About this course
Qualify as a social worker on LJMU's Social Work MA, which is approved by Social Work England and caters for all service users in many settings.
- Develop the necessary knowledge and skills to practice as a qualified social worker in a range of settings
- Bursaries and funding support available for eligible applicants to help cover the cost of the course
- Learn from experienced social work practitioners
- Benefit from two key work placements
- Enjoy a wide range of teaching and assessment techniques
Social Work education at Liverpool John Moores University is provided in collaboration with the Cheshire and Merseyside Social Work Teaching Partnership. Our teaching partnership comprises four Higher Education Institutions, eight Local Authorities, three NHS Trusts and a Voluntary Sector Organisation covering the Liverpool City Region, Warrington Cheshire West and Chester, and West Lancashire.
The Partnership provides well-designed, challenging and sustainable social work education at initial and post-qualifying levels. As practice education is provided in collaboration with the partnership most placements will be drawn from the partnerships geographical footprint.
Our programme will give you the skills, confidence and ability to: work with people in a caring and professional manner, assess situations for change, write concise and coherent reports and make convincing spoken and written presentations of ideas. You will summarise and present data, work individually and as part of a team and produce solutions to problems.
The regulatory body for social work in England is Social Work England. You can read more about its regulatory body role on the Social Work England website.
Upon successful completion of an accredited programme, you are eligible to apply for registration with Social Work England.
MA Social Work at LJMU
Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Core modules
Working With Adults
20 credits
20 credits
This module will enable you to examine, contextualise and critique contemporary social work practice with adults.
Social Work Knowledge and Skills
20 credits
20 credits
This module has been designed to help you develop an understanding of the professional social work role and equip you with the basic skills to work effectively in a range of social work contexts.
The outline syllabus includes:
- the role of the social worker and the importance of professional behaviour
- ethical principles, values and anti-oppressive practice and their relevance to practice
- core communication skills and the ability to engage with a diverse range of individuals, groups and communities
- building effective professional relationships
- working as a member of an organisation
- the role of supervision within social work
- social work methods, concepts and theories for practice situations
Law and Social Policy for Practice
20 credits
20 credits
This module will provide you with a critical overview of the social policy and legislative context for social work practice.
Poverty, Inequality and Social Justice
20 credits
20 credits
In this module, you will critically appraise the impact of poverty and inequality and critically explore issues of social justice and injustice in relation to service users, carers and social work practice.
Introduction to Research Methods
20 credits
20 credits
After completing this module you will be able to demonstrate critical understanding of a range of research methods and sources of evidence, to develop a research proposal within the parameters of legal and ethical protocols.
Social Work Specialist Practice Children
20 credits
20 credits
This module will help you to understand the complexity of specialist practice in child and family social work and develop the associated skills.
Dissertation
60 credits
60 credits
The dissertation module gives you the opportunity to explore, in-depth, a topic of interest and relevance to contemporary social work policy and practice. /p>
Your Learning Experience
An insight into teaching on your course
Study hours
The MA Social Work degree is a full-time course.
In year one, you will have up to four days on site study per week and one day for independent or virtual learning. You will also go on a 70 day full-time placement. Independent learning hours vary from module to module.
In year two, on site study will normally be reduced to three days per week, with two days for independent or virtual learning. You will also undertake a 100 day full-time placement, with additional time to complete your dissertation.
Please note: students are required to fund travel to and from both mandatory placements.
Teaching methods
You will mainly be taught by registered social work practitioners who are also expert teachers, researchers and writers. Tutors have good practice connections in the local area ensuring that course content is always informed by the latest practice.
Staff use a wide variety of teaching methods. Interactive lectures involve a range of student-centred learning approaches, including small group work, role-play, discussion and case studies. Specialist IT and online resources are also used. Practical sessions involve live enactments to enhance communication and interpersonal skills.
The course benefits from Liverpool's diverse and vibrant culture. The city's excellent art galleries and museums, for example, offer ample opportunities for critical reflection, with the world renowned International Slavery Museum used to explore the roots of oppression. In addition to this, the varied life stages and experiences of the students themselves create a rich learning environment for all.
Applied learning
The course is designed to balance academic learning and the development of social work skills. There is a strong emphasis on integrating practice and theory, with the purpose of producing theoretically informed and highly competent practitioners. The curriculum is mapped against the QAA Benchmark Statement for Social Work, the Professional Standards (Social Work England) and the Professional Capabilities Framework (BASW).
Watch our video where MA Social Work placement co-ordinators and Senior Lecturers Mel and Phil discuss all things placements.
Social work is a complex and demanding profession that requires a particular combination of intellectual ability, analytical skills, and personal qualities such as emotional resilience, empathy and the ability and willingness to use role-based authority when needed (SWRB, 2011).
"The learning journey that was provided by LJMU and the teachers, for me, was second to none. Each lesson was structured, at a pace that was manageable, and each teacher was fully prepared to answer all questions posed, in fact actively encouraged us to question, think outside the box, and clarify back to check for learning."
