MA Social Work
- Entry year:
- 2026/27
- Start date:
- September
- Study mode:
- Full-time
- Course duration:
- 2 years
- Campus:
- City
About this course
Social workers work in tandem with other organisations to affect individual and collective change and support and protect people from harm.
. Studying your MA in social work at LJMU will allow you to:
- Develop the necessary knowledge and skills to become a social worker
- Learn from experienced social work practitioners and service users
- Benefit from two key work placements
- Enjoy a wide range of teaching and assessment techniques
- Apply for bursaries and funding support (available for eligible applicants to cover, partially, the cost of the course)
Social Work education at LJMU is provided in collaboration with the Cheshire and Merseyside Social Work Teaching Partnership.
The regulatory body for social work in England is Social Work England. You can read more about its regulatory body role on the Social Work England website.
Once you’ve completed your accredited MA programme, you are eligible to apply for registration with Social Work England as a social worker.
Social Work England also provides information on using your registered qualification to practice outside of England. This includes guidance for practicing in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the European Economic Area (EEA) and other locations.
MA Social Work at LJMU
Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
This course is currently undergoing its scheduled programme review, which may impact the advertised modules. Programme review is a standard part of the University’s approach to quality assurance and enhancement, enabling us to ensure that our courses remain up to date and maintain their high standard and relevancy.
Once the review is completed, this course website page will be updated to reflect any approved changes to the advertised course. These approved changes will also be communicated to those who apply for the course to ensure they wish to proceed with their application.
Your programme is made up of a number of core modules which are part of the course framework. Some programmes also have optional modules that can be selected to enhance your learning in certain areas and many feature a dissertation, extended report or research project to demonstrate your advanced learning.
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Core modules
Working With Adults
20 credits
20 credits
This module will enable you to examine, contextualise and critique contemporary social work practice with adults.
Social Work Knowledge and Skills
20 credits
20 credits
This module has been designed to help you develop an understanding of the professional social work role and equip you with the basic skills to work effectively in a range of social work contexts.
The outline syllabus includes:
- the role of the social worker and the importance of professional behaviour
- ethical principles, values and anti-oppressive practice and their relevance to practice
- core communication skills and the ability to engage with a diverse range of individuals, groups and communities
- building effective professional relationships
- working as a member of an organisation
- the role of supervision within social work
- social work methods, concepts and theories for practice situations
Poverty, Inequality and Social Justice
20 credits
20 credits
In this module, you will critically appraise the impact of poverty and inequality and critically explore issues of social justice and injustice in relation to service users, carers and social work practice.
Law and Social Policy for Practice
20 credits
20 credits
This module will provide you with a critical overview of the social policy and legislative context for social work practice.
Introduction to Research Methods
20 credits
20 credits
After completing this module you will be able to demonstrate critical understanding of a range of research methods and sources of evidence, to develop a research proposal within the parameters of legal and ethical protocols.
Social Work Specialist Practice Children
20 credits
20 credits
This module will help you to understand the complexity of specialist practice in child and family social work and develop the associated skills.
Dissertation
60 credits
60 credits
The dissertation module gives you the opportunity to explore, in-depth, a topic of interest and relevance to contemporary social work policy and practice. /p>
Professional body recognition
Our MA Social Work postgraduate degree is approved by Social Work England.
Your Learning Experience
An insight into teaching on your course
Study hours
The MA Social Work degree is a full-time course.
Year one: a mixture of onsite study, Action Learning Sets and independent study. Placement: 70-days, full-time.
Year two: a mixture of onsite study, Action Learning Sets and independent study. Placement: 100-days, full-time.
Teaching methods
Interactive lectures, tutorials and workshops, mainly facilitated by registered and experienced social work practitioners and the service users/carers we work with.
On joining the course, you will be appointed a personal tutor who will provide academic and pastoral support. Your personal tutor will also be your dissertation supervisor.
Applied learning
There is a strong emphasis on integrating practice and theory, with the purpose of producing theoretically informed and highly competent practitioners. The curriculum is mapped against the QAA Benchmark Statement for Social Work, the Professional Standards (Social Work England) and the Professional Capabilities Framework (BASW).
How learning is monitored on your programme
To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
These include essays, group and individual presentations, self-assessment questionnaires and practice learning reports. The research paper, completed as part of the dissertation module, offers the chance to make a real impact.
Where you will study
Situated in the City Campus, the School of Nursing, Public and Allied Health works with a wide range of health and social care organisations to design, deliver and evaluate a dynamic suite of postgraduate programmes. In addition to specialist facilities, you will find high quality meeting and seminar rooms and lecture theatres, the City Campus Library, plus a large café, IT facilities and social spaces.
Course tutors
Daz's professional career focuses on delivering and developing services and support for rough sleepers, people with mental health difficulties, palliative care needs and learning disabilities. He achieved this first as an Assistant Psychologist, and then as a Social Worker. He is interested in the broad fields of: health psychology, medical sociology and critical disability studies, particularly issues of self-care, embodiment and personalisation in relation to disability and illness. He has also been involved in several externally funded studies including a number of projects with LJMUs Centre for Dementia Studies.
The most rewarding aspect of my role is one-to-one supervision and tutorial support, particularly when students are struggling with academic work and/or difficult circumstances. It has been a great source of pleasure seeing a number of those who were close to failing or quitting succeed against the odds and become effective practitioners.
The learning journey that was provided by LJMU and the teachers, for me, was second to none. Each lesson was structured, at a pace that was manageable, and each teacher was fully prepared to answer all questions posed, in fact actively encouraged us to question, think outside the box, and clarify back to check for learning.
Postgraduate research opportunities
At LJMU, you can take the next step in your academic journey with a PhD or MPhil, available on a full-time or part-time basis. International students also have the option to study remotely.
- PhD duration: Up to 4 years full-time, or up to 7 years part-time
- Funding options: Choose between funded projects (with supervisors already in place) or self-funded study
Our Doctoral Academy is here to support you every step of the way—from your first enquiry through to successful completion—working closely with Schools, Faculties, and Professional Services.
For more details on postgraduate research and full details on how to apply, visit the Doctoral Academy website.
Career paths
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 97% of our postgraduates in work or further study fifteen months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2025). Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
Social work is an intellectually stimulating and emotionally challenging career, enabling you to make a positive difference in the community.
What unites our students is their dedication to improving the lives of people and communities. Their career choices in social work reflect this commitment.
Tuition fees and funding
- Full-time per year:
- £4,260
Financial support
Postgraduate applicants who normally live in England* can apply for a Social Work bursary (SWB) from their first year of study. The SWB is administered by Student Services, part of the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Each year, universities are allocated a number of capped places for bursaries. The university nominates selected applicants for a bursary-funded place; LJMU does this based on interview score. Bursaries are paid directly to the university towards the cost of your tuition fees. Please note that the bursary will not cover the total tuition fee costs.
Please visit the NHSBSA Social Work bursary web page.
*If you normally live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you should apply to your own national funding authority.
Please note that students are required to fund travel to and from placements.
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus wifi.
Financial Support
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages. The University offers a range of financial support for students. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist financial support pages including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living.
Additional Costs
In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of:
- Accommodation
- Travel costs and field trips unless paid for by LJMU
- Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire
- Full-time per year:
- £18,250
Financial support
Postgraduate applicants who normally live in England* can apply for a Social Work bursary (SWB) from their first year of study. The SWB is administered by Student Services, part of the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Each year, universities are allocated a number of capped places for bursaries. The university nominates selected applicants for a bursary-funded place; LJMU does this based on interview score. Bursaries are paid directly to the university towards the cost of your tuition fees. Please note that the bursary will not cover the total tuition fee costs.
Please visit the NHSBSA Social Work bursary web page.
*If you normally live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you should apply to your own national funding authority.
Please note that students are required to fund travel to and from placements.
International Scholarships and payment plans
Liverpool John Moores University is committed to supporting international students by providing a range of scholarships and flexible payment plans to help students manage their tuition fees.
Scholarships
LJMU provides a variety of postgraduate scholarships to support international students. Scholarships are available to self-funded students who have accepted their offer and met all the conditions outlined in their offer letter. Students must also demonstrate that they can cover living costs, travel, and other expenses associated to studying at the university. Postgraduate scholarships include tuition fee reductions and are often offered in partnership with external funding organisations such as the British Council and Chevening.
All self-funded international students are eligible for an automatic scholarship worth up to £4,000. For more details and to view our full list of scholarships, visit the international scholarship webpages.
Deposit
All students must pay a £5,000 deposit before they can receive their CAS letter.
