Advanced Social Work Practice PG Cert

Teaching

Recognising that you are likely to be studying alongside social work practice you will engage in blended learning methods. You will be taught through a combination of interactive workshops, lectures, seminars and online sessions. Throughout the programme, you will benefit from an integration of both innovative and traditional teaching methods. Your learning will be supported by the University’s virtual learning environment. You will have individual access to electronic journals, content-rich study guides, and interactive online learning materials formative online assessments and group discussion forums. 

The Assessed and Supported Year in Employment module consists of learning opportunities through a variety of methods such as workshops and peer supervision sessions delivered by your employer which will enable you to benefit from content which is specific to your role in your organisation. Alongside this the University provides an interactive workshop focused on reflection and bringing together your learning during your first year in practice. You will also benefit from flexible academic tutorial support.

For the Practice Educator modules you will be working alongside social work students and you will be assessed by an experienced Practice Educator qualified at Stage 2 of the Practice Educator Professional Standards for Social Work, Practice Educator mentor or assessor . Your Practice Educator mentor or assessor will be allocated by your employer.

Pebblepad online portfolios are used to give you the opportunity to evidence your competencies. You will complete reflective essays, allowing you to evaluate and analysis your social work practice.

For further information and resources on Practice Education please see here.

Contact time

The Assessed and Support Year in Practice 15 credit module will have varying contact time depending on your employers programme of delivery. This will include a half day workshop delivered by the university.

For the Practice Educator module 15 credit modules there will be 4 days of teaching and 12 hours of 1 hour online seminars.

The Practice Leadership for Strength based Practice 15 credit module will consist of 3 days teaching and 6 hours of online seminars.

In a typical week you will have around 2-6 contact hours of teaching. 

• 2 hours of interactive workshops
• 1 hour of virtual learning

We anticipate you will be studying in groups of around 20

Independent study

In addition to the contact time, you are expected to undertake 6-8 hours of personal self-study per week. Typically, this will involve completing online activities, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library and online, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for assessments.

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including The Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources. 

Duration

This is a part time programme. You need to have 2 years of post-qualifying experience before starting the Practice Educator Professional Standards for Social Work modules (PEPS) (BASW Practice Educator Professional Standards). We anticipate completion taking 3.5 years.

Timetables

Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that whilst we try to be as student friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week; and some classes can be scheduled in the evenings.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the course. Our Social Work team is made up of senior academics, professional practitioners with extensive experience. The team includes staff who are internationally recognised. Teaching is informed by research and consultancy, and 100% per cent of University lecturers have a higher education teaching qualification or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles. 5 members of the social work team are Practice Educators at Stage 2 of the Practice Educator Professional Standards for Social Work.

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments. 

Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade.  Assessment methods include essays, reports, presentations and portfolios.

Pebblepad online portfolios are used to give you the opportunity to evidence your competencies. You will complete reflective essays, allowing you to evaluate and analysis your social work practice.

You will receive feedback on practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback on examination performance is available upon request from the module leader. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors and module tutors as appropriate. 

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.  

Programme specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.