-Jackie Costello, Graduate
How learning is monitored on your programme
To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
Where you will study
What you can expect from your School
Situated in the City Campus, the School of Nursing and Allied Health works with a wide range of health and social care organisations to design, deliver and evaluate a dynamic suite of postgraduate programmes. In addition to specialist facilities, you will find high quality meeting and seminar rooms and lecture theatres, the Avril Robarts Library, plus a large café, IT facilities and social spaces.
Course tutors
Our staff are committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning
Dr Daz Greenop
Programme Leader
The most rewarding aspect of my role is one-to-one supervision and tutorial support, particularly when students are struggling with academic work and/or difficult circumstances. It has been a great source of pleasure seeing a number of those who were close to failing or quitting succeed against the odds and become effective practitioners.
The most rewarding aspect of my role is one-to-one supervision and tutorial support, particularly when students are struggling with academic work and/or difficult circumstances. It has been a great source of pleasure seeing a number of those who were close to failing or quitting succeed against the odds and become effective practitioners.
Daz's professional career focuses on delivering and developing services and support for rough sleepers, people with mental health difficulties, palliative care needs and learning disabilities. He achieved this first as an Assistant Psychologist, and then as a Social Worker. He is interested in the broad fields of: health psychology, medical sociology and critical disability studies, particularly issues of self-care, embodiment and personalisation in relation to disability and illness. He has also been involved in several externally funded studies including a number of projects with LJMUs Centre for Dementia Studies.
Career paths
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 96% (HESA 2018) of our postgraduates in work or further study six months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
Social work is an exciting, intellectually stimulating and emotionally challenging career, enabling you to make a positive difference in the community.
This course enables individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds to work as fully qualified social workers, in a range of settings, catering for all service users.
Professional accreditation/links
Our MA Social Work postgraduate degree is approved by Social Work England.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fees:
- Home fee:
- £4,255
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students
Fees
The fees quoted at the top of this page cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- access to programme-appropriate software
- library and student IT support
- free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Additional costs
Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:
- accommodation and living expenditure
- books (should you wish to have your own copies)
- printing, photocopying and stationery
- PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
- mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
- field trips (travel and activity costs)
- placements (travel expenses and living costs)
- student visas (international students only)
- study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
- academic conferences (travel costs)
- professional-body membership
- graduation (gown hire etc)
Funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages.
Please be aware that the UK’s departure from the EU may affect your tuition fees. Learn more about your fee status and which tuition fees are relevant to you.
- International fee:
- £18,250
International Scholarships and payment plans
Liverpool John Moores University is committed to supporting international students by providing a range of scholarships and flexible payment plans to help students manage their tuition fees.
Scholarships
LJMU provides a variety of scholarships to support international students. Scholarships are available to self-funded students who have accepted their offer and met all the conditions outlined in their offer letter. Students must also demonstrate that they can cover living costs, travel, and other expenses associated to studying at the university. Postgraduate scholarships include tuition fee reductions and are often offered in partnership with external funding organisations.
All self-funded international students are eligible for an automatic scholarship worth up to £4,000. For more details and to view our full list of scholarships, visit the international scholarship webpages.
Deposit
All students must pay a £5,000 deposit before they can receive their CAS letter.
For more information view our deposit page.
Tuition Fee Payment Plan
After paying their £5,000 deposit, students have the option to pay their fees in full or in three equal instalments minus any internal scholarships and discounts. There are two payment options available for international students. You can either pay your tuition fees in full before enrolment or opt for a payment plan. With the payment plan, you can pay your fees in three instalments after making your £5,000 deposit. The first instalment is due before enrolment.
All payments should be made through Flywire. Full details can be found in the How to Pay Guide.
Early Bird Tuition Fee discount
We are excited to introduce a £500 Early Payment Discount to all self-funded international students. Eligible self-funded students who pay their fees by the required deadlines will get a discount which will be automatically deducted from the 1st year of tuition fees.
To see the required deadlines please visit the webpage
Bursaries and funding support
Postgraduate applicants who normally live in England* can apply for a Social Work bursary (SWB) from their first year of study. The SWB is administered by Student Services, part of the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Each year, universities are allocated a number of capped places for bursaries. The university nominates selected applicants for a bursary-funded place; LJMU does this based on interview score. Bursaries are paid directly to the university towards the cost of your tuition fees.
There are two types of SWB: Non-income Assessed and Income Assessed.
- For universities outside of London, the Non-income Assessed SWB is worth £3,362.50
- For universities outside of London, the Income Assessed SWB is up to a maximum of £2,721
Other funding support includes the Parental Learning Allowance, Child Care Allowance, and Adult Dependents Allowance, which some applicants may be eligible for.
For full details of eligibility criteria and exclusions, please visit the NHSBSA Social Work bursary web page.
