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1. Study
2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Postgraduate Diploma
5. Social Work Studies

Course Fact File

Code	PDSWS
Duration	2 Years Full-time
Teaching Mode	Full-time
Qualifications	PG Dip
NFQ Level	Level 9
Closing Date	1 February 2024
Non-EU Closing Date	1 February 2024
Start Date	9 September 2024

Course Outline

The Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Studies (NFQ Level 9) is a two-year full-time course that combines academic study with fieldwork placements. This programme is approved by CORU. The course leads to an academic qualification and you will be eligible to register as a social worker with regulatory bodies in Ireland (CORU) and internationally.

Prospective applicants should also check the School of Applied Social Studies page for further information.

• Applicants should check the entry requirements below to ascertain if they should apply for the Masters in Social Work OR the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Studies option. 
• Applicants should ONLY apply for ONE of these options as it is the same selection procedure for both options (Final Year Students) or current Higher Diploma in Social Policy students should apply for the Master's level (MSW) programme.

Students on the PGDSWS take modules in social work theory, skills, social policy and courses specific to social work settings such as child and family welfare and mental health.

Year 1 (60 credits)

Social Work, Counselling and Development Issues
SS6101 Social Work Approaches 1: Theory and Practice (10 credits)
SS6102 Human Growth and Development (5 credits)
SS6108 Child and Family Welfare I (5 credits)

Social Work Practice and Fieldwork Placement I
SS6112 Practice Skills and Fieldwork Placement 1 (20 credits)

Social Science, Law and Social Work Settings
LW6005 Social Work and the Law (Child Law) (5 credits)
SS6105 Social Policy and Social Exclusion (5 credits)
SS6106 Applied Social Research (5 credits)
SS6107 Social Work Settings 1 (5 credits)

On completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Studies course, you will be able to:

• apply knowledge of social systems and human behaviour to promote social change, problem-solving in human relationships and the empowerment of people to enhance their well-being;
• apply knowledge of social policy to critically examine and respond to the impact of social and political contexts on service users and social work - promote principles of social justice, human rights, and anti-oppressive practice as intrinsic elements of social work practice;
• demonstrate core social work practice proficiencies in the areas of: professional autonomy and accountability, interpersonal and professional relationships, effective communication, personal and professional development, provision of quality services, knowledge, understanding and skills;
• demonstrate knowledge of theory, legislation, policy, official inquiry reports, and international conventions, and apply it to assessment and intervention planning in social work practice to illustrate a reflective approach to learning that is self-directed, strengths-based, and reflective.

Course Practicalities

The PG Diploma in Social Work Studies is a full-time professional course that involves five full days in college or five full days in practice. Practice placements are an integral part of the course. You are required to complete two 14-week fieldwork placements, for at least one of which you will be required to move outside Cork. The course is split roughly 50/50 between college academic work and practice placements. Students on the Diploma in Social Work Studies go on placement to a wide variety of practice contexts all over Ireland and in Year 2 have the option to do an international social work placement.

Assessment

You will undertake a wide variety of academic and practice assessments. You are assessed through group projects, enquiry-based learning assignments, reflective portfolios and learning journals, essays, research presentations, and a minor dissertation.

Why Choose This Course

Our Master of Social Work/Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Studies staff provide a very successful and much sought-after course of professional education and training in social work. It is a leader in social work education in Ireland where it was one of the first courses to adopt a reflective approach to teaching and learning throughout the course, with the aim of supporting the development of skilled, reflective practitioners.

This programme is approved by CORU. It has been commended for its delivery of a coherent, well-constructed and successfully executed course of professional social work education. The teaching and learning methods on the course are centrally concerned with building on students’ prior knowledge and experience, and with developing and extending skills and competencies. Preparing you to meet the requirements for professional registration (CORU) is a central objective of the course. Our graduates are sought-after by major national and international employment agencies.

Skills and Careers Information

On graduation, you will have been prepared for professional registration and be in a position to demonstrate the core social work practice proficiencies (CORU) in the areas of: professional autonomy and accountability, interpersonal and professional relationships, effective communication, personal and professional development, provision of quality services, knowledge, understanding and skills. You will be able to exhibit a good knowledge of theory, legislation, policy, official inquiry reports and international conventions, and apply it to assessment and intervention planning in social work practice. Consequentially, you will be well prepared to respond reflectively and reflexively to a variety of social work situations in a diversity of social work settings, including multi-disciplinary contexts. Fields of social work that have attracted and employed our graduates to date include medical, mental health, child protection, probation, physical and intellectual disability, community social work, and primary care.

Requirements

Admission to the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Studies (CKC06) is confined to a limited number of students holding a BSocSc (Hons) Degree with an overall result of at least a Third Class Honours or its equivalent, such as (but not limited to) the BA in Early Years and Childhood Studies, BA Hons in Applied Social Studies in Social Care, or graduates with a conversion course, i.e. the Higher Diploma in Social Policy (or its equivalent) 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants should NOT apply for BOTH the Masters and Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work options as it is the one selection procedure for both options.  The Postgraduate Diploma option is aimed at graduates who have already completed their BSocSc level 8 degree (or equivalent) and achieved at least an overall 3H result.

Fees and Costs

How To Apply

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)

• The closing date for submitting an online application for the Master of Social Work & the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Studies is 1^st February 2024.

Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

Social Work Experience - Paid/Voluntary and Student Placements

To be eligible for this programme you need to have completed at least 420 hours of social work or social work-related experience. Your experience will be used as one criterion to rank candidates for an interview should there be a large number of applicants. However, we may interview candidates who have 250 hours by the application closing date if you state in the application additional/supplementary questions how you will make up the balance of the hours by the interview date (June).

You must outline briefly:

• Social work practice related experience (paid or voluntary) and
• Relevant student placements, if applicable.

Please list newest to oldest and specify in the duties and responsibilities box for each position whether it is: 

• Voluntary/paid
• Part-time/full-time

You must also include your duties and responsibilities and the number of hours completed for each agency.

Other additional questions: 

• Social Work Practice Related Experience (Paid/Voluntary) Total Hours.
• Student Placement Total Hours (if applicable).
• Summary of all social work-related experience hours combined.
• Proposed work experience you will complete before your interview to make up the required 420 hours (if applicable).
• In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.
• Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.
• Please provide the details of one academic referee and one professional referee (this can be from a voluntary role). Both referees will be contacted at shortlisting stage by the review panel.

All additional supporting documentation for application to the Master of Social Work needs to be submitted by 5^th February 2024. If not, the application will be considered incomplete and not processed further.  

There is a selection process based on the following combined elements: academic performance and research capacity; certified social work-related experience and initiative; knowledge of social work and motivation, commitment, and suitability.

Your experience will be used as one criterion to rank candidates for an interview should there be a large number of applicants. However, we may interview candidates who have 250 hours by the application closing date if you state in the application additional/supplementary questions how you will make up the balance of the hours by the interview date.

Interviews take place in mid-March and candidates are advised of the outcome in late March.

 

The closing date for non-EU applications is 1 February 2024