MA Social Work Programme Specification 2024-25

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1	ACADEMIC QUALITY TEAM
2	Programme Specifications 2024-25
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5	Programme Title			MA Social Work
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7	This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:			2024 (and 2nd year for 2023 entrants)		Award type			Master of Arts
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9	What level is this qualification?			Level 7		Length of programme			2 years
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11	Mode of study (Full / Part Time)			Full time
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13	Will the programme use standard University semester dates?			No		For York Online programmes, will standard dates for such programmes be used?			Year 1 follows standard University semester dates. Semester 1 of year 2 starts two weeks early.
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15	Awarding institution			University of York		Board of Studies for the programme			SBS
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17	Lead department			School for Business and Society		Other contributing departments			N/A
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19	Language of study and assessment			English		Language(s) of assessment			English
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21	Is this a campus-based or online programme?			Campus
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23	Partner organisations
24	If there are any partner organisations involved in the delivery of the programme, please outline the nature of their involvement. You may wish to refer to the Policy on Collaborative Provision
25	The University of York is a member of the Yorkshire Urban and Rural Social Work Teaching Partnership that provides us with the placements which include statutory social work experience. In the social work team our Director of Practice Learning works closely with Practice Educator Consultants, Principal Social Workers and members of the respective learning and development departments in our partner local authorities to source and quality assure the placements. She also works with other private, voluntary and independent sector agencies which provide social work placement learning opportunities for our students. Practitioners from our partner organisations contribute to teaching on the programme, particularly skills days. Their contribution has been enhanced by the employment of Lecturer Practitioners via the Teaching Partnership.
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28	Reference points
29	Please state relevant reference points consulted in the design of this programme (for example, relevant documentation setting out PSRB requirements; the University's Frameworks for Programme Design (UG or PGT); QAA Subject Benchmark Statements; QAA Qualifications and Credit Frameworks).
30	The programme is designed to meet the requirements of the regulator, Social Work England, specifically the 'Education and Training Standards'. The programme reflects the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) for Social Workers that was developed by the professional body (The College of Social Work) - now defunct - and subsequently adopted by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW). Selection of students for the course is predicated on them having actually reached an agreed PCF level prior to the commencement of the course - the 'Entry' level. Students must then achieve the 'Readiness for Direct Practice' PCF level by the end of semester 1 in year 1, the 'End of First Placement' level at the end of year 1 and the 'End of Last Placement' level at graduation. Students are also expected to meet Social Work England 'Education and Training Standards' which the programme has also been mapped against. Social Work England's 'Profesional Standards' are used as a benchmark in our Fitness to Practise procedures. The current programme has been approved by Social Work England and was reviewed in April 2023. The next review will be in 4-5 years. The University of York is a member of a Teaching Partnership with the University of Huddersfield and other local authorities which helps to secure the provision of placements. The two placements in the programme will both provide experience of statutory social work. We have included Knowledge and Skills Statements developed by the Chief Social Workers (for adults and children and families) in the curriculum of year 2 of the programme. The programme has also been designed in accordance with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and the Subject Benchmark Statements for Social Work (last updated 2019).
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33	Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
34	Will this programme involve any exemptions from the University Policy and Procedures on Credit Transfer and the Recognition of Prior Learning? If so, please specify and give a rationale
35	No
36	No
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38	Exceptions to Regulations
39	Please detail any exceptions to University Award Regulations and Frameworks that need to be approved (or are already approved) for this programme. This should include any that have been approved for related programmes and should be extended to this programme.
40	No compensation allowed for modules and individual module assessment components where specified on the module list below. At the end of year 1, students will need to have passed all modules in order to progress to year 2. Reassessment caps in year 1 and 2 are 60 credits but exclude placement credits. Credits required for awards as follows: PG Dip Social Work 120M and 60H – where this is all modules except the ISM; MA Social Work 180M and 60H. To meet the validation requirements of Social Work England a) The external examiner for the MA Social Work must be appropriately experienced and qualified and registered as a Social Worker with Social Work England. b) Any aegrotat award is not validated by Social Work England and will not provide eligibility to apply for admission to the Register of Social Workers.
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43	Internal Transfers
44	Please use the boxes below to specify if transfers into / out of the programme from / to other programmes within the University are possible by indicating yes or no and listing any restrictions. These boxes can also be used to highlight any common transfer routes which it would be useful for students to know.
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46		Transfers in:	No			Transfers out:	No
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49	Statement of Purpose
50	Please briefly outline the overall aims of the programme. This should clarify to a prospective student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
51	The MA in Social Work is a two-year full-time programme comprising academic study at Masters level in addition to practice-based experience. As such the MA in Social Work operates as a degree and an accredited professional qualification, entitling you to register as a social worker and giving entry to a challenging and rewarding professional career. The internationally recognised teaching staff will support you in developing breadth and depth of knowledge concerning key social Issues and the legal and policy context surrounding social work today. The programme’s integration of research and theory with practice means you will graduate from the programme as a critically reflective social worker, able to make informed judgements based on sound analysis, often within unpredictable circumstances. The MA is delivered in partnership with social work agencies in the Yorkshire region, and you will experience working with other professionals, service users and carers through two challenging practical placements providing statutory social work experience. The placements give you experience of social work across two distinct settings, and are carefully constructed to enable you to develop in practice skills, knowledge and confidence as the programme progresses so that you are fully prepared for your first social work job. As a graduate of this programme you will use your professional skills and knowledge to improve the lives of vulnerable individuals, families and groups. You will have the ability to face complex and difficult human situations with confidence, creativity, compassion and integrity. You will have a solid foundation from which to begin your professional journey on the Assessed and Supported Year in employment, with strong potential for future leadership within a rapidly changing and fast-paced profession. On graduation you will be able to pursue opportunities working for a range of organisations including local government, the voluntary sector, and socially oriented forms of private enterprise.
