Programme Specification ( )

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Date of Revision Date of Previous Revision

Programme Specification (2014-15)

A programme specification is required for any programme on which a student may be

registered.

All programmes of the University are subject to the University’s Quality Assurance

and Enhancement processes as set out in the DASA Policies and Procedures Manual.

Programme Title PG Dip in Applied

Social Studies Final Award (exit route if applicable for Postgraduate Taught Programmes)

PG Diploma (120 CATS) Programme Code

SWK-PD-AS UCAS _Code

N/A _JACS

Code

L500

Criteria for Admissions

(Please see General Regulations) For current University entry requirements for this programme go to http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/StudyatQueens/CourseFinder/PCF1415/PT CF1415/?p_id=4529&sn=1415&subjects=3546#degreeinfo.

Normally a 2.2 Honours degree or above or equivalent recognised qualification. An equivalent qualification is the Post-Qualifying Award in Social Work. Where this is not met, applicants must show that their experience and qualifications enable them to study at postgraduate level through the uptake of references or through completing a reflective assignment on their practice.

Social Work applicants must have a recognised social work qualification and be registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council.

Subject specific requirements: Strategy and Leadership;

 NISCC registration (or equivalent), normally 5 years post qualifying experience

 Be currently employed in a clinical or practice setting with access to a suitable service user group for practice and supervision

purposes. Child Care;

 NISCC registration (or equivalent), normally 2 years post qualifying experience

purposes.

Systemic Practice and Family Therapy

 NISCC registration (or equivalent), 1 year post qualifying experience OR cognate qualification (psychology, psychiatry, nursing, teaching, etc as specified by The Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice in the UK);

purposes. Mental Health

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 NISCC registration (or equivalent), 2 years post qualifying experience

purposes.

 PQ Part 1 or equivalent Courtwork Skills

 BSW in Social Work (or equivalent) or LLB and Certificate in Professional Legal Studies.

Dual Diagnosis

 Be registered with the NISCC

 Hold a Degree in Social Work, Diploma in Social Work, CSS, CQSW or predecessor equivalent. Social Workers trained outside of NISCC jurisdiction must produce a letter of comparability with these awards or a letter of verification issued by NISCC;

 Have completed the Assessed year in practice or have at least two years post- qualifying experience if graduated prior to the AYE implementation.

 Have a Second Class Second Division Honours Degree.

Candidates not holding one of these qualifications are required to satisfy Queen’s University, Belfast of their suitability for post-graduate study by completing a 2,000-word reflective assignment.

 Have experience of working with clients with a mental disorder and /or substance misuse problems. Where a candidate does not have prior experience of working with people with a mental disorder they should undertake appropriate preparation before and / or during Module 1 of the training programme

 Be able to commit to attend all taught days. Unspecified

 NISCC registration (or equivalent), OR cognate professional qualification; and

purposes. Mode of Study (Full-time, Part-time, other) Part-time

Type of

Programme Diploma

Length of

Programme 2 Years Total _{Credits for}

Programme

120

Awarding Institution/Body Queen's University Belfast

Teaching Institution Queen's University Belfast

School/Department Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work

Framework for Higher Education Qualification Level

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/informationan dguidance

Level 7

QAA Benchmark Group

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuringstandardsandqualit y/subject-guidance/pages/subject-benchmark-statements

Counselling and psychotherapy (Systemic psychotherapy pathway only).

Collaborative Organisation and form of

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Accreditations

(PSRB) NISCC _AFT Date of next scheduled accreditation visit

May 2018

ATAS Clearance N/A

External Examiner Name: External Examiner Institution/Organisation Professor Hugh McLaughlin Manchester Metropolitan University

Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations

(Please see General Regulations)

Yes

□

No

☑

(If yes, please state here any exemptions to regulations which have been approved for this programme)

Programme Specific Regulations _N/A Students with protected characteristics N/A

Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations

(Please see General Regulations)

Yes

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Educational Aims of Programme On completion of the programme the student will be able to:

Please list below the overarching aims and objectives of the programme.

