MSc Social Work
PROGRAMME HANDBOOK
2013-2015
This handbook tells you about your programme of study and the School for Policy Studies. However, much information you need as a student within the School is explained in the Faculty Postgraduate Handbook.
Please read this handbook in conjunction with the Faculty Handbook and the University Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Postgraduate Degree Programmes.
You can find the Faculty Handbook online at:
and the Regulations and Code of Practice:
1
CONTENTS
1OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME3
2CALENDAR/TIMETABLE 2013/145
3PROGRAMME INFORMATION8
4ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNICATION44
5ASSESSMENT 45
6MEDICAL AND OTHER EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES51
7ABSENCES, EXTENSIONS AND SUSPENSIONS52
8LIBRARY53
9INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTING SERVICES54
10OTHER INFORMATION55
APPENDIX 1: PRECINCT MAP59
APPENDIX 2: HARVARD SYSTEM OF REFERENCING60
APPENDIX 3: ESSENTIAL IT SKILLS62
APPENDIX 4: INFORMATION FOR DISABLED STUDENTS63
APPENDIX 5: ETHICAL REVIEW AT THE SCHOOL FOR POLICY STUDIES66
APPENDIX 6: DIGNITY AT WORK AND STUDY67
APPENDIX 7: IMPORTANT LINKS68
DISCLAIMER69
1.OVERVIEW OF THE course
Welcome to the MSc in Social Work at the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol. We hope you will enjoy your time on the course and find it a good foundation for developing your knowledge, skills, values and practice experience in preparation for practice as a social worker.
The MSc in Social Work course is planned and managed by University of Bristol, in collaboration with both statutory and independent social work agencies in the region, who work with children and young people and adults. The course leads to the award of the University’s MSc in Social Work or Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work. The course was approved by the General Social Care Council (GSCC) as professional qualifications to practice as a social worker. It has been revised to bring it into line with the requirements of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) with guidance from the College of Social Work (TCSW). The Service Users’ and Carers’ Forum(SUCF) is also consulted on the design and development of the course.
In addition to this handbook, you will also be provided with a Practice Placement Handbook. These two Handbooks contain most of the information you need while you are on the course.
1.1The University
The University of Bristol is a world-class university offering a stimulating academic environment with centres of excellence in all Faculties. It was founded in 1876 as University College, Bristol and was the first higher education institution in England to admit women on a basis of equality with men. Its mission statement is “to pursue and share knowledge and understanding, both for their own sake and to help individuals and society fulfil their potential”. Organised in six faculties (Arts, Engineering, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Medicine and Dentistry, Science, Social Sciences and Law), the University comprises approximately 5,500 staff, 12,500 undergraduate and 5,500 taught and research postgraduate students. Further information about the University of Bristol is available at
In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), over 61 per cent of the research work assessed in 48 research fields at Bristol was awarded either the top 4* rating, defined as ‘world leading’, or the 3* rating, classed as ‘internationally excellent’.
Overall, nearly 93 per cent of research at Bristol has been deemed to be of international standard. Over 90 per cent of eligible staff at Bristol were included in the submission – thought to be one of the highest percentages in the sector making Bristol among the UK’s top research universities. You can find out more information about the RAE at
The University is an integral part of the City of Bristol, a thriving and beautiful city with a history going back 1000 years. Bristol is a multicultural city of balloons and kites, clubs and DJs, festivals and carnivals, architecture and park land, business and new technology, theatres and museums, artists and animators, music and film. It has been officially designated a 'Centre of Culture' and a 'Science City' by the Government. In 2008, Bristol was given the European City of the Year Award by the Academy of Urbanism. Bristol has its own international airport and offers easy rail and motorway links to London, Birmingham and the North, Oxford, Wales and the West Country. Find out lots more about Bristol at
1.2The Faculty of Social Sciences and Law (FSSL)
The School for Policy Studies is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences & Law which also includes the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies, the School of Law, the School of Economics, Finance and Management and the Graduate School of Education. The School of Geographical Sciences has joint membership with the Faculty of Social Sciences & Law and the Faculty of Science. The Faculty is one of the UK's top social sciences and law faculties. Each department and centre within the Faculty has high ratings in research and teaching quality. The Faculty achieved a very strong performance in the RAE 2008 outcomes with over 87% of its research outputs being judged of international quality. Teaching excellence has been clearly demonstrated in Departments' QAA Subject Review scores. More details are on the Faculty website
1.3The School for Policy Studies (SPS)
Head of School: Professor Alex Marsh
The School delivers highly-rated research, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, professional training and seminars in social policy, public policy,disability studies and social work. Our multidisciplinary team of policy experts come from a wide variety of backgrounds in social policy research, social work, education, sociology, history, human geography, economics, psychology and nutrition and health sciences based within seven specialist research centres.
Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences
Centre Head: Professor Ashley Cooper
Centre for Family Policy and Child Welfare
Centre Head: Professor David Berridge
Centre for Gender and Violence Research
Centre Head: Professor Marianne Hester
Centre for Research in Health and Social Care
Centre Head: DrPatricia Lucas
Centre for the Study of Poverty and Social Justice
Centre Head: Ann Singleton
Centre for Urban and Public Policy Research
Centre Head: Dr Misa Izuhara
Norah Fry Research Centre
Centre Head: Dr Val Williams
1.4Research excellence
The Research Assessment Exercise 2008 (RAE2008) determined that 60% of the research activity in Social Policy and Social Work at the School is of world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) quality, in terms of its originality, significance and rigour. The strength and depth of the School’s research culture is further highlighted by the fact that the School included 99% of its eligible staff in the RAE submission and also by coming fourth out of 66 UK institutions in the field of Social Policy and Social Work according to research power. The School's Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences entered the RAE2008 separately. The Centre was rated third out of 39 institutions in the field of Sports Related Studies. Entering all eligible research active staff, 55% of the Centre's research activity was considered to be world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*).
Staff in the School research and publish on a wide variety of policy issues and are closely involved in major national research in the fields of urban policy, family policy, personalisation, health and community care. A full list of all academic staff within the School, with their research and teaching interest, and their contact details, is available on the School website at
The School is committed to multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary working, integrating theory with practice, and to working at an international, national and local level. A commitment to equal opportunities practice also informs all the School's activities. The School has a large and thriving postgraduate student body of around 280 students with around 90 postgraduate research students studying full-time or part-time for PhD, MPhil and Doctorate degrees. The full range of postgraduate and undergraduate programmes offered at the School is listed at
The School is located in several houses on Priory Road and Woodland Road. Appendix 1 provides you with a map showing you key places you will need to know. You can also find other useful maps on the University website at
1.5Education for Sustainable Development
The University’s Education Strategy commits the institution to incorporating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into its teaching and learning. See
The School and Faculty are all committed to enhancing and promoting Education forSustainable Development. UNESCO defines Education for Sustainable Development in a broad manner covering four main areas: social and economic justice, cultural diversity, human rights of future generations and the protection and restoration of the Earth's ecosystems.It also stresses the importance of critical thinking, inter-disciplinary, multi-method approaches to assessment, and challenging approaches to, and ideas about, teaching and learning. You will encounter many of these issues and approaches both directly and indirectly during the course of your studies, although the School acknowledges that not all will be encompassed within your particular subject-area. We encourage you to think creatively and critically about how your own subject addresses some or all of the following:
- A strong, stable and viable economy
- A healthy and just society
- Diversity
- Effective and participative governance
- Environmental limits and ecological wellbeing
- Quality of life
- Cultural heritage
- The rural and the urban (conflict and balance)
- Preparing for the imagined future
- Ethical questions
2.CALENDAR/TImetable 2013/14
2.1University term dates
AUTUMN TERM23 September 2013 –20 December 2013
SPRING TERM10 January 2014 –4 April 2014
SUMMER TERM28 April 2014 –13 June 2014
2.2Key dates for the MSc in Social Work
MSc in Social Work
Outline Course Calendar for 2013/15
YEAR 1
AUTUMN TERM 2013
Introductory Week 23-27 September)
Monday 23 September Faculty and School Registration 10.30-1.00
Welcome & Introduction 2.00-3.00
