaching on campus.
We are currently reviewing our approach to teaching and learning for 2022 entry and beyond. We've learned a lot about how to give you a quality education - we aim to combine the best of our pre-pandemic teaching and learning with access to online learning and digital resources which put you more in charge of when and how you study. We will keep you updated on this throughout the application process.
Your timetable will be built around on campus sessions using our professional facilities, with online sessions for some activities where we know being virtual will add value. We’ll use technology to enhance all of your learning and give you access to online resources to use in your own time.
The table below gives you an idea of what learning looks like across a typical week. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on campus sessions.
This information is likely to change slightly for 2022 entry as our plans evolve. You'll receive full information on your teaching before you start your course.
Learning structure: typical hourly breakdown in 2021/22 | ||
Live learning | Contact time per week, per level: | Total for the single module: 6 hours workshops 7 hours individual supervision |
Self-paced learning time | Average hours per week, per level: | 5 hours |
On demand resources | Average hours per week, per level: | N/A |
Outside of these hours, you’ll be expected to do independent study where you read, listen and reflect on other learning activities. This can include preparation for future classes. In a year, you’ll typically be expected to commit 1200 hours to your course across all styles of learning. If you are taking a placement, you might have some additional hours.
Definitions of terms
Support
You have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.
Our support services will be delivered online and on campus and you have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.
You have access to one to one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts. Our teams will also be here to offer financial advice, and personal wellbeing, mental health and disability support.
Our graduates have been successful in obtaining employment in advanced social worker roles across a wide range of social work settings. Having a masters-level qualification in social work is advantageous if you would like to:
Prior to joining Middlesex, Rahman worked as a freelance trainer delivering workshops on safeguarding and Deprivation of Liberty. He also worked as an Approved Mental Health Professional and is a qualified Practice Educator.
Top-up student
Jan 2021
I appreciated the sessions and found them helpful. Each session was designed to support each aspect of the dissertation. It was a positive experience.
We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.
Start: September 2022
Duration: 14-months full-time
Code: L500
Start: September 2022
Duration: 14 months full-time
Code: L50P
