MA-level Social Work CPD modules

Support the professional learning of others through leadership in education, supervision and reflective practice.

Why study with us?

• The MA-level Social Work CPD modules support flexible and modular professional development across three pathways: Direct Practice, Practice Education and Management.
• We recognise that much of learning takes place in the workplace. All modules fully integrate practice with relevant theory/research and values.
• We believe in strength in diversity and our teaching, lecturers, participants and experts by experience reflect this.
• Participants can gain academic credit for developing their capability through work-based activities in either direct social work practice, practice education or management roles.
• Access to university facilities, library and resources on and off campus.

All modules on the post-qualifying MA programme align with career development, from initial consolidation and early professional development to supporting social work students on placement (Practice Educator), to becoming a Practice Supervisor or Practice Development Educator.

In essence, the modules support the enhancement of practice relevant to participants’ roles with a focus on professional leadership as defined by the PCF and are aligned with the different Knowledge and Skills Statements (KSS) for both Child and Family and Adult Social Work.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Carmen Yau.

If you have specific questions about the admissions process, contact PSST Admissions.

Modules on offer

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all modules are available every year. Examples include:

• Designing Learning Opportunities for Teams and Groups (15 credits)
• Facilitating Learning in Teams and Groups (15 credits)
• Professional Supervision and Practice Assessment (15 credits)
• Reflective Practice Within and Across Organisations (15 credits)
• Work-based Learning Modules 1 and 2 (15 credits)
• Work-based Learning Modules 3 and 4 (30 credits)
• Research Methods in Professional Leadership for Social Work (15 credits)
• Research and Practice in Professional Leadership for Social Work (45 credits)

Example of pathways

To help you choose the right combination of modules, you might want to consider the following examples for the different pathways:

Direct Practice Pathway

• Enabling the Learning of Others (15 credits)
• Assessing and Teaching the Adult Professional Learner (15 credits)
• Reflective Practice within and across Organisations (15 credits)
• Work-based Learning Modules (45 credits)
• Research Methods in Professional Leadership for Social Work (15 credits)
• Research and Practice in Professional Leadership for Social Work (45 credits)

Practice Education Pathway

• Enabling the Learning of Others (15 credits)
• Assessing and Teaching the Adult Professional Learner (15 credits)
• Designing Learning Opportunities for Teams (15 credits)
• Facilitating Learning in Teams and Groups (15 credits)
• Professional Supervision and Practice Assessment (15 credits)
• Reflective Practice within and across Organisations (15 credits)
• Research Methods in Professional Leadership for Social Work (15 credits)

Management Pathway – outline for developing leaders

• Enabling the Learning of Others (15 credits)
• Assessing and Teaching the Adult Professional Learner (15 credits)
• Professional Supervision and Practice Assessment (15 credits)
• Reflective Practice within and across Organisations (15 credits)
• Work-based Learning Modules (60 credits)
• Research Methods in Professional Leadership for Social Work (15 credits)
• Research and Practice in Professional Leadership for Social Work (45 credits)

Management Pathway – outline for senior leaders

• Recognition of Prior Experiential and or Credited Learning (60 credits)
• Work-based Learning Modules (60 credits)
• Research Methods in Professional Leadership for Social Work (15 credits)
• Research and Practice in Professional Leadership for Social Work (45 credits)

Please note, these are just suggestions and you can put together a flexible programme that suits your role and development and which are best aligned to the needs of your team or organisation. Ultimately all these modules are there to support you and your organisation to continuously engage in learning for the benefit of service users and carers.

How to apply

Once you have agreement from your organisation, you can apply for your chosen MA-level Social Work CPD pathway.  

To apply, you first need to complete the Funding Confirmation Form (Word). This needs to be signed off by both your line manager and the person who is responsible for workforce development. Once you have done this you can apply to Goldsmiths using our online application system ‘My Goldsmiths’. 

If you have not previously applied to Goldsmiths, you will need to create a My Goldsmiths account. You will be invited to register for an account when you click the apply button below or you can register here. 

