School of Social work (Postgrad)

1. MA Social Work

Make a choice that will lead to big changes. Not just for you, but for all those you work with and advocate for.

Studying MA Social Work with us means you’ll gain far more than just eligibility to register as a qualified Social Worker – you’ll develop your knowledge and skillset to analyse intersecting injustices, and crucially, you’ll have the toolkit to collaboratively build better futures for your clients.

Here at Essex, we pride ourselves on offering a postgraduate route into social work which is underpinned by interprofessional study with the School of Law. We firmly believe that social work is a human rights profession, and it’s important to take a global outlook when looking for examples of best practice. If you’re looking for a rewarding career that is a practical application of human rights, this could be the course for you.

With 100% of our graduates in highly skilled employment or graduate-level further study (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021), we’re confident that on completion of your course, you’ll have a choice of jobs to choose from. Successful completion of our BA Social Work degree leads to eligibility to register with Social Work England as a registered Social Worker. You’ll be qualified to work with a wide variety of client groups, their families, and others around them to support them to live independently and to protect them from harm. We recommend researching the role of a Social Worker as part of your preparations for applying for this course. There are a number of sources you might find useful including the NHS Careers and Social Work England.

• Central London is easily accessible from all of our campuses.
• Essex is top 40 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2023)
• 88% of our graduates are in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2022)
• Our student body represents over 140 nationalities and supports over 30 different cultural societies

Latest Rankings

• We are Top 40 in the UK (The Complete University Guide 2023)
• Our Students’ Union is 7th in the National Student Survey 2022 for representing students (Broad discipline English universities)
• Number one university in the UK for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), the flagship Innovate UK programme.
• We’re 76th in the global Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2022 and ranked in the top 25 globally for three of the UN Sustainable Development Goals assessed.
• Top for Drama and Dance (The Guardian University Guide 2022)
• 25th for international outlook in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022.
• Top 50 for politics and sociology in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021.
• Top 75 for social sciences and law in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022.
• Top 200 for business and economics in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022
• Top 175 for the arts and humanities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022.
• 88% of our graduates are in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2022)

A Wide range of accommodation options for students to choose from, depending on what you need.

• The Towers
• South Courts
• The Houses
• The Meadows
• University Quays
• The Copse

Cost of the accommodation: 110-280 GBP/week

Cost of living: 6000 – 7000 GBPweek