Post Qualifying Professional Practice MA

Program Overview

---

Post Qualifying Professional Practice MA

Overview

The MA Post-Qualifying Professional Practice has been designed to support the continuing professional development of qualified practitioners who are out in the field practising as social workers.

This is a programme with a flexible structure, based on professional standards, qualified practitioner CPD and employer stakeholder partnership needs. This is for qualified practitioners working with children and young people or with adults or people in mental health settings. It incorporates introductory modules of study towards the consolidation of practice and of the Practice Educator Professional Standards. This programme enables eligible social workers and allied professionals to achieve postgraduate diplomas at the level of experienced professional practice and to complete a full Master's programme at the level of advanced professional practice.

The MA Post Qualifying Professional Practice offers several exit points and offers specialist awards, including a new PG Certificate in Practice Education, and specialist PG Diplomas in Work with Children and Families, and Work with Adults.

Once you have qualified as a social worker, you may decide to develop areas of specialism and complete various professional practice short courses such as Practice Educator 2 and Best Interest Assessor Depravation Of Liberties Safeguards. These can be stand-alone courses, but we have also come up with the notion of building them into a master’s qualification framework. In this way, the courses are considered as modules within the MA.

For practitioners with a PG Diploma in Social Work (e.g. Step-Up to Social Work), the Professional Practice Innovation Project module offers the opportunity for the student to delve into their chosen area of specialist practice and top up to an MA in Post Qualifying Professional Practice with this 60 credit research project.

It is open to you if you have been in post-qualifying social work practice for at least 18 months for ASYE Consolidating Social Work Practice, and two years of experience for more advanced specialisms such as Practice Education.

Course Options

• Start date: September 2025
• MA: Read full entry requirements

Entry Requirements

• Academic requirements: Applicants need to be qualified and registered Social Workers or Allied Professionals.
• International Qualifications: We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications.
• English Language requirements: Overall IELTS 7.5 with a minimum of 7.5 in Writing, Speaking, Reading and Listening (or recognised equivalent).

Fees, Funding and Additional Costs

• Fees: EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course from September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees.
• Funding: Postgraduate Loans Scheme, Postgraduate Scholarship, Alumni Discount, Early Payment Discount, Asylum Seekers scholarship, Civic Engagement, Hardship Bursary, Sport Scholarships.
• Additional costs: Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

What Makes This Course Different

• Guidance from UEL past students: You will receive guidance from our past students. Many of the university's qualified social workers work in the local London boroughs and come back to help supervise our qualifying students.
• Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC): All of the social work courses at the University of East London have been approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the College of Social Work.
• HCPC-registered team members: Every member of the social work team is HCPC-registered, understands and has direct experience of social work practice and is researching in their area of expertise.

Course Modules

• Year 1:
  • Crime, Surveillance and Society Core Module
  • Download course specification

What We're Researching

• Our Centre for Social Work Research (CSWR) generates knowledge in social work thinking and methods.
• Current research themes include relational approaches to people at risk of self-harm or suicide, safeguarding and child protection, social work and education as well as the transformation of welfare in the UK.

Your Future Career

• Not every social work practitioner wants further qualifications in their specialised field, but they can help your career progression.
• Moving on to the Practice Educator courses is often viewed as a step towards a management post.

How We Support Your Career Ambitions

• We offer dedicated careers support, and further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking.
• Our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed.

How You'll Learn

• Another short (postgraduate diploma) course is the Approved Mental Health Practitioner course, runs externally by the University of East London in partnership with the London Borough of Enfield.

How You'll Be Assessed

• Each module on this course is assessed separately.
• We assess you via coursework, assignments, project work, portfolios, group work and, for some modules, through mentor reports.

Campus and Facilities

• Stratford Campus, London, E15 4LZ
• Our historic Stratford campus is located in one of the best-connected areas of London: close to Stratford's thriving town centre, the 2012 Olympic Park, just 15 minutes from London's West End and 20 minutes from Canary Wharf.

Who Teaches This Course

• This course is delivered by the School of Childhood and Social Care
• The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers.

Related Courses

• MA Social Work
• MA Youth and Community Work