Postgraduate Diploma - Social Work

Program Description

This intensive programme is for graduates from any discipline wishing to train and qualify as social workers. Through a combination of academic and professional modules, you will focus on both the social science knowledge base of social work, and on developing your practice-relevant knowledge, skills and values through 200 days of practical learning.

Taught by qualified social workers with a range of practice specialisms and research interests, this course offers exciting opportunities to learn alongside students from related professional disciplines including occupational therapy, teaching, nursing and medicine, mirroring the interprofessional nature of social work practice. Users of social work services, carers and experienced practitioners are also actively involved in the course and the delivery of teaching sessions. 

The postgraduate diploma (PGDip) can be taken as an alternative and shorter route to obtaining a postgraduate social work qualification with students learning alongside MSc students in all except the dissertation module. It is also available as an early exit award to those registered on the MSc who opt not to take the dissertation module but meet all other requirements of the PGDip.

The MSc and PGDip are both approved by Social Work England, the regulatory body for Social Workers in England. All students will need to demonstrate Social Work England's Professional Standards within their practice, alongside the expectations specified by the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) held by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW).