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Social Work MSc
Start Dates
21 September 2026
Duration
2 years full-time
Overview
Why choose Huddersfield for this course?
- Develop the skills and professionalism needed for a rewarding and impactful career in social work.
- You will have the opportunity to put what you have learnt into practice through undertaking two assessed work placements.
- Work with diverse groups, from children to vulnerable adults, in mental health, learning disability, or family support roles.
Accreditation and Professional Links
Recognised connections to give you an extra edge when you graduate. Read More
Approved by Social Work England, this Master’s degree in Social Work is a professional qualifying course, designed to equip you with the necessary skills, abilities and knowledge to succeed in a future career in social work.
The course is managed and delivered by long-standing partnerships between the University and local social work agencies, including statutory, voluntary, and service user-led organisations, and aims to produce practitioners who can critically reflect on their practice.
- It will assist you in developing the key skills required to become a confident and competent social worker in line with the Professional Capabilities Framework for Social Work.
- You will have the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills including communication, assessment, analysis and reflection, as well as gaining knowledge in a range of areas, such as legislation, policy and how people interact with their environments.
- You will have the opportunity to put what you have learnt into practice through undertaking two assessed work placements, helping you to enhance your academic and personal development. This is managed and delivered by a long-standing partnership between the University and local social work agencies, including statutory, voluntary and service user-led organisations.
The course is part of the Yorkshire Urban and Rural Teaching Partnership, an accredited Social Work Teaching Partnership between local authority employers and the Universities of Huddersfield and York. The partnership develops and delivers innovative and creative approaches to social work education and training for students, ensuring social workers are confident and creative practitioners with the skills required for working in statutory social work.
Following the course, you'll be eligible to apply to register with Social Work England, which is the regulatory body for social workers in England.
Entry Requirements
Entry requirements for this course are considered on an individual basis and are normally:
- An Honours degree (2:1 or above) in a relevant subject.
- Applicants with a lower second class (2:2) honours degree in a relevant subject will be considered on an individual basis.
- GCSE English Language or English Literature (or equivalent Ofqual regulated qualification) at grade 4 or above, or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme. You do not require GCSE/Level 2 Maths for entry onto this course. However, please be aware that some employers may require this in addition to your completed degree.
- All applicants should have relevant paid, voluntary, or personal experience in social care, community or third sector organisations.
- You also need a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and occupational health clearance prior to registration.
We arrange these as part of the application process. You will be required to sign a self-declaration at the start of each year. All police contact during the course must be reported to the course leader as a matter of urgency and may lead to suspension or termination. We will request an Overseas Police Check if you have lived in a country outside of the UK for 6 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years before applying to us and whilst aged 18 or over.
At interview you will be required to declare any involvement by social services relating to children or vulnerable persons living in your care or for whom you provide care, living in a household in which you live, or have lived. Information you provide may have to be discussed with the Local Authority Designated Officer before a decision is made on your application.
If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 7.0 overall with no element lower than 6.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.
You may be eligible to gain Recognition for your Prior Learning (RPL).
If you have alternative qualifications you may wish to contact us for advice before applying.
You will be shortlisted on the strength of your written application and must demonstrate how you have used your previous experience (for example paid, voluntary, personal and educational) to help you develop some knowledge and understanding of the tasks and roles undertaken by social workers.
Course Details
Teaching and Assessment
Discover what to expect from your tutor contact time, assessment methods, and feedback process.
Placements
During the course you will undertake a 70 day placement in year 1 and a 100 day placement in year 2. These are managed and assessed by experienced practice educators, who provide opportunities for you to develop and apply the knowledge, value base and professional capabilities required of social workers in qualified practice.
Placements are undertaken in wide variety of settings within the voluntary and statutory sectors, including local authorities, national charities, drug and alcohol services, housing agencies, sexual health services and a wide variety of other social care and welfare services. Placements are also provided across a wide range of service user groups and you may have the opportunity to work with vulnerable adults, children and families, young people, people with learning disabilities or people with mental health issues.
Your Career
Previous graduates from courses in this subject area have gone on to work in a variety of roles such as Education mental health practitioner, Family support worker, High intensity therapist, Social worker.*
Source: Prospects
98%
Percentage of the University's postgraduate students go on to work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduating.
* HESA Graduate Outcomes 2022/23, UK domiciled.
Fees and Finance
This information is for Home students applying to study at the University of Huddersfield in the academic year 2026/27.
Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X) and/or Government policy.
From January 2027 the UK government is launching a new student funding system for people starting university education. Read more about the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE).
For detailed information please visit https://www.hud.ac.uk/study/fees/
This information is for international students applying to study at the University of Huddersfield in the academic year 2026/27.
Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X) and/or Government policy.
For detailed information please visit https://www.hud.ac.uk/international/fees-and-funding/
Find out more about the national Social Work bursary offered by the NHS Business Services Authority.
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If you have any questions about Fees and Finance, please email the Student Finance Team.
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