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Postgraduate Taught 2025
PgDip | Postgraduate Taught

Advanced Social Work Children, Young People & Families

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Entry year
Academic Year 2025/26
Entry requirements
2.2
Attendance
2 years (Part-time)
Places available
25 (Part Time)

The aim of the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Social Work with Children, Young People and Families is to enable child and family social work practitioners working in a range of social care settings in both the statutory and voluntary sectors, to develop advanced knowledge and skills to enhance their practice within their current work setting. Through a mixture of lectures, small group teaching, skills workshops and practice related assessment methods, the programme emphasises the translation of learning into effective practice through a clear focus on critical thinking and skills development linked to the student’s practice context.
Teaching in Year 1 will enable students to critically evaluate theoretical perspectives and research evidence in relation to child development, the factors that affect parenting capacity, family dynamics and relationships, the aetiology of child maltreatment, and the environmental and structural issues that contribute to child and family wellbeing. Students will develop their understanding of how to effectively talk to children and parents about their experiences, as well as develop their engagement and relationship building skills through the use of the use of mapping techniques such as genograms, ecomaps, timelines. They will also have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills in supporting children, young people, and families at all stages of the social care pathway including those living at home with parents and those in foster, kinship, adoptive and residential care.
In Year 2, students will have an opportunity to build on the learning from Year 1 to developed advanced knowledge and skills in relation to the core principles of systemic practice and practice skills. They will also engage in advanced learning with regard to risk assessment and decision in complex family situations. This will entail making links between evidence-based practice and the identification of risk, theoretical perspectives and principle involved in risk assessment, and the application of assessment models/tools to assist with decision making in relation to specific practice issues and service user groups. Year 2 will also focus on developing practitioners’ knowledge and skills in relation to evidence-based planning and intervention, providing opportunities to critically examine the international and national evidence base for interventions that address core child and family social work issues across child and family social care pathways and encouraging practitioners to engage with the wider concept of service development.

Closing date for applications Friday 27th June 2025 at 4pm.

Advanced Social Work Children, Young People & Families highlights

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Course content

Course Structure

All modules will be taught face to face, unless Health and Safety conditions preclude it. All modules will be worth 20 CAT points with 3 modules running per year, each lasting six days. Four modules will run over a 6-week period (1 day every
week) with the exception of the two systemic practice module which will run across the 2
semesters with 2-day teaching blocks over 12 weeks.

People teaching you

Programme Director

SSESW
l.bunting@qub.ac.uk

Teaching Times

Weekly lectures and workshops running form 09:00 - 17:00

Learning and Teaching

Learning opportunities available with this course are outlined below:

Consolidation of Learning

Students have regular small group workshops/sessions led by a
facilitator to consolidate and apply course learning.

Assessment

Assessments associated with this programme are outlined below:

  • Assessment is written assignment and oral presentation, including reflective practice
    learning portfolio and annotated case-based presentation

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Modules

Modules

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.

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Course content

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Entry requirements

Entrance requirements

Applicants should normally hold a second-class honours degree or higher. Where this academic requirement is not met, they must satisfy the programme lead that their experience and qualifications equip them to undertake postgraduate study through a written assignment.

Applicants must also possess a social work qualification recognised by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) and be registered with the Council.

Applicants should have completed their assessed year in employment (AYE).

All applicants must be currently engaged for at least 12 hours per week in a children’s social care setting in a capacity in which core social work values underpin their practice with service users or carers.

Applicants must be enrolled on the PiP Consolidation or Specialist Award on the NISCC portal.

Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal prior to the deadline stated on course finder. Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.

International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required. *Taken within the last 2 years.

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, Queen's University Belfast International Study Centre offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

  • Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
  • Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

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Modules

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Careers

Career Prospects

Introduction

This programme provides knowledge and skills which
are highly valued in both child and adult services across
health and social care.

Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

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Entry Requirements

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Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.

2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.

3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

More information on postgraduate tuition fees.

Additional course costs

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.

Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.

If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.

Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.

There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

How do I fund my study?

The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. Tuition fee loan information.

A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas (excluding Initial Teacher Education/PGCE, where undergraduate student finance is available). Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.

More information on funding options and financial assistance - please check this link regularly, even after you have submitted an application, as new scholarships may become available to you.

International Scholarships

Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships.

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Apply

How to Apply

Apply using our online Queen's Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Apply now

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study.
Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

Download a prospectus

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Fees and Funding

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Course location

Social Sciences, Education and Social Work

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