Social Work

Staff member? Login here

Academic Year of Entry: 2023/24
Course overview
(Postgraduate Diploma) Postgraduate Diploma
Social Work
Current
University of Essex
University of Essex
Health and Social Care (School of)
Colchester Campus
Postgraduate Diploma
Full-time
DIP L50017
10/05/2023

Details

Professional accreditation

None

Admission criteria

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code

Course qualifiers

A course qualifier is a bracketed addition to your course title to denote a specialisation or pathway that you have achieved via the completion of specific modules during your course. The specific module requirements for each qualifier title are noted below. Eligibility for any selected qualifier will be determined by the department and confirmed by the final year Board of Examiners. If the required modules are not successfully completed, your course title will remain as described above without any bracketed addition. Selection of a course qualifier is optional and student can register preferences or opt-out via Online Module Enrolment (eNROL).

None

Rules of assessment

Rules of assessment are the rules, principles and frameworks which the University uses to calculate your course progression and final results.

Additional notes

None

External examiners

Staff photo
Dr Panagiotis Pentaris

Programme Leader

Goldsmiths, University of London

External Examiners provide an independent overview of our courses, offering their expertise and help towards our continual improvement of course content, teaching, learning, and assessment. External Examiners are normally academics from other higher education institutions, but may be from the industry, business or the profession as appropriate for the course. They comment on how well courses align with national standards, and on how well the teaching, learning and assessment methods allow students to develop and demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills needed to achieve their awards. External Examiners who are responsible for awards are key members of Boards of Examiners. These boards make decisions about student progression within their course and about whether students can receive their final award.

Key

Core You must take this module.
You must pass this module. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options You can choose which module to study.
You must pass this module. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory You must take this module.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.
Compulsory with Options You can choose which module to study.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.
Optional You can choose which module to study.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.

Year 1 - 2023/24

Exit Award Status
Component Number Module Code Module Title Status Credits PG Diploma PG Certificate
01 HS650-7-AU-CO Social Work Theory and Methods Core 15 Core Optional
02 HS651-7-AU-CO Law, Policy and Ethics Core 15 Core Optional
03 HS653-7-AU-CO Life Span Development Core 15 Core Optional
04 HS654-7-FY-CO Practice Placement 1 Core 30 Core Optional
05 HS633-7-SP-CO Using Research and Evidence in Social Work Practice Core 15

Year 2 - 2024/25

Exit Award Status
Component Number Module Code Module Title Status Credits PG Diploma PG Certificate
01 HS652-7-AS-CO Critical Issues in Contemporary Social Work Core 15 Core Optional
02 HS655-7-FY-CO Practice Skills and Placement 2 Core 30 Core

Exit awards

A module is given one of the following statuses: 'core' – meaning it must be taken and passed; 'compulsory' – meaning it must be taken; or 'optional' – meaning that students can choose the module from a designated list. The rules of assessment may allow for limited condonement of fails in 'compulsory' or 'optional' modules, but 'core' modules cannot be failed. The status of the module may be different in any exit awards which are available for the course. Exam Boards will consider students' eligibility for an exit award if they fail the main award or do not complete their studies.

Programme aims

The course aims to help students become effective social workers by providing them with a range of learning opportunities. These learning opportunities will equip students with the subject knowledge and understanding and subject specific skills set out in the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Social Work (2016).


Furthermore, the course has been designed to align these skills and underpinning subject knowledge with the HCPC Standards of Professional Practice for Social Work (2017). On successful completion of the course the students will therefore, be equipped with the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to seek professional registration under the protected professional title of Social Worker.


In order to achieve these aims the course focuses on human rights along with the principles of social justice, collective responsibility and respect for diversity. This approach has been taken in recognition of the importance of explicitly focussing on values in the development of professional practice. Social work practice needs to be clearly rooted in these values if it is to be professionally autonomous and not simply reducible to an instrument in the functional service of state or its subordinate institutions.



Learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods

On successful completion of the programme a graduate should demonstrate knowledge and skills as follows:

A: Knowledge and understanding

Learning methods

Assessment methods

B: Intellectual and cognitive skills

Learning methods

Assessment methods

C: Practical skills

Learning methods

Assessment methods

D: Key skills

Learning methods

Assessment methods


Note

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

Contact

If you are thinking of studying at Essex and have questions about the course, please contact Undergraduate Admissions by emailing admit@essex.ac.uk, or Postgraduate Admissions by emailing pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

If you're a current student and have questions about your course or specific modules, please contact your department.

If you think there might be an error on this page, please contact the Course Records Team by emailing crt@essex.ac.uk.