Social Work

ProfMasters Social Work

Graduate Taught (level 9 nfq, credits 150)



The Professional Master of Social Work is a full-time programme approved by CORU (The Social Workers’ Registration Board www.coru.ie), leading to a professional social work qualification. With this qualification you are eligible to apply for professional registration which is a requirement to practice social work in Ireland. The Masters is also recognised internationally. The programme is taught by research-active academics with broad teaching and practice experiences. Modules will address topics such as social work counselling skills, social work theory and methods, human development and behaviour, justice and human rights, working with children, families and adults, research methods, as well as working with groups and communities. We have very strong practice partnership arrangements that enable us to deliver high quality placements for students.



The long-established UCD Professional Master of Social Work is a 2 year full-time programme, approved by the Social Workers Registration Board at CORU. The programme emphasises reflective and anti-oppressive practice and equips students with the knowledge, values and skills to work as social workers in a range of settings. With this qualification you will be eligible to apply for professional registration which is a requirement to practice social work in Ireland. Our Masters is also recognised internationally. The programme is taught by research-active academics with broad teaching and practice experiences. Modules address topics such as social work counselling skills, social work theory and methods, human development and behaviour, justice and human rights, working with children, families and adults, research methods, as well as working with groups and communities. We have very strong practice partnership arrangements that enable us to deliver high quality placements for students.



Highlights:

Registered graduates can work in a range of practice settings including: medical social work, mental health social work, child welfare and protection and criminal justice social work.



Extensive fieldwork placements are an integral part of the programme and are sourced by our Practice Learning Team.



A range of teaching methodologies are used, including lectures, small group discussions, and experiential skills workshops.



Modules are taught by research active academics, experienced social work practitioners and people who use social work services.



A commitment to engagement with people who use social work services is a key feature of the programme. For example, we have a long-established partnership with the SAOL project, an integrated programme of education, rehabilitation, advocacy and childcare for women impacted by addiction, with women from the SAOL project contributing to the programme.



The programme has long-established links with social work agencies and with individual practitioners, ensuring relevance to current practice. For example, twice yearly students have an opportunity to attend the UCD-Tusla Joint Learning Forum which brings practitioners, students and academics together to develop further understanding of key current practice issues



The programme is recognised in many countries internationally.



Practice Placements:

Students will undertake two, full-time fourteen-week placements, one in Year 1 and one in Year 2. Placements are sourced by our Practice Learning Team through an extensive network of long-standing relationships with agencies across Ireland. All placements meet the requirements set out by CORU, with ongoing-training provided to all placement supervisors (practice teachers).



Placements reflect the diverse areas of practice in which social workers work and aim to meet the learning needs of the individual students concerned. Placements offer students the opportunity to apply their learning from college to the practice context and this application of theory to practice is supported by both the professionally qualified social worker who supervises the student on placement and by a UCD Practice Tutor

Stage 1 - Core

Social Work Counselling Skills 1 SPOL40130

Theories of Human Development and Behaviour for Social Work SPOL40800

Adult Services and Health 1SPOL40870

Social Work Placement 1 SPOL40890

Child Welfare & Protection 1 SPOL40900

Social Work Methods SPOL40960

Research Methods 1 SPOL40970

Research Methods 2 SPOL41010

Law for Social Work SPOL41070

Prep for Professional Practice 1 SPOL41080



Stage 2 - Core

Social Justice and Human Rights SPOL40190

Group Work and Community Work SPOL40220

Social Work Counselling Skills 2 SPOL40570

Advanced SW Theories and Methods SPOL40780

Adult Services and Health 2 SPOL40920

Child Welfare and Protection 2 SPOL40940

Social Work Placement 2 SPOL40950

Prep for Professional Practice2 SPOL41000

International Applicants

The Professional Master of Social Work includes extensive fieldwork placements and is widely recognised abroad as a professional social work qualification. Graduates with this degree have successfully registered as professional social workers in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among other countries. If you are unsure what the requirements are for professional social work registration in the country in which you hope to practice, you should check with the relevant registration body in that country.



Admission requirements

For graduates of UK universities, grading of undergraduate degrees is similar to that used in Ireland and the academic requirements defined in the initial screening criteria set out above apply directly.

For North American students, the minimum academic standard for entry equates to a GPA of around 3.0 on undergraduate degrees from most universities. To be competitive for entry, North American applicants would normally require a GPA of at least 3.5, though since work experience and orientation to social work are also taken into account, the level of academic qualification required for final selection is not fixed.



To qualify under initial screening, primary degrees must be the equivalent of an honours level Bachelor’s degree. Such degrees are defined as Level 8 qualifications in the Framework of Qualifications for the European Higher Education Area (also known of the Bologna Framework ). Degrees classed ‘ordinary level’ (Level 7 in the Bologna Framework) are not considered as eligible for entry to the Professional Master of Social Work. Applicants are required to submit transcripts from all previous bachelors or masters programmes as well as a personal statement, references and details of work experience (the form on which to do this can be found below). Also applicants should submit a copy of either their birth certificate or the photo page of their passport for nationality verification purposes.



Interviews

Interviews will be conducted in the second stage of selection for entry. In exceptional circumstances to facilitate international applicants, the interview may be conducted by audio-visual link or Zoom, subject to it being possible to make suitable arrangements. Arrangements in this regard will be made on a case-by-case basis.



