Social Work – MRes

This course is hosted by the Faculty of Development and Society Graduate School. The Graduate School website provides a communication hub for students and staff engaged in research, information about our research work, and useful contact information.

The course is ideal if you have a first degree in social work or social sciences and you plan to • work as a researcher or policy developer in agencies providing social work or social care
• carry out research in these and related subject areas
• gain research training before moving into a PhD

We introduce social research methods and strategies for social work and related professions. The course covers the supporting theories and values as well as issues of design and ethics in undertaking research and evaluation.

The MRes includes a research-based dissertation, which may become a pilot study towards a PhD. The dissertation may form the basis of an academic paper for publication.

You study a range of research methods including • biographical research • case study • ethnography • experimental design • media analysis • survey design and analysis • multivariate statistics and statistical modelling.

Our social work staff are involved with research in the following areas
• judgement and decision making in professional practice
• pathways into family support
• impact of childhood abuse on adults
• design and delivery of drug and alcohol services
• prediction of recurrence of child welfare incidents
• characteristics of long term child protection cases
• cultures of care for looked after children
• evaluating participation of service users and carers
• group work
• practice teaching and learning
• transitions from child to adult mental health services
• European approaches to supervision
• comparative approaches to social work delivery in Europe and beyond

We have strong links with universities in Europe and the wider world. This means that opportunities are available for you to network and study with social work students in other countries.

Core modules are available as evening sessions starting in semester one or as day release starting in semester two. Social work modules are taught as a mixture of day release and supported self study with e-learning discussion. Other modules are likely to be taught in evening sessions. If you are not local to Sheffield you may be able to complete the course through flexible approaches to learning.

Short courses/postgraduate diploma/postgraduate certificate
You can take individual modules as short courses or combine them towards a PgDip/PgCert Research Methods in Social Work.