Social workers work with a wide cross-section of society, including some of the most disadvantaged and excluded people. The MA in Social Work provides a variety of opportunities for students to develop the knowledge, skills and appropriate values to work positively with people who have lived experience of social work practice.

Students will develop and integrate knowledge, skills and values for, and in, practice to meet the standards for the professional regulator (Social Work England). Students will also meet the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Professional Capabilities Framework at the Qualifying Level for Social Workers in England.

As part of the Masters in Social Work course, students are required to complete 170 days in practice. This consists of a 35 hour per week, 70 day first placement. This usually starts in the February of the first year of study. And a 35 hour per week, 100 day final placement starting in the February or March of the second year of study.

A specialist team arranges all student placements: students do not find their own placements. All placements are based in the North-West of England, primarily across Lancashire. With a small number of placements in Greater Manchester, Wigan and South Cumbria. First placements normally take place in private, voluntary, independent or charitable (PVI) organisations. Final placements take place either in PVI organisations, NHS teams, or local authority teams.

UCLAN's NHS partner is Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust. Local authority partners are Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackpool Council. All placements are audited according to Social Work England’s professional standards and the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF).