Programme Specification for MA/PgD Social Work

1. Awarding institution / Middlesex University
2. Teaching institution / Middlesex University
3. Programme accredited by / The General Social Care Council accredited Middlesex University to grant degrees in social work in July 2002, and GSCC approved this degree on 28 April 2004 and 2007
4. Final qualification / MA/PgD Social Work
5. Programme title / MA/PgD Social Work
6. UCAS code (or other relevant coding system)
7. Relevant QAA subject benchmark group / Social Work
8. Academic Year / 2012-2013
9. Reference points
Department of Health (2002) Requirements for Social Work Training, London: Department of Health
General Social Care Council (2002) Accreditation of Universities of Grant Degrees in Social Work, London: General Social Care Council
Middlesex University (2005/6) QAAS Procedures Handbook, London: MU
Middlesex University (2005) Guide and Regulations, London: MU
Quality Assurance Agency (2000) Subject Benchmark Statement for Social Work, London: QAA
Quality Assurance Agency (2001) Code of Practice on Placement Learning, London: QAA
Quality Assurance Agency (2000) Framework for Higher Qualifications, London: QAA
Quality Assurance Agency (1999) Codes of Practice: Students with Disabilities; External Examining; Academic Appeals and student complaints on academic matters; assessment of students; programme approval, monitoring and review, London: QAA
School of Health and Social Sciences (2002/5) Curriculum Policy and Strategy Framework, HSSC
School of Health and Social Sciences (2002/5) Maintenance and Enhancement of Quality and Standards, HSSC
School of Health and Social Sciences (2002/5) Learning, Teaching and Assessment Policy and Strategy, HSSC
School of Health and Social Sciences (2002/5) Academic and Pastoral Care for Students, HSSC
Training Organisation for Personal Social Services (2002) The National Occupational Standards for Social Work, London: Training Organisation for Personal Social Services.
HCPC (2012) Standards of Proficiency for Social Workers in England HCPC (2012) Standards of conduct, performance and ethics HCPC (2012)Guidance on conduct and ethics for students
10. Aims of the programme
The programme aims to:
  • Produce professionally and academically capable, reflective and effective social workers who are fit for professional practice, purpose and award, who will endeavour to improve outcomes for the users of services
  • Offer students a stimulating two year postgraduate programme which has a coherent curriculum and related methods of assessment covering the Benchmark Statement for Social Work (QAA, 2000), the National Occupational Standards for Social Work (TOPSS, 2002) and the Department of Health’s Requirements for Social Work Training (DH, 2002)
  • Work in partnership with the Programme’s Stakeholder Group, including carers and service users, to ensure the efficacy and currency of the Programme
  • Liaise closely with University departments to ensure student support is utilised to enable students to successfully complete the programme.
  • Produce research-minded and critical thinking social work practitioners who are able to evaluate research and scholarship in the field and apply it sensitively and systematically at Masters level.

11. Programme outcomes - the programme offers opportunities for students to achieve and demonstrate the following learning outcomes.
A. Knowledge and understanding
On completion of this programme the successful student will display a mastery of knowledge and understanding related to social work. In particular :
  1. A detailed and critical understanding of the legal, policy and procedural frameworks within which social work takes place
  2. Demonstrate mastery of knowledge regarding theories, models and methods of social work interventions and related research
  1. Display and demonstrate advanced knowledge of policy and research to assist practitioners in understanding the lives and experiences of people who need social work services
  1. A mastery of the values and ethics relevant to both social work practice and research
  2. Display a mastery of knowledge concerning the social work role within multi-professional contexts
  3. Display and demonstrate advanced effective use of professional authority related to the care and control dimensions of social work
/ Teaching/learning methods
The Programme is designed to build upon the student’s knowledge base year on year. The first year acts as a focus for the application of social work knowledge to practice. Year two builds on year one by focussing on the integration of social work knowledge to social work practice.
Students gain systematic knowledge and a critical understanding through lectures used for the exposition of theoretical material and factual information. Seminars and workshops build on this to enhance mastery of critical analysis, debate and further the advanced application of the knowledge base to practice. Tutorials support this by enabling individual and small group discussion and activities. Students are expected to undertake self-directed study to supplement and consolidate their learning in both academic and practice arenas. Social Work Research is integrated into every module and students are expected to develop a comprehensive understanding of the effects of this on practice as well as the knowledge and skills required to undertake either primary or secondary research in the form of a Masters dissertation or post graduate project in their chosen area of specialism. Students will undertake a generic school-based research methods module which has been adapted for a social work master’s level student audience.
On placements practice assessors’ supervision is a key vehicle for facilitating learning and teaching.
Assessment
Students’ mastery of knowledge and ability to apply their understanding to practice is assessed by the use of a variety of assessment methods including: essays, case studies, portfolios, a dissertation and self evaluative placement reports and practice assessor reports.
