PGCertSocial Work Practice Education
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Why study a social work practice education PGCert at Solent University
Extend your professional status and portfolio as a social worker to enable the learning of social work students and newly qualified social workers within placements.
- The course has extensive links with social work settings across the South Coast, including principal contacts within local authorities.
- The course combines academic and practical engagement to underpin the learning outcomes, enabling you to develop direct skills alongside theoretical understanding of the learning process.
- You will develop and apply theoretical, procedural, and tacit knowledge, underpinning your skills development in the facilitation of work-based learning.
- Many regional partners and national agencies recognise a practice educator qualification as an indicator and pre-requisite for promotional pathways to managerial and senior positions.
- Solent is proud to have received the TEF Gold award in recognition of our high standard of teaching and innovative practice. This is a feature of this course, drawing from 23 years of practice education experience.
- You’ll be assigned a personal tutor who can assist you with pastoral support to help you make the most of your learning.
Course overview
The Social Work Practice Education course is an opportunity for you to engage with your continuous professional development and invest in your future career development; working to enhance your professional status and skills regarding professional leadership, management, supervision, and learning and development.
The course will enable social work practitioners to develop their supervisory skills and engage with the professional learning of students undertaking their social work undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. This will, in turn, inform progression pathways within employer organisations.
During the course, you will be encouraged to develop the necessary skills and knowledge for practice – both as an internal practice educator or as an independent freelance practice educator within the field of social work placements. This must be evidenced through your commitment to undertake an appropriate practice educator role with a social work student on placement while you're studying on the course.
The themes, issues and learning covered within this course will be of interest to practitioners working within related fields of practice such as social care, nursing, and the allied health professions.Â
Course features
Apply direct
You can apply direct to Solent University for this course
Part-time option
You can study this course part-time
This course is for
This course is for registered social workers looking to extend their professional status and portfolio to enable the learning of social work students and newly-qualified social workers within placements.
What this course leads to
Applicants with a completed practice education course will be able to undertake the practice educator role as part of their substantive role within social work and/or as independent freelance practice educators - working alongside University course providers and principal employers.
In addition, the course provides a clear indication of skills to underpin the potential to work with newly qualified social workers undertaking their assessed and supported year in employment and with social work apprentices undertaking apprenticeship programmes.Â
- Social work practice educator
Meet the team
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces.
Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
Year one
Core modules
Practice Education: The Facilitation, Support, Planning And Assessment Of Work-based Learning
The primary goal of this module is to enable you to develop, support, monitor and assess an effective practice curriculum within a social work workplace. This development is central to the promotion of effective and rigorous learning opportunities that will enable learners to meet the recognised professional standards of a qualifying social worker. You will be required to engage with a learner within your workplace, or within a recognised provider agency for social work placements for students seeking to achieve a validated, professional social work qualification. Alongside your engagement in the role of a practice educator, you will develop a portfolio of evidence: signposting the application of your learning within the practice educator role.
Learning resources
At Solent, our aim is to deliver innovative, inclusive and intellectually stimulating teaching to develop self-confident and highly employable graduates. All our courses are designed with employability in mind, which makes industry-based learning a priority.
Learn transferable skills
You'll be supported to develop a range of transferable skills, including team leadership, evidence-based writing, explicit application of theory and practical knowledge within practice, team work, communication, problem solving, and detailed skills in analysis and evaluation.
These transferable skills empower you to work in a range of different industries after graduation. The course will also equip you with research and academic skills helping those who wish to pursue a PhD or an academic career.
Why choose a career as a social work practice educator
Gaining this HE certificate will enable practitioners not only to help educate social work students within the organisation in which they're employed, but also provide opportunities to offer these skills on a freelance basis.
The reflected voice of practice educators that have completed this course highlights that the practice educator role offers an opportunity to reconnect with their social work roots. They find the dynamic of the role to be one of the most enjoyable aspects of their practice and something that helps to sustain and re-energise their day-to-day social work practice. The shared learning within this role will support your professional development and offer an opportunity to reflect and grow within your professional context – and it will help you to formulate your next steps.
Solent Careers
The Solent Careers team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
6th
UK uni for sustained employment
Longitudinal Educational Outcomes 2022
Alumni network
As part of our global alumni community, you can take advantage of a range of benefits.
Whether it's been days or decades since you left us, or you're soon to don your cap and gown, things are constantly changing at Solent. We're always innovating, but we're also immensely proud of our heritage. And that means you.
Research and knowledge exchange
Research doesn't just live in publications and journals - the effects of groundbreaking research can be found everywhere you look. That's why research at Solent has always been firmly rooted in industry needs and real-world application.
Solent University prides itself on carrying out not only pioneering research, but also research that addresses real world problems. We offer opportunities to study for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in a number of areas.
At Solent, we want to help you achieve your best and discover new insights. Whether you're thinking about applying for a PhD, or already underway with your research studies, you'll find useful guidance and information in our research pages.
Research at SolentTuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2024/25 academic year are:
- UK and Channel Island part-time fees: £800
- International and EU part-time fees: Students from outside the UK are usually unable to obtain a visa for part-time study. Please visit our visas and immigration page for more information.
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
Alumni discount
Solent alumni are eligible for a 20% reduction of tuition fees if returning to study a postgraduate course.
Find out moreBursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Cost of living support
At Solent, we understand that the cost of living crisis may be of some concern. To help, we've put together some detailed information to show what support is available and how to make your money go further.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Student finance videos
Discover Solent University Video transcript, with a description of visuals available.Find out what Southampton has to offer Video transcript, with a description of visuals available.
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
Applicants must be a registered social worker with at least two years' post-qualifying experience by the end of the course, if they are to practice within the field of social work placements.
You must have substantive support of your employer to engage within the role of a practice educator during the course.
If you are an independent applicant, you must demonstrate an indicative commitment to undertake the role of an off-site independent practice educator.
Key entry requirements
Students from outside the UK are usually unable to obtain a visa for part-time study. Please visit our visas and immigration page for more information.
Key entry requirements
Students from outside the EU are usually unable to obtain a visa for part-time study. Please visit our visas and immigration page for more information.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
Your application checklist
Applications for postgraduate courses can be made at any time prior to the start of the course. However, we strongly recommend you apply at your earliest convenience.
Please ensure you upload the following mandatory documents with your application:
- Certified transcripts of qualifications, including English language proficiency if non-UK student.
- Copy of passport.
- Copy of current visa (if applicable).
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in each individual component
- TOEFL IBT minimum 94 with a minimum of 19 in each individual component
- or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Study options
Make your application
- 1 year part-time