*The SWB is only available to students who normally live in England and who are ordinarily resident there on the first day of the first academic year of their course. If you normally live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland when you are not attending your social work course, you should apply to your own national funding authority for support.
You will not be eligible if a social care employer is giving you: any paid time off to allow you to attend your studies payment of all or part of your tuition fees payment from a practice learning provider for undertaking placement duties for them. In addition, you will not be eligible if you are receiving: funds through the Department for Education (DfE), excluding student loans any other form of support to assist with your social work training funding from a public body, government benefit agencies and bursaries from your Higher Education Institution.
LJMU Alumni Award Fee Discount If you are eligible, we may nominate you for a bursary. Please note that you would not be able to have both the LJMU Alumni Award (20% fee discount) and the bursary, so are advised to contact moneyadvice@ljmu.ac.uk / 0151 231 3513 for further guidance on which may be the most suitable option for you.
Additional costs
Please note that students are required to fund travel to and from both mandatory placements.
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
Undergraduate degree
-
We normally require you to have a Lower Second class (2:2) honours degree or above. This can be in any subject area.
GCSEs and equivalents
- English key skills/GCSE Grade C/4. We will also consider the following Level 2 qualifications in place of English Language GCSE Grade C/4 or above: Key Skills, City and Guilds, OCR (via Learn Direct) and ALAN
Additional requirements
-
Relevant work experience
- Relevant paid or voluntary work experience and the ability to relate this to the skills and values of social work and understanding of social work roles. Related personal experience will also be considered alongside relevant practice-based experience
- Evidence of some form of formal or informal, paid or voluntary personal experience in the social care arena, and/or a commitment to ‘citizenship’ or community related activities
Further information
-
Extra Requirements
- Our recruitment and selection process has a commitment to addressing widening participation and inclusion
- As with professionally qualified social workers, trainee social workers must be physically and mentally fit. You will be asked for information about this and you may be asked for permission to approach your doctor
-
We are seeking to recruit people who demonstrate: a commitment to social justice; concern about social issues and the desire to do something about them; a desire to enter a profession that works to support problem-solving in human relationships and promotes social change; an ability to reflect on their personal life experiences and work experiences and express how this has influenced their decision to apply for social work and the capacity to be a reflective and critical thinker
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
- Satisfactory Medical Clearance/Examination: We will contact you directly to undertake this.
- Satisfactory Enhanced DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service - formerly CRB): We will contact you directly to undertake this and further information can be found at www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check
- In addition, applicants will need to follow Faculty procedures for declaring any convictions after interview. Any criminal convictions, police cautions and disciplinary matters, including those that are spent must be declared. A DBS check will be made when you join the course.
- A criminal conviction or a period of ill-health will not automatically debar you from the course as decisions are made on an individual basis. If there is anything about this that you wish to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us.
-
RPL
- RPL is accepted on this programme
International requirements
IELTS
Non-UK applicants should achieve a minimum score of 7.0 overall in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assessment (or an equivalent assessment).
Other international requirements
-
International students entering on a Student visa cannot study part-time.
How to apply
Securing your place at LJMU
UCAS is the official application route for our full-time undergraduate courses. Further information on the UCAS application process can be found here https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate-students/how-to-apply.
You will apply for this course via UCAS.
LJM Institution code: L51 Course Code: L508
Please take care to ensure you have completed all relevant parts of the UCAS application form as incomplete application forms will not be accepted and we are unable to process amendments.
We shortlist applicants based on current qualifications, predicted grades, references and UCAS personal statements. The assessment process for social work candidates is directed by Social Work England's requirements.
If shortlisted, you will be invited to an assessment day where comprehension and communication skills, commitment to personal and professional values and the potential to develop professional knowledge and skills will be assessed. An interview, written exercise and group-based task form part of the selection process. Service users and carers/or practitioners will be involved in the selection process and involved in the assessment day.
Please note: This course will only run subject to minimum numbers.
Your student experience
There's so much more to university than just studying for a degree.
Postgraduate life at LJMU
See the amazing support you will get from the university, the academic expertise of the staff here, the first-class learning environment, fabulous libraries, excellent career guidance and their ongoing love affair with the city of Liverpool.
Accommodation
As a new student at LJMU, we guarantee accommodation right in the heart of the dynamic city centre, with easy access to the main University campuses.
You can view our approved accommodation to see the halls that we offer to new students.
Your campus
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Living in Liverpool
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Go abroad
LJMU aims to make international opportunities available to every student. You may be able to study abroad as part of your degree at one of our 100+ partner universities across the world. You could also complete a work placement or apply for one of our prestigious worldwide internship programmes.
Sports, societies and lifestyle
Getting involved in sports, clubs and societies at Liverpool John Moores University is a great way to challenge yourself, meet people who share your interests, and feel more connected to the University community.
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The University reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. Where this does happen, the University operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.