Course summary

The MA Post-Qualifying Professional Practice has been designed to support the continuing professional development of qualified practitioners who are out in the field practising as social workers. This is a programme with a flexible structure, based on professional standards, qualified practitioner CPD and employer stakeholder partnership needs. This is for qualified practitioners working with children and young people or with adults or people in mental health settings. It incorporates introductory modules of study towards the consolidation of practice and of the Practice Educator Professional Standards. This programme enables eligible social workers and allied professionals to achieve post graduate diplomas at the level of experienced professional practice and to complete a full Masters programme at the level of advanced professional practice. The MA Post Qualifying Professional Practice offers several exit points and offers specialist awards, including a new PG Certificate in Practice Education, and specialist PG Diplomas in Work with Children and Families, and Work with Adults. Once you have qualified as a social worker, you may decide to develop areas of specialism and complete various professional practice short courses such as Practice Educator 2 and Best Interest Assessor Depravation Of Liberties Safeguards. These can be stand-alone courses, but we have also come up with the notion of building them into a master’s qualification framework. In this way, the courses are considered as modules within the MA. For Practitioners with a PG Diploma in Social Work (e.g. Step-Up to Social Work), the Professional Practice Innovation Project module offers the opportunity for the student to delve into their chosen area of specialist practice and top up to a MA in Post Qualifying Professional Practice with this 60 credit research project. It is open to you if you have been in post-qualifying social work practice for at least 18 months for ASYE Consolidating Social Work Practice, and 2 years of experience for more advanced specialisms such as Practice Education.