The programme is taught by research-active academics with broad teaching and practice experiences. Modules will address topics such as social work counselling skills, social work theory and methods, human development and behaviour, justice and human rights, working with children, families and adults, research methods, as well as working with groups and communities. We have very strong practice partnership arrangements that enable us to deliver high quality placements for students
Social work has had a long and distinguished presence in University College Dublin. Over many decades our social work programmes have graduated highly qualified professionals that have been employed in many social, health and community settings, both in Ireland and internationally. We enjoy very strong partnership arrangements with a range of local and national social work, health and community agencies.
The Professional Master of Social Work offers generic professional training in social work. The aim of the Programme is to build on students’ prior learning and experience to develop their practice expertise.
- The curriculum is planned as an integrated whole, delivered by staff who possess a wide range of practice and research experience.The content of the curriculum meets regulatory body standards in terms of university and practice learning curricula.
- The Programme enables students to apply university based learning through the completion of two professionally supervised, three month, practice placements.
- Reflecting UCD’s University for All ethos, we are proud of the fact that our programme at UCD always has a very diverse student group – for example, diverse in terms of age, gender, nationality,ethnicity, socio economic background, ability, disability and neurodivergence . Our programme includes students who have recently completed their undergraduate degrees from across Ireland, students who are returning to education or changing career, Irish students of different ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds, and international students from different countries and continents. This diversity of student cohort is widely regarded as a key strength of the programme, resulting in opportunities to learn from peers with different perspectives and life experiences.
- Upon successful completion of this masters programme, graduates are eligible to apply for registration with CORU, the Social Workers' Registration Board as well as other international registration boards and upon registration with the relevant registration boards can then pursue a career in social work in Ireland or in many other jurisdictions.