MA in Social Work (MSW)

This long-running MA in Social Work (MSW) equips its graduates with the knowledge, skills and training required to gain employment as registered social workers. Through a proven blend of in-class and practice-based learning, participants gain in-depth understanding of social problems and their causes, as well as policy solutions. Students build the skills necessary to work with individuals, groups and communities, with an emphasis on the promotion of human rights and social justice. The programme benefits from two decades of partnerships with practice teachers and statutory and voluntary organizations, which employ social workers across services for individuals, families and communities. This course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to be registered as a social worker by the CORU registration body. We offer joint teaching and learning opportunities with other disciplines within the School (e.g. Social Policy & Community Development) and are connected to the Child and Family Research Centre and a range of research clusters, which are partnered with the Life Course Institute. This means that staff throughout the School play a key role in relation to teaching and supervising research dissertations by students. The Programme also benefits from inter-disciplinary training with colleagues in other schools (e.g., School of Health Sciences), professionals in practice and service users and carers.

Career Opportunities
Graduates will be eligible to apply for registration with CORU as qualified social workers in a range of public, private and voluntary sector organisations. TUSLA, Health Service Executive, County Council, Community and Local Government and Department of Justice and Equality are examples of employers of social work in the public sector. The non-governmental sector includes services to children and adults such as, Ability West, Enable Ireland, Brothers of Charity Services, Galway Drugs Service, Jigsaw and COPE Galway. Graduates have also found employment internationally in the U.S.A., Canada, Scotland, England and Australia for example. With regard to further study, we encourage qualified social workers to consider post graduate study and or further professional training (e.g. PhD study or a recently established Higher Postgraduate Diploma in Practice Teaching, Supervision and Management).

Level 8 undergraduate degree with a minimum Second Class Honours, Grade 2 (2.2) or BSc Social Science or other relevant qualifications deemed equivalent by the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies. Prior relevant work experience is compulsory (minimum 6 months/960 hours)

Prior work experience is compulsory and candidates must have obtained six months (approx. 960 hours) of voluntary or paid work experience relevant to the social work profession in order to be eligible to apply. Relevant supervised placement learning will normally count for up to a maximum of 240 hours (6 weeks). It is the candidate’s responsibility to demonstrate clearly in their application how they have met the required six months/960 hours experience and the relevant experience form in the application must be completed and submitted as part of the application. Candidates are expected to share all of their relevant experience in this form. This includes any relevant involvement with any other courses that involved relevant placements citing the details of the agencies where placements were completed. Two letters of reference, one academic and one-work related, and a well written and convincing personal statement (600 words) must also be submitted. Advertising for applications for the MA in Social Work (MSW) usually takes place in early January. Short-listed applicants will be called for interview.

English Language Requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall, no less than 5.5 in any one component; Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE): 176 overall; Cambridge C2 Advanced (CPE): 180 overall; TOEFL: 88 overall (7 Listening, 16 Speaking, 18 Writing, 8 Reading); Pearson PTE: 61 overall, no less than 48 in any one component.