Students are enabled to prepare for summative assessments via tutorial and seminar support. Formative feedback on oral presentations of their work is part of the teaching and learning plan for modules.
The practice placements in years one and two, SWK3400 and SWK3490 both have formative interim reports as part of the assessment strategy for practice.
B. Cognitive (thinking) skills
On completion of this programme the successful student will be able to demonstrate expertise in specialised practice and professional skills via:
  1. Constructive and reflective integration of the knowledge base of social work with practice in a complex, comprehensive and creative fashion
  2. Critical analysis and synthesis of theoretical and research material relevant to social work practice at an advanced level of mastery
  3. Present highly accomplished and reasoned arguments on the basis of available academic and practice evidence in specific and specialist areas of social work practice.
  4. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the complex nature of values and ethics as applied to social work practice and social work research
  5. Demonstration of highly developed personal analytical reflection skills and clear articulation of the impact of themselves upon the work and the work upon themselves
  6. Demonstrate advanced competence in self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems.
/ Teaching/learning methods
Students learn advanced cognitive skills through developing and presenting a variety of reasoned, creative and informed arguments which are extended throughout the teaching and learning programme and demonstrated via application to practice. Each module, whilst differing in curriculum content, involves discussion of key concepts, ideas and ethical issues underpinning effective practice. Seminars and tutorials develop skills in critiquing, analysing, summarising, synthesising and evaluating information. Workshops encourage the development of critical self-reflection, problem-solving, and essential self-awareness by emphasising the significant intellectual and emotional components of learning to be a social worker.
Assessment
Students’ cognitive skills are assessed by a variety of methods designed to test students’ breadth and depth of relevant knowledge, their ability to grasp concepts and their inter-relationships (including application to practice), demonstrate their understanding of the complexity of relationships between values, ethics and practice, focus evidence and sustain arguments, and present literate, fluent and accurate work at level 4. Formative feedback as described above helps students with the comprehensive development, robust articulation and demonstration of these abilities.
C. Practical skills
On completion of the programme the successful student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate that they have met the National Occupational Standards for Social Work (TOPSS, 2002)
  1. Work in accordance with the General Social Care Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy (GSCC,2002)
  1. Practice social work in line with the GSCC’s Codes of Practice (GSCC, 2002)
  2. Plan for their continuing professional development needs concerning the ongoing enhancement of knowledge, understanding, research and skills in the social work field at graduate and post graduate levels with reference to the new GSCC post qualifying framework.
/ Teaching/learning methods
Students learn qualifying level practical skills through skills focussed workshops, and these are assessed via practice placements and tutorials. Detailed guidance on the standards of practice relating to the National Occupational Standards is provided for students and practice assessors within the Social Work Practice Placement Handbook. The emphasis remains on the student and practice assessor providing evidence that is sufficient, valid and reliable.
Assessment
Assessment is undertaken via academic work and a Master’s dissertation that evidences the development and application of students’ skills at a qualifying level in social work practice and at an advanced level in social work research.
A Self-evaluative report produced by the student at the end of a practice placement. The practice assessor and the tutor for each student jointly mark these. In addition, practice assessors submit an evaluation of the student’s competence in practice related to each of the National Occupational Standards.
The practice assessor submits an interim report, which acts as a formative assessment for the student.
D.4. Postgraduate Skills
On completion of this programme the successful student will be able to demonstrate that they are:
  • Holders of appropriate knowledge and understanding
  • Creative and enterprising
  • Enquiring, critical and reflective
  • An autonomous learner
  • Self-motivated
  • A good communicator
  • Committed to life long learning
  • Prepared for work in a multicultural society and an international environment
  • Aware of own strengths and weaknesses
  • A good citizen
  • Clear vision and plan for own future.
/ Teaching/learning methods
Students acquire postgraduate skills through both the academic and practice components of the programme. Where academic modules are assessed via essays, dissertations and
portfolios, written feedback is provided to each student in relation to skills in communication, data collection, powers of analysis and synthesis, and self-reflection. Placement modules, seminars and tutorials offer opportunities for the development and consolidation of skills in relation to team working, and becoming an autonomous self-directed practitioner. Students access a variety of information technology resources for social work via tutorials, the research methods module and by linking to the University’s Information, Learning Resource Services.
Assessment
Students’ postgraduate skills are assessed:
via the formal academic assessments (see above), and in their Professional Practice Placement reports. Students have opportunities for formative assessment in each of their modules before the summative assessment.
12. Programme structure and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards
12. 1 Overall structure of the programme
The MA/PgD Social Work is studied over two years full time either as a college based route or as an employment based route. All components of the first year have to be completed successfully for students to progress from year one to year two.
Academic modules run concurrently with the professional practice modules in years 1 and 2.
