MA Social Work

at National University of Ireland Galway

Year 1

• Social Work Practice (5 ECTS) 
• Theory and Social Work 1 (5 ECTS) 
• Methods of Social Work (5 ECTS) 
• Research Methods (5 ECTS) 
• Support and Protection across the Lifecourse (10 ECTS) 
• Social Policy (5 ECTS) 
• Mental Health and Health Promotion (5 ECTS) 
• Field Work Placement I (20 ECTS)

Year 2

• Social Work, Law and Human Rights (5 ECTS) 
• Contemporary Social Issues (5 ECTS) 
• Social Work, Supervision, Management & Administration in a Culturally Diverse Setting (5 ECTS) 
• Theory and Social Work 2 (5 ECTS) 
• Criminal Justice System, Probation & Social Work (5 ECTS) 
• Research Dissertation (15 ECTS)
• Pre Placement Programme, 
• Recall Day & Field Work Placement 2 (20 ECTS) 

Candidates applying for admission to the programme must have completed a Level 8 primary undergraduate degree (minimum of Second Class Honours, Grade 2) in one of the following: Bachelor Degree with a major in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology Social Policy, Social Science, Social Studies, Social Care, Public and Social Policy, Youth and Family Studies, Health and Social Care, Childhood education, Community Development, or B.Soc.Sc or other relevant qualifications deemed equivalent by the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies. These may include undergraduate/postgraduate degrees such as Childhood/ Children’s studies, Geography, Law, Economics, Theology, Philosophy, if such degrees have included a significant proportion of social science related subjects. Potential Candidates should contact the programme director to request an assessment of their eligibility.   Transcripts will be required to assess this dimension.

Prior work experience is compulsory and candidates must have obtained six months (approx. 960 hours) of voluntary or paid work experience relevant to the social work profession in order to be eligible to apply. Relevant supervised placement learning will normally count for up to a maximum of 240 hours (6 weeks). It is the candidate’s responsibility to demonstrate clearly in their application how they have met the required six months/960 hours experience and the relevant experience form in the application must be completed and submitted as part of the application. Candidates are expected to share all of their relevant experience in this form. This includes any relevant involvement with any other courses that involved relevant placements citing the details of the agencies where placements were completed. Two letters of reference, one academic and one-work related, and a well written and convincing personal statement (600 words) must also be submitted. Advertising for applications for the MA in Social Work (MSW) usually takes place in early January. Short-listed applicants will be called for interview.

Fees: EU
€7,900 p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Tuition
€7,760 p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Student levy
€140 p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Non EU
€17,440 p.a. 2022/23

Student levy €140 - payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI. 

Graduates will be eligible to apply for registration with CORU as qualified social workers in a range of public, private and voluntary sector organisations. TUSLA, Health Service Executive, County Council, Community and Local Government and Department of Justice and Equality are examples of employers of social work in the public sector. The nongovernmental sector includes services to children and adults such as, Ability West, Enable Ireland, Brothers of Charity Services, Western Region Drugs Task Force, Jigsaw and COPE Galway. Graduates have also found employment internationally in the U.S.A., Canada, Scotland, England and Australia for example. With regard to further study, we encourage qualified social workers to consider post graduate study and or further professional training (e.g. PhD study or a recently established Higher Postgraduate Diploma in Practice Teaching, Supervision and Management).