The central aim of this programme is to provide a diploma in Applied Social Studies with a facilitating framework for the continuing professional development of social workers and others from cognate disciplines:

1. Promoting the improvement of standards of service and care received by the consumers of personal, social, and health services.

2. The advancement of academic knowledge, through the fostering of staff development, professional competence and academic achievement. The aim of the programme is to provide students with an opportunity to gain a postgraduate degree, and to achieve professional awards in social work (specific award, specialist award and/or strategy and leadership award).

The programme will also include opportunities to achieve professional qualifications in multi-disciplinary areas such as Family Therapy. Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will

be able to:

Teaching/Learning Methods and

_Strategies

Methods of Assessment

Specific area: develop the range of knowledge and skills

associated with competence 'in depth' in a specific area of work.

Teaching and learning methods to achieve Cognitive Skills are commensurate with adult learning theory and entail formal lecturing, student led learning, IT based learning, tutorials, seminars, workshops.

Assessment methods include formal examination, Continuous

Assessment through essays, projects, presentations, seminar papers, practice assessment methods, log books, Personal Development Profiles.

Specialist area: complex decision-making and high levels of professional responsibility and accountability.

Leadership and strategic work area: high levels of competence within field that is recognised within and without agency context.

Learning Outcomes: Transferable Skills

be able to: Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Methods of Assessment Basic transferable skills achieved include communication,

problem solving, teamwork, autonomy and personal skills, information technology, numeracy, intellectual skills, critical thinking personal reflection, researching, writing at Masters level, debating and listening, presenting, and professional confidence and competence.

Teaching and learning methods to achieve Transferable Skills are commensurate with adult learning theory and entail formal lecturing, student led learning, IT based learning, tutorials, seminars, workshops, and practice learning opportunities.

Assessment methods include formal examination, Continuous

Assessment through essays, projects, presentations, seminar papers, practice assessment methods, log books, Personal

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Development Profiles. Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding

be able to: Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Methods of Assessment Demonstrate a systematic understanding of their own practice

and a critical awareness of current issues and challenges in the context of relevant Codes of Practice (depending on Pathways, see below), professional ethics, the principles of diversity, equality and social inclusion in a wide range of situations;

Teaching and learning methods to achieve knowledge and understanding

requirements are commensurate with adult learning theory and entail formal lecturing, student led learning, IT based learning, tutorials, seminars, workshops.

Assessment methods include formal examinations, Continuous

Assessment through essays, projects, presentations, and seminar papers.

Use evaluation to systematically develop and improve their specific learning and practice, including implementing effective practice in inter-professional and inter-agency contexts; Take responsibility for continuing professional development making use of professional and managerial supervision, consultation and other professional support as appropriate to identify and address issues; develop, implement and evaluate plans; and continue to advance knowledge and understanding in order to improve practice.

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific Skills

be able to Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies Methods of Assessment There are a wide range of Modules, some of which are stand

alone, others that will have pre-requisites (to build on earlier Modules). There are different Pathways and modules that candidates can choose to take through the MSc programme: For the diploma, modules must accumulate to 120 CATS. 1 - Strategy & Leadership;

2 - Child Care;

3 - Systemic Practice and Family Therapy 4. - Mental Health;

5. - Unspecified.

Each of these pathways develops overarching as well as subject specific skills depending on course content and requirements of professional accrediting bodies.

Subject-specific skills will be taught in class using above methods. In addition, there are placement requirements (usually in the candidate’s workplace) that are supervised by qualified supervisors that are either QUB or Agency staff.

Assessment methods include essays, reports, examinations, direct observation, and/or project work.

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Programme Requirements:

Please note that there are different Pathways in the Programme (i.e. Strategy and Leadership, Child Care, Systemic Practice and Family Therapy, Mental

Health and Combined) with separate modules leading to a specialised award. In addition some modules on the Programme can be accumulated on an

individual basis to complete with a Combined award; modules that can be brought together in this way are taken from Court Work Skills, the Dual Diagnosis

pathway and the Child Care pathway.

For the Diploma, modules must accumulate to 120 CATS.

Module Title Module

Code Level/ stage Credits Availability Duration Pre-requisite Assessment

Programme Specification ( )