Social work provides an opportunity to ensure fair and just treatment for those who might not be able to do so for themselves and can be a hugely rewarding career for anyone with an interest in safeguarding the human rights of others.
This programme is designed to provide the professional knowledge and skills needed to qualify and practice as a registered social worker. Through an integrated learning approach, students are supported to develop as competent, confident, analytical, and reflective practitioners who can work safely and effectively in complex, challenging environments to make a difference in the lives of people and society.
Interprofessional learning is at the core of this programme, enabling students to learn, develop, and collaborate with students from other disciplines in health and social care, including Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Physiotherapy students. Students may take advantage of the excellent research environment and opportunities available to build on links between social work practice and research to undertake their own real-world research study. The programme benefits from strong international links providing chances for focused teaching and study visits further afield.
Each year there will be an option to undertake practice placements, supervised and assessed by a practice educator. These allow students to apply the theory and practice of social work in varied and challenging settings with a focus on health and social care.
How You Study
This programme takes a student-centred approach to study through active participation, self-directed learning, and research, and the model of joint learning with other professionals is fully embedded within the teaching strategy. This is supported by a wide range of structured, planned, and additional teaching.
The University aims to support students in their learning and to produce independent, enquiring, and knowledgeable graduates and social work practitioners.
To support learning and accommodate a range of styles, the School’s approaches to teaching and learning are diverse and include:
Fostering interprofessional learning to collaborate with and learn alongside other health and social care students, including Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Nursing students.
The involvement of service users, carers, and practitioners to promote the application of theory, knowledge, and values into practice.
Utilising the School’s excellent simulation resources to enable skills development within a safe and supported learning environment.
Peer-learning opportunities such as knowledge exchange presentations, online discussion boards, and collaborative group-based learning.
The active use of research to inform practice is embedded within each module, offering the opportunity to incrementally support development as a research-informed practitioner.
Examining global and international perspectives on social work to further develop understanding and capacity as a professional social worker.
Students are usually required to be at the University three days per week during teaching time and expected to allocate one to two working days per week for independent study, research, preparation, and to complete assessed work.
Contact Hours
Owing to the nature of postgraduate programmes, a significant proportion of your time will be spent in independent study and research. Research students will have meetings with their academic supervisors, however, the regularity of these will vary depending on individual requirements, subject area, staff availability, and the stage of the programme. For taught programmes, weekly contact hours may vary depending on the individual module options chosen and the stage of the study.
Methods of Assessment
The way you will be assessed on your course will vary depending on the subject and the type of postgraduate programme you select. A taught programme could include a written dissertation, exams, presentations, and projects. A research programme could include a thesis, oral examination, and presentation to a group of research academics. You may be expected to demonstrate how your research findings have contributed to knowledge or developed existing theory or understanding. Please see the indivdual course pages to find out more.
Modules
Assessed Practice One (Core)
Assessed Practice Two (Core)
Contemporary Issues in Statutory Social Work Practice (Core)
Dissertation (MSc Social Work) (Core)
Essential Interprofessional Practice (Core)
Human Rights, Justice and Wellbeing: A Global Social Work Perspective (Core)
Readiness for Practice in Social Work (Core)
Safeguarding: Research Informed Practice (Core)
Social Policy Issues Through the Life Course (Core)
The Legal Context of Social Work Practice (Core)
Theory, Assessment and Methods (Core)
How You Are Assessed
Assessment methods on this programme include written submissions, case studies, presentations, portfolios, a Readiness for Practice assessment interview, practice-based assessment, in-class tests and a dissertation,
The final dissertation involves primary research with practitioners and or service users to investigate key social issues or to evaluate existing services. Recent successful dissertation topics have included:
An evaluation of a regional befriending scheme for older people.
The role of social workers in challenging child poverty.
The experiences of kinship carers.
The impact of rurality in delivering social work to young people with disabilities.
Placing sibling groups for adoption.
Assessment Feedback
The University of Lincoln's policy on assessment feedback aims to ensure that academics will return in-course assessments to you promptly – usually within 15 working days after the submission date.
Scholarships
There are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, you can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study.
Programme Specific Funding and Bursaries
All candidates on the MSc programme who meet basic UK residency criteria will be able to apply for a Social Work Bursary to support their studies. The bursary provides a basic grant as well as means-tested allowances for a range of needs. For full details and information about eligibility, please visit.