English language requirement

If you have not completed a primary degree in an institution where the language of instruction is English, you will be required to show evidence of English language ability. In view of the role of professional placement in the training programme for the Professional Master of Social Work and the language demands which effective participation in placement requires, a high level of proficiency in spoken/conversational English is required in addition to English reading and writing. You will normally be required to have a minimum IELTS score of 7.0, or its equivalent on other similar English-language tests recognised by UCD, with a score of 6.5 or above on all individual bands. In addition, proficiency in spoken English may be assessed by interview and will be taken into account for selection purposes.



Entry Requirements

The minimum standard for entry is the equivalent of an overall Second Class Honours Grade II in the applicant's primary (Level 8) degree



Applications should hold a BSocSc degree with a major in Social Policy or a BSocial Work or equivalent; or another undergraduate degree, at least half of which has involved the study of Social Policy or Social Policy related subjects.



Alternatively, applicants must hold a level 8 primary degree together with a Second Class Honours (or GPA equivalent in the institution which awarded the degree) in a postgraduate (level 8) Higher Diploma in Social Policy or equivalent. A Level 9 Masters in a relevant discipline may also be considered.



If your degree grade is given as a GPA, the standard for entry is the GPA equivalent of a Second Class Honours Grade II in the institution which awarded your degree. You should note that this may vary from institution to institution. For degrees awarded by UCD it is a GPA of 2.48.



Written Piece

There will be a short written piece included as part of this year's application process, on the same day as the group interview. This will involve writing a short reflection on your participation in the group selection process. If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty e.g. Dyslexia, and require exam accommodations, please contact the admissions administrator at least one week before the interview so that appropriate exam accommodations can be put in place. Students are required to provide evidence of their disability in order to receive accommodations.



Work Experience

In addition to the academic requirements described above, we expect applicants to have been involved in relevant paid or volunteering experiences to demonstrate their commitment to a career in helping people. For this reason we expect them to have completed at least 250 hours of relevant paid or voluntary employment experience at the time of submitting their application, and in total 420 hours by the time the programme begins (end of August in the year of application). You will be asked to complete details of this on the application under an 'Employment History' section.The template can be downloaded from the “Graduate Programmes” page of the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice website in the section for “Professional Masters in Social Work. Placements completed as part of your eligibility degree programme CANNOT be counted in these hours.



You should note that UCD reserves the right to check the information submitted on your online Work Experience form with your employer or the organisation that you are volunteering with.



We regard a variety of types of paid or voluntary work experience to be relevant to the application. It is important that applicants can demonstrate that they have had access to supervision over the course of your experience. Relevant experience should generally be interactive and involve direct contact with service users.



The following are suggested, but not exclusive, types of relevant paid or voluntary work experiences:

• Working in social care settings with adults or children in day care, residential or community based settings

• Working with people in health care settings

• Working with people in criminal justice settings

• Working with young people in educational and youth services

• Working with voluntary sector organisations that are involve in advocacy services for disadvantaged groups

• Working with voluntary sector organisations involved in online helping



Current students in the 2nd (BSocSc Social Policy and Sociology - Social Work and Professions pathway only) or final year of their degree or higher diploma programme may apply for the Professional Masters in Social Work (Full Time) programme if they meet the work experience requirements. Places on the programme will be offered subject to the attainment of the required admission standard in their degree/higher diploma programme.



Shortlisting for Interview

Applicants will be shortlisted for interview on the basis of academic results and relevant work experience. Interviews will take place in the February of the calendar year before the programme commences. As the programme tends to be over-subscribed we regret that not all eligible candidates will be shortlisted / interviewed. Interviews will be conducted remotely. Eligible candidates will receive invitation to interview with further details.



Students who successfully complete the MSocSc (Social Work) FT , the MSocSc (Social Work) PT or the Graduate Diploma in Social Work programme and are eligible to graduate may apply to CORU for registration as a professionally qualified social worker.



English language requirement

You will normally be required to have a minimum IELTS score of 7.0, or its equivalent on other similar English-language tests recognised by UCD, with a score of 6.5 or above on all individual bands. In addition, proficiency in spoken English may be assessed by interview and will be taken into account for selection purposes.

How to apply?

The following entry routes are available:



Professional Masters Social Work FT (W426)

Duration

2 Years

Attend

Full Time

Deadline

02-FEB-24



Applications are made online via the "Apply now" links above. Applications close on the 2nd February 2024 at midnight, Dublin time. Interviews for shortlisted applicants are likely to take place during the week of 19th February, 2024. In exceptional circumstances to facilitate international applicants, the interview may be conducted by audio-visual link or Zoom, subject to it being possible to make suitable arrangements. Arrangements in this regard will be made on a case-by-case basis.



Interviews

Applicants will be shortlisted for interview on the basis of academic results and relevant work experience. Individual and group interviews will normally be conducted.



Written Test

In addition to interviews, there will be a short written test included on the same day as the interview. This will involve writing a short reflection on your participation in the group selection process.



If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty, and require accommodations either for the written test or the interviews, please contact the admissions administrator at least one week before the interview so that appropriate accommodations can be put in place. Students are required to provide evidence of their disability in order to receive accommodations.

150

2 years full-time. Mode of Delivery: Face-to-Face.

ProfMasters Social Work (W426) Full Time

nonEU Year 1 - € 19900

nonEU Year 2 - € 19200 **


**Second Year Fee applies to Students in 2nd Year in 2020 and who were a 1st Year Student on the programme in 2019/20


Fees are subject to change.

Next Intake: 2024/2025 September.

Careers & Employability

Graduates with this degree have successfully registered as professional social workers in Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among other countries.



Graduates obtain employment in a range of social work practice contexts including criminal justice, child welfare and protection, community based social work, and health-related social work. They work with communities, children and families, older people, offenders, people with disabilities, and people with mental health difficulties, amongst others.