Cert (PG), 5 years part time
Subject overview
Social work at Sussex was ranked 1st in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2014, 2nd in the UK in The Complete University Guide 2014 and 4th in the UK in The Times Good University Guide 2013.
Our core research themes are pedagogy of professional education, policy and practice across the life-course, and professional knowledges and methodologies.
There is a developing portfolio of flexible study opportunities for practitioners from a wide range of disciplines, and for those interested in pursuing research qualifications. The MSc in Social Research Methods offers ESRC-recognised research training in social work research methods. Our thriving DSW and ESRC-recognised PhD degrees provide excellent opportunities for disciplinary and interdisciplinarity doctoral-level study.
Relationships with local social welfare agencies are excellent. Joint projects include development, training and research initiatives.
Programme outline
This course is a 60-credit Postgraduate Certificate.
Key developments in national policy have led to the reconfiguration and integration of public services at central and local government level. A new set of challenges has emerged for those now managing multidisciplinary Integrated Children’s Services. Work-based learning (including action learning sets and mentoring) is a significant feature of the degree, enabling you to ground your learning in emergent management practices. The degree runs on a modular basis, enabling you to select the most relevant modules for your professional role and to take them in the order most useful for your development and your other professional commitments.
This shorter course will still support students’ continuing professional development.
Current modules
Please note that these are the core modules and options (subject to availability) for students starting in the academic year 2012.
Options
- ASYE Developing Professional Practice in Children's Services
- Developing the Professional Role through an Individual Action Learning Project
- Enabling Work-based Learning and Assessment (Higher Specialist)
- Enabling Work-based Learning and Assessment (Higher Specialist) Spring
- Leading and Managing Development and Change
- Supervision and Evaluation of Professional Learning
ASYE Developing Professional Practice in Children's Services
15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
Developing the Professional Role through an Individual Action Learning Project
15 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, year 1
This module enables you to identify an issue, problem, knowledge gap, or service need relevant to your professional role which requires further exploration or development, and to formulate and carryout an individualised project to develop your practice, underpinned by appropriate academic theory and research evidence. The module enables you to develop and demonstrate your own capacity for autonomous, self-directed learning, critical self-reflection, and practice development or project management skills.
The process and content of the taught component of the module will be negotiable and defined by a proposal from your for the work-based learning activity.
You will be provided with an academic supervisor from the university and a workplace mentor will be negotiated with the your employer. You will be required to consult your academic supervisor and workplace mentor on the framing of your work-based projects, and during the progress of the learning or development work. A learning contract will be drawn up specifying responsibilities of all parties and time scales. Proposals will be approved by the academic supervisor and ratified by the Module Leader, prior to the you embarking on your contract.
Enabling Work-based Learning and Assessment (Higher Specialist)
15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
This module provides the core skills and underpinning critical knowledge necessary for good practice in the creation and support of workplace learning. It equips you to create appropriate workplace learning opportunities and to support the learning and development of others. It facilitates critical exploration of the role of the work-based assessor and supports the development of evidence informed practice in developing the competence of others.
Enabling Work-based Learning and Assessment (Higher Specialist) Spring
15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
Leading and Managing Development and Change
30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, year 1
The pace and scope of change for staff and managers working in children's services since the Children Act 2004 has been considerable, and shows no sign of abating. While arrangements for the implementation of the Children's Trust have taken place differently in different authorities, the challenge and pressure on managers to successfully achieve whatever changes are required, and to deliver improved services, is universal.
This module introduces you to different models for understanding management of change, and uses one model to aid your understanding of integrated services. Through critical reflection in seminar groups, an observational exercise, and a work-based project, you will be helped to learn about change processes and develop strategies suitable for your teams and circumstances. You will be encouraged to approach change as on ongoing process, adapting to new circumstances, while recognising change is a means to an end, not an end in itself.
The module will develop managers' skills in the process of planning, implementing and reviewing change in the context of the complex organisations in which you work. You will also explore how managers can promote a culture of learning within the workplace to be a driver for positive change and development.
Supervision and Evaluation of Professional Learning
15 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, year 1
This short module provides the core skills and underpinning critical knowledge necessary for good practice in the supervision and evaluation of professional competence in the context of the professional workplace. This equips you to contribute to the learning and development of others and to assess their competence against professional practice standards. The module provides you with the in-depth exploration of supervision, direct observation and assessment necessary for candidates undertaking the full role of practice educator.
Entry requirements
UK entrance requirements and application details
A first- or second-class undergraduate honours degree; exceptionally other candidates may be accepted who demonstrate ability to study at the appropriate level.
Candidates must hold a professional qualification relevant to integrated children's services and be employed in a relevant position in an integrated children's services setting.
Please note: applications are submitted direct to the Department of Social Work and Social Care. For an application form contact the Social Work Admissions Coordinator, Essex House, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QQ, UK; telephone +44 (0)1273 872595; or email eswenquiries@sussex.ac.uk.
Overseas entrance requirements
Please refer to column B on the Overseas qualifications.