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62	If there are additional awards associated with the programme upon which students can register, please specify the Statement of Purpose for that programme. This will be most relevant for PGT programmes with exit awards that are also available as entry points. Use additional rows to include more than one additional award. Do not include years in industry / abroad (for which there are separate boxes).
63	Exit Award Title			Is the exit award also available as an entry point?	Outcomes: what will the student be able to do on exit with this award?			Specify the module diet that the student will need to complete to obtain this exit award
64	PG Certificate in Applied Social Welfare			No	Not accredited with Social Work England			Any 60 credits from year 1 of the programme
65	PG Diploma in Social Work			No	Accredited with Social Work England			All modules except for ISM
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67	Programme Learning Outcomes
68	What are the programme learning outcomes (PLOs) for the programme? (Normally a minimum of 6, maximum of 8). Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme and represent the outcomes that students progressively develop in the programme and achieve at graduation. PLOs should be worded to follow the stem 'Graduates will be able to...'
69	1	Make informed decisions concerning complex problems faced by individuals, families and communities in a wide range of social work contexts, by using appropriate assessments and interventions, analysing information from a range of different sources and incorporating stakeholder and service-user perspectives.
70	2	Critically apply knowledge from established, cutting-edge and social work focused social science theory and research to the assessment of complex social work situations.
71	3	Identify, critically evaluate and synthesise local, national and international social policy and legal frameworks relevant to specific social work issues in order to inform decision-making.
72	4	Develop strong working relationships with service users, colleagues and other professionals, and within social work and interdisciplinary teams, based on high level communication and collaboration skills.
73	5	Work effectively as a professional in multi-layered organisations and statutory social work contexts by understanding and respecting the roles and tasks of others, including non-statutory professionals, and upholding professional values and ethics.
74	6	Reflect systematically on social work practice and engage proactively in supervision processes in order to adapt to new situations, improve practice, build professional resilience and identify professional development opportunities, including the development of leadership skills.
75	7	Design, conduct and critically evaluate challenging social work research projects, informed by a critical understanding of research and evaluation methodologies relevant to the social sciences.
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77	Diverse entry routes
78	Detail how you would support students from diverse entry routes to transition into the programme. For example, disciplinary knowledge and conventions of the discipline, language skills, academic and writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity.
79	Prior to the course starting, students have access to a 'Preparing to study social work' VLE site, which contains introductory information on the programme, the School and on social work more broadly (including key reading). It also includes a welcome blog for communication between students and staff. Students benefit from a comprehensive induction week, including sessions on the programme, the library/VLE, placements, constructing a safe learning agreement and 'meet the staff' opportunities. Preparation for the first placement starts in induction week, with workshops held for students to find out about the placement structure and processes, placement opportunities and begin filling in application forms for the first placement. Students are encouraged to participate in graduate academic skills sessions run in the School as well as attending digital literacy sessions in semester 1 with our subject librarian. Students are recruited from multiple disciplines and are selected on their basis of meeting the 'entry to social work' criteria of the PCF. Their transition to the programme is facilitated during semester 1 when all students undertake modules in Social Work Across the Lifecourse (which includes theories and knowledge for practice and how these are applied to social work assessments and interventions); Social Work Practice Skills; and Law & Policy for Social Work. Students also undertake a variety of Skills days including Ethics & Values in Social Work and Safeguarding Skills. This is a generic and broad introduction to social work to ensure all students have the required knowledge and skills to progress with their learning through the programme. Students' readiness for social work practice is assessed through the Social Work Practice Skills module to ensure they are ready to transition into their first practice placement.
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88	Inclusion
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90	Please confirm by ticking the box on the right that the design, content and delivery of the programme will support students from all backgrounds to succeed. This refers to the University's duties under the Equality Act 2010. You may wish to refer to the optional Inclusive Learning self-assessment tools to support reflection on this issue.									TRUE
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92	Employability
93	Please give a brief overview - no more than 5 sentences - of how the programmes helps develop students' employability. Your Faculty Employability Manager can help reflection on this issue. This statement will be used by Marketing as the basis for external content with respect to employability.
94	The programme is specifically designed to support and enhance the student's employability within the social work profession. The modules provide a thorough understanding and practice experience in social work as a foundation for their social work career. The programme provides training in essential skills required for a career in social work, which includes 200 practice learning days (30 days of which are skills days). Statutory practice learning opportunities are provided to enable students to gain employment in similar fields upon graduation. The programme is designed to meet the Education and Training Standards of Social Work England and the approval of the programme by Social Work England enables students to apply to join the Register of Social Workers in England on graduation.
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