social work masters and working? Is it possible?

brians_daughter

Hi all, looking for someone who jas completed a masters in social work (or who has experience in this course) to advise me if its possible to work as well as study?

The University state it is practically impossible to do both , but they said they only 10 hrs pt work per week was doable when studying at undergrad level:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I am just about to submit my application, but I need to work to support my children and pay the mortgage. The course is set out Sept - Dec in University (6 modules in this time frame, or so the literature indicates) then 100 days of work exp Jan - April and the same for year 2.

Obviously theres the summer break where i could work as much as possible and i have figured out if i take on 2 extra shifts at work from March til Sept i would be able to carry us for the year 1 placement (assuming i can carry on working whilst uni based, but 6 modules does seem a lot in a short space of time) but i would be stumped for year 2.

Initially I decided i was going to work ft in my current job from April 2012 when i finish uni until Sept 2013 to save enough to enable me not to work too much whilst studying/on placement, but with all the changes that are anticipated with funding etc I am being advised by the tutors to apply and start Sept 2012

TIA for any advice

Anna

tiny_courageous

I worked 20-25 hours a week while doing SW masters, but that was worked over the weekend each week (12 hours sat, 13 hours sunday usually). It's hard, because you're basically working 7 days a week while on placement - I can't imagine doing that with a family as well. You also need to consider that although you have 2 100 day placements you cannot guarantee when they will start/finish (placements, especially good ones, are hard to come by) in relation to the university year (eg my first placement didn't start until June when we'd finished lectures in March).

Work is doable if your employer is flexible and you have a lot of support. It's not easy though.

agrinnall

Studying for a Masters is a lot of work, much more than an undergratuate degree in many subjects. If you try to do much work as well as take care of children you will find it very difficult, if not impossible, and if you do get to the end you're unlikley to be able to dedicate enough time to studying to do more than scrape a pass. I've just completed mine (not in Social Work) and none of us who got a Distinction worked at the same time (although one does have two young children and I was constantly amazed at how she managed to cope with studying and running a family home).

Edited to add: Do you have anything definite to say tuition fees will increase significantly after 2012? My Head of Department told me that the vast bulk of university funding comes from undergraduates and that there was unlikely to be any great pressure to increase postgraduate fees. I think waiting an extra year and saving up would be a much better plan if it's not going to cost a vast amount more.

mumps

As an employer I have found SW students have alot of work to do and paid work is limited, even more so if they are doing a masters. I think it would be even harder with children. Good luck.

brians_daughter

agrinnall wrote: »

Edited to add: Do you have anything definite to say tuition fees will increase significantly after 2012? My Head of Department told me that the vast bulk of university funding comes from undergraduates and that there was unlikely to be any great pressure to increase postgraduate fees. I think waiting an extra year and saving up would be a much better plan if it's not going to cost a vast amount more.

The social work postgrad also has a bursary attached to it which the NHS have basically said will continue for 12/13 applicants and will be reviewed, theres a strong feeling taht the bursary will be pulled for future years, hence Uni stating that its probably wise to comence Sept 2012
Thanks for your imput

tiny_courageous

I could well see the bursary disappearing in a few years. At the moment, the job market for social workers has changed somewhat, with cuts to adult services, a lot of voluntary agencies closing down. There are usually jobs in Child Protection, but a lot of people don't want to go into that. I know a lot of newly qualified social workers who are struggling to get work at the moment, and recently in one local authority for child protection work there were over 400 applicants. This kind of leads on to the importance of getting a statutory placement as well - of the newly qualified social workers who applied to this authority, unless they had previous CP experience or a statutory placement they weren't even getting an interview.

Not to put people off social work, because it's a fantastic job, but the markets are changing and the cuts now are really starting to be felt.

mummytofour

I graduated in sw in the summer, although I did a BA. Personally there is no way I could have worked and studied with children during term time. It would have been possible to work in the holidays tho.

If you are looking for work and are interested there is often bank work to be had in residential homes, children and adults. Often these have v long shifts, where I work at the mo I do 15 plus hrs a day, so it is a good way of earning money in one hit so to speak it has its good and bad sides but might be an idea.

lauraloo82_2

hi
I am currently doing the social work masters at the University of Cumbria and am working 16-20hours a week while on placement and studying with 3 children.

During term time we were in lectures 2 days a week and the rest was directed study. While on my placement it has been really slow to start and not really that full on, this however could be my placement and not the norm.

If you are organised and determined to complete then you will be able to do both.

good luck