For more information view our deposit page.
Tuition Fee Payment Plan
After paying their £5,000 deposit, students have the option to pay their fees in full or in three equal instalments minus any internal scholarships and discounts. There are two payment options available for international students. You can either pay your tuition fees in full before enrolment or opt for a payment plan. With the payment plan, you can pay your fees in three instalments after making your £5,000 deposit. The first instalment is due before enrolment.
All payments should be made through Flywire. Full details can be found in the How to Pay Guide.
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
Undergraduate degree
We normally require you to have a Lower Second class (2:2) honours degree or above. This can be in any subject area.
GCSEs and equivalents
- English key skills/GCSE Grade C/4. We will also consider the following Level 2 qualifications in place of English Language GCSE Grade C/4 or above: Key Skills, City and Guilds, OCR (via Learn Direct) and ALAN
Additional requirements
-
Relevant work experience
- Relevant paid or voluntary work experience and the ability to relate this to the skills and values of social work and understanding of social work roles. Related personal experience will also be considered alongside relevant practice-based experience
- Evidence of some form of formal or informal, paid or voluntary personal experience in the social care arena, and/or a commitment to ‘citizenship’ or community related activities
-
Interview required
An interview, written exercise and group-based task form part of the selection process.
Further information
-
Extra Requirements
- Our recruitment and selection process has a commitment to addressing widening participation and inclusion
- As with professionally qualified social workers, trainee social workers must be physically and mentally fit. You will be asked for information about this and you may be asked for permission to approach your doctor
-
We are seeking to recruit people who demonstrate: a commitment to social justice; concern about social issues and the desire to do something about them; a desire to enter a profession that works to support problem-solving in human relationships and promotes social change; an ability to reflect on their personal life experiences and work experiences and express how this has influenced their decision to apply for social work and the capacity to be a reflective and critical thinker
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
- Satisfactory Medical Clearance/Examination: We will contact you directly to undertake this.
- Satisfactory Enhanced DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service - formerly CRB): We will contact you directly to undertake this and further information can be found at www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check
- In addition, applicants will need to follow Faculty procedures for declaring any convictions after interview. Any criminal convictions, police cautions and disciplinary matters, including those that are spent must be declared. A DBS check will be made when you join the course.
- A criminal conviction or a period of ill-health will not automatically debar you from the course as decisions are made on an individual basis. If there is anything about this that you wish to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us.
-
RPL
- RPL is accepted on this programme
International requirements
IELTS
Non-UK applicants should achieve a minimum score of 7.0 overall in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assessment (or an equivalent assessment).
Other international requirements
International students entering on a Student visa cannot study part-time.
Further information
-
Extra Requirements
- Our recruitment and selection process has a commitment to addressing widening participation and inclusion
- As with professionally qualified social workers, trainee social workers must be physically and mentally fit. You will be asked for information about this and you may be asked for permission to approach your doctor
-
We are seeking to recruit people who demonstrate: a commitment to social justice; concern about social issues and the desire to do something about them; a desire to enter a profession that works to support problem-solving in human relationships and promotes social change; an ability to reflect on their personal life experiences and work experiences and express how this has influenced their decision to apply for social work and the capacity to be a reflective and critical thinker
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
- Satisfactory Medical Clearance/Examination: We will contact you directly to undertake this.
- Satisfactory Enhanced DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service - formerly CRB): We will contact you directly to undertake this and further information can be found at www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check
- In addition, applicants will need to follow Faculty procedures for declaring any convictions after interview. Any criminal convictions, police cautions and disciplinary matters, including those that are spent must be declared. A DBS check will be made when you join the course.
- A criminal conviction or a period of ill-health will not automatically debar you from the course as decisions are made on an individual basis. If there is anything about this that you wish to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us.
-
RPL
- RPL is accepted on this programme
Please Note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check.
How to apply
Securing your place at LJMU
UCAS is the official application route for our full-time undergraduate courses. Further information on the UCAS application process can be found here https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate-students/how-to-apply.
LJM Institution code: L51 Course Code: L508
We shortlist applicants for interview based on current qualifications, predicted grades, references and UCAS personal statements, and as directed by Social Work England's requirements.
Please be aware that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) during live interviews is not permitted. Our staff are trained in detecting the use of AI and have the right to suspend interviews if this is suspected. The use of AI during a live interview will result in your application being withdrawn.
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