Students may incur additional costs for travel to practice placements on this course and are expected to hold a UK Driving Licence. Eligible students may be able to apply for an NHS Student Bursary for Practice Placement Expenses. Please see.
Course-Specific Additional Costs
For each course, you may find that there are additional costs. These may be with regard to the specific clothing, materials or equipment required. Some courses provide opportunities for you to undertake fieldwork or field trips. Where these are compulsory, the cost for travel and accommodation will be covered by the University and so is included in your fee. Where these are optional, you will normally be required to pay your own transport, accommodation and general living costs.
With regards to textbooks, the University provides students who enroll with a comprehensive reading list and you will find that our extensive library holds either material or virtual versions of the core texts that you are required to read. However, you may prefer to purchase some of these for yourself and you will be responsible for this cost.
Entry Requirements 2021-22
First or second class honors degree with relevant prior experience (including voluntary) in social care, education or health. This programme also requires a minimum of three GCSEs at grade C or above including English Language and Maths (or equivalent). These GCSEs must be obtained prior to submitting an application.
We do not specify a minimum length of time in social work since we are most interested in how you reflect upon your experience.
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages for information on equivalent qualifications.
Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 7.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. This qualification must have been obtained prior to submitting your application.
For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page.
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study.
Shortlisted applicants will also have to pass screening processes in terms of professional suitability: DBS criminal record checks; health declaration; professional references. The University will pay for DBS checks.
It is important that you declare health issues or previous involvement with the criminal justice system to admissions staff so that an official decision about your suitability to practise can be made. These issues do not automatically prevent entry and will be treated sensitively and in complete confidentiality.
Teaching and Learning During Covid-19
At Lincoln, Covid-19 has encouraged us to review our practices and, as a result, to take the opportunity to find new ways to enhance the student experience. We have made changes to our teaching and learning approach and to our campus, to ensure that students and staff can enjoy a safe and positive learning experience. We will continue to follow Government guidance and work closely with the local Public Health experts as the situation progresses, and adapt our teaching and learning accordingly to keep our campus as safe as possible.
Accreditations
This programme has satisfied all the professional qualification requirements set by the professional regulator (Social Work England). Upon successful completion of the programme students will be eligible to apply to register as a qualified social work practitioner with Social Work England.
Research Areas, Projects, and Topics
Students can benefit from the excellent research partnerships across the School of Health and Social Care. These include:
An innovative and large-scale international education and practice development project funded by the European Union.
A range of local and national partners to support the development of social work practice and social work education. Locally-funded evaluations of service provision and service enhancement are being developed and carried out, with the goal of enhancing practice delivery.
The National Health Service (NHS), the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) network, and other academic institutions linking closely with key external contexts such as Best Research for Best Health, the NIHR, and the Cooksey Review of health research funding. Additionally, collaborative research funded by the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF; budget-held elsewhere) is being revised prior to a programme of national dissemination.
Additionally, there are a number of Individual research projects currently being undertaken at programme level that highlight the School’s commitment to embedding research within social work practice. These include:
Projects focusing on child and adolescent well-being, enabling young people to prepare for independent living when leaving care.
Projects centering on developing practice include exploring practitioners' expectations of the role of practice educators, along with developing a bank of resources to support practice education.
Emphasis on utilising a collaborative approach that draws together practitioners and researchers in co-producing research and training materials.
Career and Personal Development
Supporting the youngest to the oldest in society, social work will take practitioners from hospitals to care homes, and schools to communities as they help people through some of the best and most challenging times of their lives. Social workers could find themselves guiding a young person through their mental health journey, helping a family to grow through adoption, or supporting vulnerable people to improve their independence and wellbeing. Providing this level of support in someone’s life can be an incredibly rewarding experience.
While the job can be a humbling one, it is also a testing career. Working with vulnerable people can mean facing potentially difficult situations, but being a Social Worker means having the ability to find a way to work through those situations to benefit the person at the heart of them.
Social work is a profession regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Successful completion of this MSc Social Work programme provides eligibility to apply for HCPC registration.
Graduates from the programme have gone on to work in a broad range of social work settings, including children’s services, adult services, mental health trusts, and in a range of independent and voluntary sector organisations.