In the majority of cases, applicants will be selected and sponsored by your employing agency. However, we welcome applications even if you are not being sponsored by your employing agency, provided that you are in a position to demonstrate capability in professional leadership at the required level in your professional and academic work.  

If you are a self-funder, please contact the programme convener, Carmen Yau, c.yau (@gold.ac.uk).

Find out more about applying.

Application process

For the MA-level Social Work CPD pathways, you only need to upload your Funding Confirmation Form (Word) as part of your application. You should upload this to the ‘supporting document’ section on My Goldsmiths. 

 We do not require the following: 

• Certificates and/or qualification documents – please enter ‘please see application’ in each relevant field. 
• References – we recommend that you input your own contact details for a reference request to be sent to you. References are not required, checked or verified when applying for the MA-level Social Work CPD pathways. 
• A personal statement 

Once you have submitted your application, the system will generate a student number for you.  

Please make note of this number and your My Goldsmiths log in details as you will need these to access the student portal area once enrolled. 

If you require support with making your Goldsmiths application, you can read more about the MA Social Work CPD application process or if you require support with your My Goldsmiths account, you can visit our support with your My Goldsmiths account page. 

Selection process

The post-qualifying programme convener will advise applicants and students, assess and make decisions on all applications. A standard assessment schedule will be used to ensure transparent and consistent decision-making. In some situations, you may be asked to provide further information.

Interviews will not normally be held, but in some exceptions, you may be asked to attend an interview.

Social work at Goldsmiths

Goldsmiths’ social work team is recognised for its provision of excellent continuous professional development (CPD) for social workers. We are part of the Department for Education (DfE) funded Consortium led by Research in Practice (RiP) to develop and deliver a national Practice Supervisor Development Programme.

The outstanding quality of our social work programmes was recognised in 2015 when Goldsmiths, in collaboration with Royal Borough of Greenwich, the London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Lewisham, became a Social Work Teaching Partnership (SWTP) early adopter site, one of only four in the country.

Since then we have developed this new programme for qualified social workers who want to develop their professional leadership in line with the revised Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF):

"We act and show leadership, individually and collectively, through promoting social work’s purpose, practices and impact. We achieve this through activities such as: advancing practice; supervising; educating others; research; evaluation; using innovation and creativity; writing; presenting; using social media; being active in professional networks and bodies; influencing; challenging; contributing to policy; taking formal leadership/ management roles. We promote organisational contexts conducive to good practice and learning. We work in partnership with people who use services and stakeholders in developing our leadership and aims for the profession."
– The British Association of Social Workers (BASW), 2018

Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS)

Requirements for meeting the PEPS 1 and 2

To meet the requirements of Practice Educator Professional Standards at stage 1 you will need to: meet the academic standards (pass) for module 1 (Enabling the Learning of Others) and meet the professional standards in your work with your student. For this you will need to have worked with a social work student (first placement), which is assessed by the university's tutor and to be observed by a PQ Assessor in your practice with the student.

To meet the requirements of Practice Educator Professional Standards at stage 2 you will need to: meet the academic standards (pass) for module 2 (Assessing and Teaching the Adult Professional Learner) and meet the professional standards in your work with your student or another learner. For this you will need to have worked with a social work student (final placement) or another learner, which is assessed by the university's tutor and to be observed by a PQ Assessor in your practice with the student. Please note that employers are responsible to keep track of whether their employees meet the PEPS.

To only meet the academic university requirements for modules 1 and 2, you must have worked with a student or another learner and have been observed at least one by a PQ Practice Assessor.

Taking on a final year student on placement if you only meet the PEPS 1

A social worker who has met the requirements for PEPS 1 but does not meet the requirements of PEPS 2 (or is not in training to meet the requirements of PEPS 2) cannot work with a final year student.

If you are not in training to meet the requirements for PEPS 2 you can only work with a final year student, if you are supervised by a practice educator who meets the PEPS 2 requirements. This supervising practice educator acts as a long arm support by coaching you, by reading and signing off the reports on the assessment of the student.