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PgDip/MA Social Work

Hello, sorry if this has been discussed before. I searched the forums and couldn't see anything.

I have a degree in English and graduated two years ago. I did English at uni because I had no idea what I wanted to do careerwise, but for the past two years I have been working in various settings with children and young people who have severe learning disabilities. I absolutely love it. I applied for teacher training and did not get it due to lack of experience (no mainstream exp) and then got a job as a residential childcare worker at a shortbreaks childrens home (we provide respite for families with children who have SLD, so no day is the same.) It's a great job, but there is no progression there and we were also told that we may be closed down next year.
This has made me re-evaluate career choice. I'm lucky enough to work closely with teachers, social workers and other professionals in my job and as I cannot do teacher training because I cannot afford it, I feel social work would be a good step to take next.
I was just wondering whether anyone else has gone down this pgdip route, what it was like etc? I looked up bursaries but couldn't find the exact amount you would be given. I will be emailing universities regarding this too but I'd like to hear about peoples experiences as well.

Sorry for the essay! Thanks.
Essentially, the PGDip in Social Work at a lot of universities is almost identical to the MA but without a dissertation/extended project at the end - so the same other modules examined in the same way, same option choices given (where unis give options) and same amount of placement days. At my university (Brunel), 2 students have opted out of the dissertation module and will graduate and qualify with a PGDip because they have MAs in other subjects so just want to get their professional qualification. Personally, I feel it's really worth the 3 months' extra work to do my dissertation and have an MA as I don't already have one. Also, some employers see a PGDip as a failed Masters, which I think is frankly disgusting but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

When you apply for bursaries, you use the NHSBSA postgraduate social work bursary form for both the PGDip and MA. The precise amounts will not be given anywhere as there is an income-assessed element that differs from person to person. Generally, the bursary pays tuition fees and a basic grant of £3762.50 for students at London unis or £3462.50 for those studying outside London to all students who meet the eligibility criteria, then the income assessed element on top of that. More bursary info is available here. These are the figures and information for the 2011-12 academic year so may change by the time 2012 entry comes around.

With the work experience you have, it sounds like you'd be an ideal candidate for the MA Social Work. It's been the most challenging thing I've ever done, but I couldn't imagine doing anything else and I don't regret it at all. If you have any other questions, please fire away!
Reply 2
Original post by jellybeanjen
Essentially, the PGDip in Social Work at a lot of universities is almost identical to the MA but without a dissertation/extended project at the end - so the same other modules examined in the same way, same option choices given (where unis give options) and same amount of placement days. At my university (Brunel), 2 students have opted out of the dissertation module and will graduate and qualify with a PGDip because they have MAs in other subjects so just want to get their professional qualification. Personally, I feel it's really worth the 3 months' extra work to do my dissertation and have an MA as I don't already have one. Also, some employers see a PGDip as a failed Masters, which I think is frankly disgusting but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

When you apply for bursaries, you use the NHSBSA postgraduate social work bursary form for both the PGDip and MA. The precise amounts will not be given anywhere as there is an income-assessed element that differs from person to person. Generally, the bursary pays tuition fees and a basic grant of £3762.50 for students at London unis or £3462.50 for those studying outside London to all students who meet the eligibility criteria, then the income assessed element on top of that. More bursary info is available here. These are the figures and information for the 2011-12 academic year so may change by the time 2012 entry comes around.

With the work experience you have, it sounds like you'd be an ideal candidate for the MA Social Work. It's been the most challenging thing I've ever done, but I couldn't imagine doing anything else and I don't regret it at all. If you have any other questions, please fire away!


Thank you so much - really helpful post!

So, you would get a grant, a bursary, tuition fee loan and maintenence loan? Is that right? Or do you not get the loans as you get a bursary? Sorry I get really confused by the finance side! I live independently with my partner and was wondering if we'd still be able to do that if I was studying and he carried on working?

What are your placements like? I have a number of friends who did the undergrad Social Work and they did struggle with placements, some having to have theirs extended as they didn't meet the objectives!?

I am looking at Brunel, LSBU and Kingston at the moment, probably for 2012 intake. I also saw that you can do an employment based route but I couldn't find much info regarding this?

Sorry for all the questions!
Don't be sorry about the questions, I'm happy to help out where I can!

For any postgraduate level study, you don't get the tuition fee and maintenance loans. It's rubbish as we could use the money just as much as undergrads, but great because you're not getting into more debt as the bursary doesn't need paying back. I'm not sure about the ins and outs of the bursary as I'm on a grad scheme and got money through that instead. I'm not sure if the amount varies if you're living with a partner or not. I think their earnings might be taken into account on the income-assessed bit of the form but can't be certain.

My placements have been great, but that's because I've been on this grad scheme so got two statutory ones in children's services. Most people on my course have been lucky and have had at least one statutory placement - if they didn't get one in first year, they got one in second and vice versa. As far as I'm aware, noone has extended their placement due to not meeting their key roles, but a few have started later as something suitable couldn't be found so therefore finished later. Brunel try to place people in line with their requests, and near to where they live, but obviously this isn't always possible. I think in second year, all those following the children and families route had C&F placements, and all those doing adults had adult placements.