Tuesday 24 September Introductory Programme (between 9.30 and 4.00
to Thursday 26 Septembereach day)
Friday 27 SeptemberIndependent Study
Weeks 1-5 (30 September – 1 November)
MondaysIndependent Study
TuesdaysTeaching sessions (between 9.00 and 4.00 each day)
WednesdaysTeaching sessions (between 9.00 and 4.00 each day)
ThursdaysTeaching sessions (between 9.00 and 4.00 each day)
FridaysIndependent Study
Week 6 (4-8November)DVD recording of communication & interviewing skills roleplay assignment in the Dept + private study
Weeks 7-11 (11 November – 13 December)
MondaysIndependent Study
TuesdaysTeaching sessions (between 9.00 and 4.00 each day)
WednesdaysTeaching sessions (between 9.00 and 4.00 each day)
ThursdaysTeaching sessions (between 9.00 and 4.00 each day)
Fridays Independent Study
EXAMS TBC: Law – Friday 22 November
Human Development – Friday 13 December
Week 12 (16-20 December) Independent Study
Christmas/New Year Break (2013/14)
Monday 23 December – Friday 3 January
SPRING TERM 2014
Monday 6 January – Friday 17 January
University – Preparation for Placement programme & Community Profiling exercise 10.00-4.00 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays. Mondays & Fridays are independent study days.
Monday 20 JanuaryFirst Practice Placement (70 days) commences
(throughout your placements you will be expected to work the normal hours for the agency in which you are placed, and must be available to work full days. This may sometimes include some evening and/or weekend working)
Monday 20 January – Friday 28 March)
Mondays – WednesdaysPlacement
Thursdays (10 wks)University based teaching 9.30-4.00
FridaysPlacement
Monday 31 March – Friday 11 April
Placement continues full time
Easter Break (2014)
Students can take off the 2 Bank Holidays (Friday 18 April & Monday 21 April) + 4 days leave + 4 course study days to make a 2 week break during this period.
SUMMER TERM 2014
Monday 28 April – Friday 30 May
Mondays – WednesdaysPlacement
Thursdays (5 wks)University based teaching (between 9.30 and 4.00)
FridaysPlacement
Tuesday 3 June – Wednesday 11 June
Placement or portfolio work
Thursday 12 June – Thursday 3 July
Social Work Methods Workshops &
Preparation Workshop for 2nd Placement
Summer 2014
The Programme’s Examination Board meets in mid-July and students who have failed assignments have to be available to work on re-sits in July
YEAR 2
AUTUMN TERM 2014
Second Placement (100 days) starts on Monday 8September
Monday 8 September – Friday 26 September: Placement (5 days per week)
Weeks 1 –10 (29 September – 5 December)
MondaysUniversity based teaching sessions (between 9.30 and 4.00)
Tuesdays to FridaysPlacement (4 days per week)
Monday 8 December – Friday 19 December Placement continues full time
Christmas/New Year Break (2014/15)
In addition to the 3 Bank Holidays, students are able to take 2 other days’ holiday and also 5 days’ course study leave in this period
SPRING TERM 2015
Monday 5 – Friday 9 January on placement
12January – 23 March
MondaysUniversity based teaching (between 9.30 and 4.30)
Tuesdays to FridaysPlacement (4 days per week)
From 26 March Placement continues until 100 days completed
SUMMER TERM 2015
Dissertation work
3.PROGRAMMEINFORMATION
3.1Our Aims
We aim to ensure that graduates of the MSc in Social Work at the University of Bristol are able to:
- Communicate effectively with a range of people (including children and adult service-users, colleagues, other professionals and people in authority) and in a range of settings;
- Establish effective working relationships with a range of people who use social work services, providing support and exercising authority when required;
- Demonstrate an holistic approach to the identification of needs and of effective responses to these;
- Promote the welfare of children and adults using social work services;
- Play a role in the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults;
- Understand the professional role and demonstrate professional competence as defined by the College of Social Work’s Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) for qualifying level;
- Establish effective working relationships with colleagues, including effective partnerships with members of other professions and occupational groups;
- Work within a professional ethical framework, understanding and applying professional values and principles; and
- Contribute to the effectiveness of organisations providing social work services.
3.2Knowledge, Skills and Values on the MSc in Social Work
This section sets out our approach to knowledge, values and skills.
- Critical thinking
Social workers need to be able to appraise critically the evidence relevant to the decisions they are required to make and to defend their decisions wherever required. Social work draws on knowledge and research from a range of disciplines. We encourage discussion and debate about different sources of knowledge and perspectives and aim to ensure that students are able to manage conflicting explanations and to recognise the characteristics of sound arguments and decisions, based on evidence.
- Breadth of knowledge and skills
The course leads to a generic qualification. In the first year students are provided with a broad curriculumcovering a range of knowledge and skills relevant to social work. In the second year the curriculum is more specialised and students choose between Units. In each year the Units studies are designed to support practice learning. The curriculum is designed to enable students to develop the wide range of skills required of social workers. These include the skills for direct work with service users and carersas well as working effectively and confidently with other professionals and agencies.
Graduates of this course are expected to commit to continuing professional development, including undertaking post-qualifying courses, throughout their career.
- Theory-practice integration
A large proportion of the course is spent in placements, when students are expected to integrate their university-based learning with practice learning. Students are guided throughout their placements by skilled and experienced practice educators. The integration of theory and practice is given high priority on the course through small group work in which fieldwork practice is discussed as well as through the involvement of practitioners, service users and carers in the course.
- Social workers as helping professionals
The University has a long-standing reputation for producing graduates with excellent helping skills. We regard this as very important and accordingly, we train students in the skills of direct intervention, and stress the importance of personal skills in producing changes in service users’ lives as well as promoting service users’ abilities to be in control of their own lives.
- Social work and social justice
Throughout the course students are encouraged to explore the causes and consequences of discrimination and injustice in its many forms and to make a commitment to understanding their relevance to social work practice. Social workers have a duty to respect the dignity and worth of all human beings, to recognise their rights to well-being, self-fulfilment and to maximise service users’ control over their own lives. Core values are integrated into all teaching, learning and assessment.
3.3The College of Social Work and the Professional Capabilities Framework
In 2011, the College of Social Work (TCSW) was established. Itacts as the voice of the profession and provides guidance and support for professional development. The ‘Capabilities Framework’, produced by TCSW guides social workers in ways to develop knowledge values and skills throughout their careers, starting at the point of entry to an initial qualifying course. The approach outlined above is consistent with this framework. For further information see
3.3.1Course Approval
The MSc in Social Work at the University of Bristol is accredited by the GSCC as a qualifying course for social workers, and is recognised by the HCPC as an accredited course until the process of re-accreditation is completed in 2015. The MSc in Social Work is a professional qualification in social work as is the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work. The MSc Social Work has been developed in line with new requirements.
The curriculum has been designed to satisfy the requirements set out in the following documents:
-The College of Social Workers’ Capabilities Framework (2012)
-The Health and Care Professions Council’s Standard of Proficiency for Social Workers in England (2012)
-The General Social Care Council’s requirements for social work degrees, Accreditation of universities to grant degrees in social work (2002);
-The Subject Benchmark Statement for Social Work produced by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) (2008).