This course is not accepting applications for deferred entry.
University of Portsmouth has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
Overview This two-year Master’s degree in Social Work will equip you with the skills and experience you need to become a professional social worker and make a real difference in the lives of children and families, mental health patients, people with disabilities or vulnerable adults. The course combines theory and practice, and you’ll be supported by passionate industry experts with many years of social work experience. You’ll learn about the latest legislation, planning and policy, and put it all into practice in professional settings, with real people. You’ll undertake two separate work placements – one in your first year and one in your second year. The NHS bursary for postgraduate social work students can help with the cost of your fees, your living costs, and includes a contribution towards your placement travel expenses. When you successfully complete the course, you'll have the skills and knowledge you need to apply to register as a social worker with the professional regulatory body, Social Work England. What you'll experience
- Our staff are current and recent social work professionals
- Take part in skills days – full-day workshops with professional social workers to help prepare you for your placements
- Practise your skills in our Simulation Centre which features a realistic flat, bedroom and hospital ward where you'll prepare for home visits and care-giving in hospital and care home settings
- Work closely with our Social Work Inclusion Group – local social services users from a variety of backgrounds that help our students understand the needs of different individuals and communities
- Develop your critical and analytical skills with a dissertation project on a subject in your own area of interest
- Undertake two placements in professional practice settings which could be schools, supported living facilites, hospitals or health centres
- social worker
- practice teacher
- care manager
- persistent offender coordinator
- family support worker
- housing adviser
- homelessness/substance abuse charities
- PhD study
Modules
Year 1: - Empowerment and Discrimination Skills for Practice - 15 credits Legal and Policy Frameworks for Social Work - 30 credits MSc Social Work Practice Placement 1 - 30 credits Social Work Theory and Evidence - 15 credits Year 2: - Dissertation - 30 credits MSc Social Work Practice Placement 2 - 30 credits Safeguarding Analysis and Professional Decision Making - 15 credits Transition to Employment - 15 credits All modules on this MSc Social Work course are core.
Assessment method
We're part of a network of Local Authority and NHS social work service providers, local and national third sector and charitable organisations. As such, we’re able to support students in a variety of placement settings. We provide skills days which are Government directed and funded by the NHS. They’re delivered by social workers, managers, senior managers and principal social workers from our network. Skills days are themed around specific topics such as mental health or safeguarding, and are designed to help prepare you for your placement experience. As a MSc Social Work student, you'll undertake two separate professional placements – one in your first year and one in your second year. Most travel costs are covered by placement providers or employment agencies. The NHS bursary for postgraduate social work students includes a contribution towards your placement travel costs. Each placements is: 16 weeks (Year 1), 25 weeks (Year 2) 28 hours per week Placements are assessed by: Oral assessment and presentation Coursework portfolio.
How to apply
29Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- L508
- Institution code:
- P80
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
An upper second class honours degree in a relevant subject or a degree in an associated discipline (Anthropology, Criminology, Critical Thinking, English, Health & Social Care, Law, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, R.E, Sociology, Social Policy, Theology). Applicants with a lower classification (second class) will be considered on an individual basis, considering relevant experience and academic achievement. Applicants must also have relevant work experience, more than 3 months in voluntary or paid employment in a health, education or social care environment. All applicants must have an acceptable GCSE qualification in English at grade C/4 or above. Please get in touch if you're not sure if your undergraduate subject is relevant to this degree. Equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications will also be considered, such as previous study, employment, voluntary work and training courses, including courses and qualifications you didn't complete. Learn more about our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Successfully shortlisted applicants will be invited to a staged, holistic and multidimensional selection day which has been designed in accordance with Social Work England's standards. The assessment day will commence with all shortlisted applicants completing a written task, which is assessed as a pass or fail. In accordance with Social Work England standards, the written element will assess applicants’ command of English, ability to analyse and present written information, motivation to become a social worker, knowledge of the social work profession and relevant policies and legislation and ICT skills. Applicants who pass the written assessment will be invited to attend an individual interview on the same day. If successful, applicants will be required to declare if they have been subject to any disciplinary procedures of fitness to practice by any other regulator, professional body, employer or educational establishment. International applicants must provide a satisfactory police check/certificate of good conduct from their home country (with a certified English translation if necessary), before admission to the programme can be confirmed. All offers are subject to Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance and Occupational Health clearance.
Additional entry requirements
Admission tests
Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
All offers are subject to Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance.
Health checks
All offers are subject to Occupational Health clearance.
Interview
Successfully shortlisted applicants will be invited to a staged, holistic and multidimensional selection day which has been designed in accordance with Social Work England's standards. The assessment day will commence with all shortlisted applicants completing a written task, which is assessed as a pass or fail. In accordance with Social Work England standards, the written element will assess applicants' command of English, ability to analyse and present written information, motivation to become a social worker, knowledge of the social work profession and relevant policies and legislation and ICT skills. Applicants who pass the written assessment will be invited to attend an individual interview on the same day. If successful, applicants will be required to declare if they have been subject to any disciplinary procedures of fitness to practice by any other regulator, professional body, employer or educational establishment.
Institutions Own Test (IOT)
Successfully shortlisted applicants will be invited to a staged, holistic and multidimensional selection day which has been designed in accordance with Social Work England's standards. The assessment day will commence with all shortlisted applicants completing a written task, which is assessed as a pass or fail. In accordance with Social Work England standards, the written element will assess applicants' command of English, ability to analyse and present written information, motivation to become a social worker, knowledge of the social work profession and relevant policies and legislation and ICT skills. Applicants who pass the written assessment will be invited to attend an individual interview on the same day.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7 | English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 7.0 with no component score below 6.5. |
| PTE Academic | 76 | An overall score of 76 with a minimum of 65 in each skill. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 100 | 100 with a minimum of 24 in Reading, 23 in Listening, 25 in Speaking and 24 in Writing. |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 185 with no component score less than 176. | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 185 with no component score less than 176. | |
| Trinity ISE | Trinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components. |
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| EU | £12600 | Year 1 |
| England | £12600 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £12600 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £12600 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £12600 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £12600 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £12600 | Year 1 |
| International | £17200 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship
Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice.
Fees are subject to annual increase.
For more information about fees, go to port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance/tuition-fees-living-costs-and-other-study-costs
Provider information
University of Portsmouth
University House
Winston Churchill Avenue
Portsmouth
PO1 2UP