Employment-based route is for the Bachelors rather than the Masters as far as I'm aware, and is a part-time route taking 4 years rather than 3 years. Your employer would have to be willing to allow you the time off to go into university, go to placement and to have study leave for exams. Most employment-based BA students are seconded by their workplace and will be expected to work for them for a certain amount of time as a qualified worker in return for time off, help finding placements, and sponsorship. My personal opinion would be that seeing as you already have a degree, your funding options would be better for an MA (if you've had a student loan for your first degree, you won't get one again) and it would take half the time that going employment based would. Maybe ask your employer if they would sponsor you to do the MA if that's something your interested in, but this might affect your entitlement to bursaries.
Reply 4
Ahhh okay. So the bursary pays off the tuition fees and the grant will help towards living expenses. (Apparently you can get a means tested grant?) I'm just trying to weigh up how much I will need to save!

That's awesome about the statutory placements - my friends on the undergrad hardly got anything, more social care roles such as support work etc. Only a few got the statutory placement. I would really like to work in children's services and the disability team, but I am open minded and have always wanted to work in different settings with different people. Mental health has always interested me. So I think I would really enjoy the challenge of the placements. Also, think I would definintely choose to do a dissertation now. Think the horror of my BA dissertation has nearly left me!

It's funny because in school I contemplated doing a social work degree or nursing, but couldn't make my mind up. I think being older (although i am only 23 lol) and having experience really helps you realise what you want to do! I can't imagine working in a job that's not in social care now.

Oh and you mentioned graduate scheme....what is that?
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by pansypotter
Ahhh okay. So the bursary pays off the tuition fees and the grant will help towards living expenses. (Apparently you can get a means tested grant?) I'm just trying to weigh up how much I will need to save!

That's awesome about the statutory placements - my friends on the undergrad hardly got anything, more social care roles such as support work etc. Only a few got the statutory placement. I would really like to work in children's services and the disability team, but I am open minded and have always wanted to work in different settings with different people. Mental health has always interested me. So I think I would really enjoy the challenge of the placements. Also, think I would definintely choose to do a dissertation now. Think the horror of my BA dissertation has nearly left me!

It's funny because in school I contemplated doing a social work degree or nursing, but couldn't make my mind up. I think being older (although i am only 23 lol) and having experience really helps you realise what you want to do! I can't imagine working in a job that's not in social care now.

Oh and you mentioned graduate scheme....what is that?


There's a means-tested element of the bursary, rather than a grant as such. Most of my coursemates seem to have received about £6-7k in bursary money each year. I know what you mean by the horror of the BA being far away. I started my MA when I was 24 and had forgotten what constant essays, exams and deadlines were like. They've been joined by the horror of practice portfolios now lol. I've warned my friends to remind me of this should I ever think a PhD might be a good idea!! Seriously, although I've been stressed out the last two years, I couldn't imagine doing anything other than social work. It's a complete change considering when I started my undergrad I thought I'd be the next Ally McBeal and I finished it thinking I'd be the first female leader of the LibDems! It took me a while to get round to finding something I love, but I'm finally there.

The particular grad scheme I'm on was government funded and offered by some local authorities near Brunel for students with a 2:1 in their first degree who wanted to become children's social workers. It entitled them to have their fees paid, placements organised by the LA, and a large bursary in both years of the MA. In return, the students would be guaranteed a job with that LA and have to work for them for two years. Mine has changed their mind on this and said we're only guaranteed an interview instead. Unfortunately, with all the cuts recently, that scheme along with many secondments and other grad schemes have been scrapped. I think the only London borough offering any graduate scheme for 2011 entrants was Barnet.
Reply 6
I think it's a case of saving up then really. Obviously the bursary will help though!

I am under no illusion that social work MA will be hard! I work closely with social workers in my current job and they are under a lot of pressure, especially as they are the frontline workers. I've seen social workers put a care package in place, to then be told that because of the cuts they will be halving it, so that individual is back at square one! And weirdly, this makes me want to be one of them! I'm interested in being on the panel and going to conferences and stuff because I find it very interesting. The only aspect I think I will miss is directly working with people as a support worker.

Ah that's a shame about the scheme. I have just missed the boat on most things it seems!

What made you realise social work was for you then?
I did a couple of years working in a LA fostering and adoption department, as the admin for the adoption/post adoption team. I got really interested in the work they did and got given more responsibilities (e.g. doing letterbox contact) as time went on. I got to a point where I thought that I could possibly do the workers' jobs in my team rather than their admin lol. The team were really supportive in me going off and training, and I learnt so much being around them. I'd like to go back to F&A eventually, but I'm dying to get my hands dirty and do a bit of frontline work for my first few years at least, especially following my last placement in a referral and assessment team. I wish I didn't have my dissertation to do and could go and work right now!
Reply 8
Oh wow! That sounds really interesting. My friend is a qualified social worker and hasn't been able to get a job for two years but I think this is because she specifically wants to work in fostering and adoption. Referral and assessment sounds like an awesome placement! I think if I get to do the qualification, I will be the same as you and want to be frontline.

Thank you so much for your replies, they really have helped me create a picture in my mind now! I'm actually excited to apply for next year. :biggrin:
No employers see a pg dip as a failed masters. You can put on your application form that you never undertook the dissertation and never failed anything. I did the pg dip and got given a job straight away as a Social Worker. I don't see much advantage to doing the masters over the pg dip
I have a BA jones and a post grad in teaching but I want to move in to social work. What are my options. I can't get any more student loan? Can it be done?

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