Hi there, I am just finishing off a undergraduate degree and am applying to do a masters in social work. I am interested in finding out a bit about the course what it entails etc. Ive heard it lasts for 2 years but some institutions i am applying to say it takes 400 days- 200 days placement, 200 days learning? And also I have done my undergraduate degree alongside a part time job, does anyone know whether post grad allows students to keep a job on the side too? Any help appreciated!! :)
Hi there,
I'm not sure if what I'm about to tell you applies. I am currently in graduate school and will graduate in May 2012 with my Masters degree; currently studying in the US. Here the Masters degree is a two year program and your placement is two years, a different placement is required for each year. Each semester here in the US at my University 225 hrs is required so that is 450 hrs each year and 900 hrs for the two years. You have to be supervised by a social worker on your placement. I also have a specialty in Mental Health.
Regarding working it is very difficult to work even part time but many students work part time around 20 hrs.
Hi, That sounds very similar to what we have here in the Uk! thanks anyway :)
Hi Pippin. Did you post your reply? I cant see what you have written!
I was in your position last year and I'm now at the start of my second term. I'm not going to lie to you it is hard work but it's definately worth it. I wasn't sure, I gave up a good full-time job to do this but now I'm glad I did it. I don't know other institutions but my university give you a lot of help in getting your writing quality up to masters level and we have assignment workshops for every single assignment. This is certainly not the support I had at undergraduate.
As for placements (and I'm sure it differs between institutions) there are 3. For me, the first year is mostly university based. This year we are split into smaller groups and sent on placements in different areas throughout the year. You'll find yourself going out into the community with medical students, clinical psychology students, nurses, pharmacists, speech and language therapists, etc. Next week I'll be working with teachers. Some placements in the first year are only a day, I think the longest ones are discharge care planning and mental health which is for 3-4 days. There are some that are more about developing your basic skills such as listening skills. Your other two long placements will be in the second year. You'll also have to hand in a dissertation in the your second year. I'll have that to write over the summer, as well as two other research projects. So it is a lot of work and sometimes the stress and worry of failure keeps me awake at night but I love it. I already can't believe how much my knowledge and skills I have developed. Part of it has been eye opening for me because my work is hospital based, so I'm not very experienced in community work.
As for part-time jobs, many have to work because they are sponsored by their work or simply to make ends meet. You gotta do what you gotta do, aslong as it doesn't take over your studies.I think it depends on your responsibilities too, if you have caring responsibilities it's much harder. I would say ideally if you can get away with not working that would be better. I do some bank shifts still at the hospital I work for, that way I can choose when I want to work and there's no minimum hours commitment.
Anyway good luck with your application.