Social Work

Through a proven blend of in-class and practice-based learning, participants gain in-depth understanding of social problems and their causes, as well as policy solutions. Students build the skills necessary to work with individuals, groups and communities, with an emphasis on the promotion of human rights and social justice. The program benefits from two decades of partnerships with practice teachers and statutory and voluntary organizations, which employ social workers across services for individuals, families and communities.This Social Work course at University of Galway will equip you with the skills and knowledge to be registered as a social worker by theCORUregistration body.

We offer joint teaching and learning opportunities with other disciplines within the School (e.g. Social Policy & Community Development) and are connected to theChild and Family Research Centreand a range of research clusters, which are partnered with theLife Course Institute. This means that staff throughout the School play a key role in relation to teaching and supervising research dissertations by students. The program also benefits from inter-disciplinary training with colleagues in other schools (e.g., School of Health Sciences), professionals in practice and service users and carers.

Careers

Graduates will be eligible to apply for registration with CORU as qualified social workers in a range of public, private and voluntary sector organisations. TUSLA, Health Service Executive, County Council, Community and Local Government and Department of Justice and Equality are examples of employers of social work in the public sector. The nongovernmental sector includes services to children and adults such as, Ability West, Enable Ireland, Brothers of Charity Services, Western Region Drugs Task Force, Jigsaw and COPE Galway. Graduates have also found employment internationally in the U.S.A., Canada, Scotland, England and Australia for example. With regard to further study, we encourage qualified social workers to consider post graduate study and or further professional training (e.g. PhD study or a recently established Higher Postgraduate Diploma in Practice Teaching, Supervision and Management).

Courses include

• Social Work Practice

• Theory and Social Work

• Methods of Social Work

• Research Methods

• Support and Protection across the Lifecourse