The MA Social Work programme offers professional training that will prepare you to register with the Social Work England as a professional social worker.

The MA in Social Work is an exciting course which will enable you to obtain a professional qualification as well as a Masters degree. Committed to social justice, anti-oppressive practice and relationship based social work and drawing upon a number of disciplines informing social work practice, it includes the study of social work values, knowledge, law, theories, methods and skills.

The social work education programme at the University of Birmingham is the oldest in the country and we are proud of our history. Our Social Work programme offers a stimulating and dynamic learning environment, where you will learn not only from academics, but also past and present service users, carers and practitioners. The involvement of service users and carers is an integral aspect of the programme. This feature allows you from the very start of your training to gain a greater insight into the role Social Work can play in people’s lives so you can develop an understanding of service users’ and carers’ lived experiences and expectations.

Opportunities for Inter Professional Education are also offered where you will work with students from other health related disciplines, to develop your understanding of how Social Workers need to work together with other related professions to provide support that is holistic.

A social work degree from our university can offer you a variety of opportunities for practising social work overseas. Social workers are in demand in a number of countries and our degrees are recognised in places such as Australia, Canada and Hong Kong.

Social Workers play a vital role in society, working with vulnerable people in their times of greatest need. As such, Social Work is an incredibly rewarding career, which makes a real difference in peoples’ lives.

Employability

This degree leads to an MA in Social Work with the Professional Qualification in Social Work which provides eligibility to apply to register with Social Work England. This is the qualification required to practice as a professional social worker. As well as equipping you with a professional qualification, gaining the MA allows you to progress on to post qualifying courses or to apply to continue with your academic studies at PhD level.

On successful completion of the MA Social Work, you will be equipped to work in a wide range of areas. The specialist options built in to the Masters will allow you to direct your knowledge and expertise to the area you would like to work in once you have completed the programme, giving you a competitive advantage in the voluntary, private and statutory sectors.