Social Work (2 year accelerated route for relevant graduates) BSc (Hons)

The programme is for those who intend to work as professional social workers, and includes a substantial element of practice learning. You will undertake two practice placements - one of 85 days duration in Year 1, and one of 100 days duration in Year 2. The programme is recognised by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council for purposes of registration as a social worker. It is also recognised internationally, for example, by the Australian Association of Social Workers via their International Qualifications Assessment process. Although the programme includes underpinning learning in the social sciences, such as social policy, psychology, sociology and law, the focus of the programme is on the development of skills, values and knowledge required for practice. You must successfully complete a preparation for practice learning module (Year 1, Semester 1) prior to undertaking supervised practice learning on placement. Why choose a Career in Social Work? When you become a Social Worker, you will have the opportunity to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and to champion human rights and social justice. You will be part of a profession where you feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment. You can apply for an incentive payment of £4,500 for each year of study if you live and study Social Work in Northern Ireland. You can expect to choose from a number of social work employers - the Health and Social Care Trusts, Probation, Youth Justice, the Education Authority or in the third sector (voluntary, community and independent organisations). Your starting salary as a newly qualified Social Worker in a Health and Social Care Trust in NI will be over £28,000, with an automatic pay rise to over £35,000 after successfully completing the Assessed Year in Employment (AYE). Newly qualified Social Workers receive extra support through the ‘Assessed Year in Employment’. Your Social Work training will blend academic and practice learning, offering you direct contact with service users and carers. When you graduate, there will be a variety of job choices working across the life-course (with children, adolescents, adults and older people); as part of specialist teams (mental health, addictions, family support), residential and day care settings, hospitals, schools, prisons and community development projects. As a qualified Social Worker, your career will offer excellent opportunities for promotion, and access to high quality post-qualifying courses at Master’s and Doctoral level for continuous personal and professional development. Your Degree in Social Work will enable you to work in countries outside of the UK throughout your career. Modules Social Work Law 1 LAW326 Year: 1 This module enables students to acquire an understanding of the legislation and legal practice underpinning Social Work practice in Northern Ireland. Its initial focus is on legal method and the legal system, providing students with sufficient understanding of legal process to underpin the 'follow-on' law module in Year 3 of the Degree. In the areas addressed in this module, students are encouraged to critically appraise the application of the law. Experts by Experience, Citizen Educators and Communities SWK305 Year: 1 Students will be asked to reflect upon the interface between their own personal values in relation to the helping process and the opportunities and limitations generated by the professional social work role. The Experts by Experience, Citizen Educators and Communities experience will be the primary focus in facilitating this critical evaluation utilising underpinning theoretical models. Preparation for Practice Learning SWK317 Year: 1 The Preparation for Practice Learning module is a pre-requisite in order to progress to the first Practice Learning Opportunity (PLO). The module assessment has three elements; a written tuning-in assignment, a summative skills role-play assessment, and a written evaluation assignment. There is no compensation across these and students must pass all three elements in order to pass the module. Assessment of this module will determine fitness to proceed to Level 5 practice learning, and is a pre-requisite for placement. Theories and Methods for Assessment SWK334 Year: 1 The module is designed to develop social work student assessment skills and the identification and management of risk across a range of practice settings. The module will prepare students for undertaking assessments of need and risk by providing knowledge on current assessment frameworks and guidance used across many Social Work settings. Assessed Practice 1 SWK327 Year: 1 This direct practice learning module enables students to apply college based teaching in relation to social work knowledge, values and skills to the practice setting, to develop effective helping relationships and to work in accordance with statutory and legal requirements as an accountable member of the organisation. Reflection on Practice 1 SWK328 Year: 1 This self-directed module relates to Level 5 Practice Learning and will equip students with the ability to integrate and apply knowledge, skills and values in direct supervised practice. Case Study SWK329 Year: 1 At first practice learning students must develop skills working through the social work process of preparation, assessment, planning, intervention, endings and review. This module is designed to give them the skills to do this in a sufficiently professional and academic manner, in order to prepare students for the rigor needed in working with complex situations involving high levels of need and risk. Social work law 2 SWK546 Year: 2 This module enables students to acquire an understanding of the legislation and legal practice underpinning key areas of social work practice in Northern Ireland, such as child protection, relationship breakdown, mental health and community care law. It builds upon the foundations laid in Social Work Law 1. In the areas addressed in this module, students are encouraged to critically appraise the application of the law. Family and Child Care SWK506 Year: 2 The family and childcare module will prepare final year undergraduate students for Social Work practice in a range of Social Work roles and settings. The three main areas of child care practice, safeguarding/child protection, family support and looked after children (including fostering and adoption), will be covered. A range of social work and other professionals will provide the lectures on current, evidence-informed family