The first year is where the systematic application of social work knowledge and skills are explored and developed. The academic modules studied in the first year are as follows: Law for Social Workers (SWK4242) Social Work Models, Methods and Skills (SWK4243), and Research (HSS 4001). The Initial Professional Practice Placement (SWK3400) enables the student to apply the knowledge gained in the modules to social work practice as well as demonstrate their progress in meeting the National Occupational Standards.
The research module that students study in the first year is intended for level 7 students in a number of substantive areas across the school of HSSC, including social work. Social work students will be taught and tutored as a separate cohort by staff from the social work curriculum group. Specific materials and learning activities will be prepared for them to enhance their understanding of social work research in substantive areas (for example see programme learning outcomes A2, A3). Formative work will also include critical evaluation of research examples. Particular attention is paid to ethics as relevant to social work research. As masters students they will receive tutorial and other support to enable them to formulate a research question and produce a coherent research proposal relevant to social work research and appropriate for a dissertation at level 7 in the substantive area(s). Social work students will also be able to draw upon a wider set of generic module materials and activities which have been prepared on research methods topics, to set their specific learning in context.
In year two students integrate their learning from their first year and from their second year modules with their Final Professional Practice Placement (SWK3490), their assessments and their dissertation. In the second year all students study the following modules: Social Work Contexts and Applications (SWK4241) and the Individual and Society (SWK4244). They also choose one of the following practice-specific electives which is assessed as a dissertation for Masters students and as a project for Postgraduate Diploma students: Adult Needs and Access to Services (SWK4238, MA) (SWK4233, PgD) or Children, Young People and Families (SWK4237, MA) with additional teaching regarding youth justice for all final year students.
We have created a structure, in line with the University regulations that allows exit points reflecting recognised benchmark qualifications. For professional reasons we have had to differentiate the name of the final qualification, the MA/PgD Social Work, from the lower exit awards. We have done this by naming the full externally approved social work qualification the MA/PgD Social Work, ‘Social Work’ and the lower exit qualifications ‘Social Welfare’. This differentiation of titles is necessary because the only recognised professional social work qualification will be the full MA/PgD Social Work which will be approved by the GSCC and will meet all the DH and GSCC requirements. It is therefore necessary to differentiate the title of the lower exit qualifications by the use of a different name ‘Social Welfare’ (See section 12 diagram). This differentiation of titles will guarantee that Middlesex University is not offering a professional social work qualification other than the GSCC approved MA/PgD Social Work, for professional purposes, and will not be externally confusing or misleading.
When the DH and the GSCC conceived the new social work qualification it was designed as a three year undergraduate honours degree. However the DH and the GSCC allowed the possibility for the new social work qualification to be at postgraduate level as long as all the requirements set down by the GSCC and the DH are met within the two year postgraduate qualification; ‘There will also be opportunities for graduates to achieve this qualification in a shorter time and, in some cases, this may be linked to a postgraduate award at diploma or masters level’ (GSCC, 2002:5).
This has left us with a small number of anomalies. The anomalies arise as a result of having to fit the DH and GSCC requirements, which were designed to fit within a three year undergraduate period, into two years; they are as follows:
  • As a result of having to fit all the DH and GSCC learning, teaching and assessment requirements within a postgraduate award, the credits for the PgD and the MA are not within the norm of 120 and 180 but are higher
  • We have chosen to award credits for the two 100 day level 6 placements in line with the University’s Guide and Regulations (Mddx University, 2002) guidance on p. 57 C11.1, in that both professional practice placements will have clear learning outcomes, will be at level three and be awarded credits
  • This decision means that the following credits will be awarded for the Social work postgraduate qualification approved by the GSCC:
  • MA Social Work 270 Credits (210 level 7 (dissertation 60) and 60 level 6 – which are attached to the initial and final professional practice placements, SWK 3400 and SWK 3490)
  • PgD Social Work 240 Credits (180 Level 7 and 60 level 6 – which are attached to the initial and final professional practice placements, SWK 3400 and SWK 3490).
  1. We also wanted to make sure that students who are not successful in obtaining the full social work postgraduate qualifications (which meet all the DH and GSCC requirements for the social work qualification), as above, are able to receive a university academic qualification. They will receive the generic school qualification for the number of credits they have.
Where a student has successfully been awarded an exit award below the MA/PgD Social Work qualification and they wish to return to complete the full degree their application will be considered by the Director of Programmes and Programme Leader. This would normally be possible within no more than a five year period. They will still have to meet all the admissions requirements for the qualification at the point of re-enrolment
12.2 Levels and modules. This section should contain a more detailed description level-by-level of the programme structure, modules, credits and awards, there would be row for each level of an award). Note that all modules will be determined to be compulsory, designated or optional with regard to any programmes, or major/minor subjects, of which they are a part.
Level 3
COMPULSORY / OPTIONAL / PROGRESSION
REQUIREMENTS
Students must take and successfully complete all of the following: