The University of Sheffield
Prospective Postgraduates

MA Professional Practice with Children and their Families

Amelia Moore, postgraduate student in Department of Sociological Studies

Key facts

  • Department of Sociological Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences
  • 3 years part-time

Fees and funding

Financial information for postgraduate taught courses

Entry requirements

You'll need 2:2 honours degree plus a social work or equivalent professional qualification. You should be currently employed in a relevant work setting that will support your studies: many of the assessment requirements are for direct work with children and their families or carers.

English Language Requirements: Overall IELTS grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, or equivalent.

Entry requirements for international students

Any questions?

If you'd like to know more about any aspect of our courses, contact us:

E: sociological.studies@sheffield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)114 222 6403

Apply now

About the course

This course is for professionals working with children and their families or carers. It is particularly suitable for qualified childcare social workers from statutory, voluntary and independent sector agencies who work in residential, field, hospital or day care settings.

The course will train you to be a child-centred, critically reflective social worker whose practice focuses on:

  • The developmental needs of children and young people
  • The capacity of parents or carers to respond to those needs
  • The impact of the wider family and environmental factors on parenting capacity and the child or young person

We are pleased to be able to add a modular route to our postgraduate continuing professional development (CPD) activity in Professional Practice with Children and their Families.

The CPD route is available to qualified practitioners and their employers in order to provide greater flexibility and choice for study at a post-qualifying level.

You'll be able to complete the modules independently, or use the credits you achieve by completing them successfully to build future awards that will map to existing and any proposed post-qualifying (PQ) frameworks. This enables you to complete an approved and accredited award over a longer period of time.

Course content

You must take four 15-credit modules and two 30-credit modules. You'll also need to complete a 60-credit dissertation.

Core modules

  • Consolidation
  • Enabling Others
  • Safeguarding Children
  • Evidence-Informed Practice
  • Direct Work with Children and their Families
  • Public Law
  • Specialist Practice

Optional modules

The following options are expected to be available:

  • Private Law
  • Leadership and Change Management
  • Managing People
  • Managing Resources and Quality
  • Supervision and Safeguarding

These modules may be of interest if you want to explore a leadership and management professional award.

Teaching

  • Compulsory seminars
  • Optional lectures
  • Fieldwork
  • Projects

Assessment

  • Coursework assignments
  • Dissertation
  • Portfolio
  • Group presentations
  • Direct observation of practice is needed for General Social Care Council (GSCC) Post Qualifying Framework awards

Where your masters can take you

Our graduates go on to become academics, researchers or health and social care professionals. Others become managers or administrators in the public and private sectors.

Stay informed

Our interdisciplinary approach brings together sociologists, social policy analysts, social workers and social anthropologists. Our empirical research is internationally recognised, and our contributions to current policy debates are significant and trusted.

Stay connected

You'll get access to office space in a centrally located postgraduate facility. Use our flexible work spaces to connect with postgraduate research students and get involved in the work of the department. You'll discover a positive, friendly atmosphere where staff and postgraduate students work together as colleagues.

Apply now

You can apply for postgraduate study using our Postgraduate Online Application Form. It is a quick and easy process.

Postgraduate Online Application Form