If you have any questions about your qualifications after consulting our overseas
qualifications table, contact the University.
E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
Visas and immigration
Find out more about Visas and immigration.
English language requirements
IELTS 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in each section. Internet TOEFL with 95 overall, with at least 22 in Listening, 23 in Reading, 23 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.
For more information, refer to English language requirements.
For more information about the admissions process at Sussex
For pre-application enquiries:
Student Recruitment Services
T +44 (0)1273 876787
E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
For post-application enquiries:
Postgraduate Admissions,
University of Sussex,
Sussex House, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
T +44 (0)1273 877773
F +44 (0)1273 678545
E pg.applicants@sussex.ac.uk
Related programme
Fees and funding
Fees
Home UK/EU students: £1,8501
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £1,8502
Overseas students: £5,5003
1
The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
2
The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
3
The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
To find out about your fee status, living expenses and other costs, visit further financial information.
Funding
The funding sources listed below are for the subject area you are viewing and may not apply to all degrees listed within it. Please check the description of the individual funding source to make sure it is relevant to your chosen degree.
To find out more about funding and part-time work, visit further financial information.
Faculty interests
Research interests are briefly described below. For more detailed information, visit the Department of Social Work and Social Care.
- Childhood and youth studies
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Professor Robin Banerjee Social and emotional development of pupils, self-conscious cognition and emotion, self-presentational behaviour.
Dr Janet Boddy Parents and families, parent and child health and well-being, parenting and family support, children in or at the edges of care, social pedagogy, cross-national research.
Professor Suzy Braye Social work practice and the law, policy implementation and professional practice, community care provision.
Professor PennyJane Burke Widening access to and participation in Higher Education; critical and feminist pedagogies; gender and identity formations; challenging inequalities in higher education; participatory methodologies.
Dr Rachel Burr Social work, child rights, international aid, international social work, ethnographic-based research methods, Vietnam.
Dr Anne-Meike Fechter Indonesia, South East Asia; corporate expatriates, transnationalism, development practitioners.
Cath Holmström Admissions and selection for social work education, experiences of younger students on qualifying social work courses.
Barry Luckock Social policy and social work with children, social work practice and education, adoption, fostering and permanency planning.
Dr Tish Marrable Children with ‘additional needs’, interprofessional working and professional supervision in integrated teams.
Professor Rachel Thomson Childhood and youth studies, young people’s transitions to adulthood, sexuality and sex education.
Dr Jo Westbrook Learning to read, comprehension, wider reading, teacher education in the UK and developing countries, action research.
Dr Benjamin Zeitlyn Access to education, dropout, development, migration, transnationalism, childhoods, ethnic minorities, Islam.
- Social work
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Professor Suzy Braye Social work practice and the law, policy implementation and professional practice, community care provision.
Dr Lisa (Henglien) Chen Social gerontology, care policies and services for older people and family carers; long-term care resources.
Cath Holmström Admissions and selection for social work education, experiences of younger students on qualifying social work courses.
Sharon Lambley Policy evaluation research; research into management and leadership within health, social care and Higher Education.
Dr Michelle Lefevre Social work communication and direct work with children and young people, children with complex care needs.
Barry Luckock Social policy and social work with children, social work practice and education, adoption, fostering and permanency planning.
Dr Tish Marrable Children with ‘additional needs’, interprofessional working and professional supervision in integrated teams.
Dr Sevasti-Melissa Nolas Participation and inclusion of socially marginalised children and young people, supporting community learning.
Dr David Orr Mental health and mental illness; education in health and social care, and culturally sensitive care; transcultural psychiatry.
Dr Elaine Sharland Developing research methodologies and capacity in social work and social care, research ethics.
Professor Imogen Taylor Pedagogic research in Higher Education: learning for professional practice in social work and related professions.
Dr Russell Whiting Religion and spirituality in social work practice and education, professional values and ethics, history of social work.
Careers and profiles
This degree will enable leaders and managers within children’s health, education and social care services to develop the knowledge and skills needed for these new roles as set out in Championing Children (DfE, 2006):
- to build teams competent and confident in this new means of service delivery
- to put the child and family first
- to lead those from outside their own area of expertise
- to manage resources in new ways
- to reconcile team members’ different working practices and expectations.
For more information, visit Careers and alumni.
School and contacts
School of Education and Social Work
The School of Education and Social Work combines two very strong departments with excellent reputations, and serves the needs of its students as well as those of the wider community.
Course Co-ordinator, Essex House,
University of Sussex, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9QQ, UK
T +44 (0)1273 872595
F +44 (0)1273 877534
E eswenquiries@sussex.ac.uk
Department of Social Work and Social Care
Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions
You’re welcome to attend one of our Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions. These are held in the spring and summer terms and enable you to find out more about postgraduate study and the opportunities Sussex has to offer.
Visit Discover Postgraduate study to book your place.
Other ways to visit Sussex
We run weekly guided campus tours every Wednesday afternoon, year round. Book a place online at Visit us and Open Days.
You are also welcome to visit the University independently without any pre-arrangement.