MSc Social Work
- MSc
- PG Diploma (Postgraduate Diploma)
Overview
These professional programmes are designed for people who want to qualify and practise as a professional social worker. They both lead to a nationally and internationally recognised qualification in social work and graduates are eligible to register as a social worker with Social Work England.
Completing the social work programme at Bristol means that you can work with both children and adults. You will support people to identify their strengths and build their self-confidence, help them to overcome problems in times of crisis, and link with other services.
The teaching staff at Bristol include experienced practitioners who have worked in a variety of social work settings including child and adult safeguarding, domestic violence and abuse, school social work, foster care, physical and learning difficulties, mental health, youth offending, and hospital social work. At our research-intensive university, the programme's teaching team is also active in research, holding a wide range of funded social work research projects nationally and internationally.
Working as a social worker requires an ability to appraise complex and difficult situations, drawing on social science research, social work theories and intervention methods.
At Bristol, we offer two routes to qualify as a social worker. The MSc is a two-year programme that includes a dissertation. It will suit you if you want to conduct your own research project, develop a specialism to take into practice, or are considering a future pathway into policy or academic work.
The PG Diploma is a 20-month programme that still provides a strong foundation in research skills, but without needing to complete the dissertation. It enables you to register with Social Work England more quickly than the full MSc, and will suit you if you want to focus more on the practical aspects of the programme, or want to seek employment as soon as possible.
Both programmes combine university-based learning with two extended periods of supervised practice across two contrasting practice settings, together with skills training.
You will develop values and skills as a reflective practitioner, appraising relevant evidence - including research - to evaluate your own and other people's work and to contribute to the development of policy and practice.
Upon completion you will have a thorough understanding of social policies and a firm grasp of the legal powers and duties that underpin practice in England.
Explore the programme in more depth, by listening to students Matt and Catherine's experiences and watching other videos about the course.
To be considered for enrolment in this programme you will need to demonstrate an understanding of social work (this could be within the United Kingdom or internationally).
More general information about the role and duties of social workers in the United Kingdom can be accessed through the British Association of Social Workers (BASW).
The PG Diploma was inspected by Social Work England in July 2026, but we will only be able to provide it if the regulator gives formal approval.
Programme structure
Visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content of our MSc in Social Work.
Entry requirements
You will typically need a strong second-class honours degree (55% or higher) or an international equivalent in any subject.
You will also need GCSE English and GCSE Mathematics at grade C or 4, or an international equivalent.
You must also submit all required documents as detailed in the programme's Admissions Statement. Required documents include:
- Personal Statement (maximum 750 words). This should demonstate evidence of interest in social work as a professional qualification and evidence of commitment and motivation to work as a social worker. Relevant work and life experience and understanding of social care, social work and commitment to the values and ethics of social work should be included.
- CV (curriculum vitae / résumé). This should include details of any relevant social/health care related experience (paid or voluntary).
- One professional reference. This should be from a social/health care related job or voluntary experience.
We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree.
We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement.
If your achieved grade is lower than our entry requirements, your application may be more likely to receive an offer if you have additional relevant work experience or qualifications. If you have at least one of the following, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when you apply, showing:
- evidence of relevant work experience in the social/health care sector (paid or voluntary)
- a relevant postgraduate qualification.
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.
If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level B.
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Fees and funding
- Home: full-time
- £11,300 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £27,700 per year
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Alumni discount
University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.
Funding and scholarships
Each year, the NHS allocates a certain number of bursaries to students on our MSc in Social Work. Following interview, the University notifies successful students if they are being recommended for an NHS bursary. Our bursaries are restricted to students ordinarily resident in England.
If you are interested in being nominated for a bursary, early application to our programme is advised. For full details of eligibility criteria, students should contact the NHS Business Services Authority.
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
Completing this degree enables you to register with a social work regulatory body (such as Social Work England) and work as a qualified professional social worker in a range of settings, in different countries (contingent upon country-specific requirements).
Many graduates gain employment with local authorities in the region working with children and young people, or with adults. Social workers might develop a particular area of expertise such as in child protection, mental health, or disability.
Some graduates go on to work in non-statutory organisations where they draw on their social work training to advocate for people and communities focusing on particular areas of need.
Sometimes graduates use their training to pursue a career in academic research, or developing policy, often basing this on their experiences of practice after having qualified.
Contact us
- Contact
- Enquiries Team
- Phone
- +44 (0) 117 394 1649
- choosebristol-pg@bristol.ac.uk