Advanced Child and Family Social Work PGCert
Study level: Postgraduate
Coventry University has been providing social work CPD (Continuous Professional Development) courses and modules to local employers for many years and has prominent links with nearby local authorities and voluntary sector organisations.
Year of entry
2023-24
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Part-time
Online/Blended
Duration
1 year part-time
2 years part-time
Course code
HLST174
Start date
September 2023
The information on this page is for 2022-23 entry and should be used as guidance for 2023-24 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.
Course overview
This course aims to enables you as a social worker to develop your career from early social work practice through to teaching, mentoring and assessing others.
This Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) in Advanced Child and Family Social Work is designed for social workers who have completed their social work pre-registration training, are in employment, and are wishing to enhance their career prospects via gaining a postgraduate level qualification.
Global ready
An international outlook, with global opportunities
Teaching excellence
Taught by lecturers who are experts in their field
Employability
Career ready graduates, with the skills to succeedWhy you should study this course
- Aims to develop your capacity to evaluate, review and improve approaches and systems, and apply learning effectively at an appropriate level using relevant methodologies, ensuring continuous improvement.
- Aims to provide the chance to facilitate the development of a self-aware, proactive, reflective practitioner who is ready to contribute to the innovation, development and evidence base of the social work profession.
- Aims to increase your confidence, resilience, and adaptability to the changing demands of social work.
- Aims to provide opportunities to develop your critical understanding of global and national issues and insights of social work practice
- Opportunities may be available within the faculty to progress your studies beyond the PgCert to a full master’s degree (subject to successfully completing the PG Cert and application).
What you'll study
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
The course is delivered on a part-time basis and can be taken over a one year or two-year period to meet the needs of social workers who wish to study alongside their professional practice as part of their continuing professional development.
It will be delivered using a blended learning approach of:
- Classroom teaching
- Online discussions
- Online tasks
- Project work
This course can be offered on a part-time basis. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Request further information about part-time study.
Teaching contact hours
The number of contact hours for the course may vary, however, on average, it is likely to be around 32 hours in seminars, 7 hours or tutorials, 10 hours in the workshop and 426 hours of work-based learning. Additionally, you will be expected to undertake self-guided learning of approximately 125 hours.
The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the University may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2022/2023 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.
Assessment methods may include:
- Exams
- Individual assignments
- Group work
- Nationally recognised portfolio
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
2023/24 Tuition fees
| Student | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | Not available | £3,733 |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
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How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.
If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.
Facilities
As this course is taken as a blend of online and in-person teaching, a large portion of it will use our Aula online teaching platform. This course is also part of the faculty of Health and Life Sciences and therefore any in-person teaching will take place in our school buildings. Our aim is to offer you sector-leading facilities4.
- Aula is an online teaching resource, allowing you to interact with online lectures, receive detailed feedback quickly on all assessments and communicate to your fellow students in an online learning community.
Careers and opportunities
Upon successful completion of the course, you should be able to:
- Demonstrate that you have developed your social work practice and achieved the outcomes via the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) or its equivalent.
- Demonstrate that you have developed a comprehensive and critical understanding of the requirements of the Practice Education Professional Standards (PEPS) Stage 1 and their application to the theoretical underpinnings of adult learning and the supervision and assessment of others.
- Demonstrate skills and knowledge aligned with the relevant levels of the Professional Capabilities Framework and the Knowledge and Skills Statements.
- Evidenced a critical understanding of practice education paradigms, an awareness of ethical dilemmas, and consolidated their learning around anti-oppressive practice when working with students and newly qualified social workers (NQSW)
All students on the course will already be in employment as qualified social workers. However, the course embeds enhanced employability through a variety of initiatives such as the further development of transferable skills (e.g., communication and assessment skills, leadership and mentoring skills).
These skills develop the qualities needed for employment in circumstances requiring sound judgement, personal responsibility and initiative in complex and unpredictable professional environments.
You will also have access to the Employability Support Team and can be supported with writing CVs, job applications, etc.
How to apply
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UK students
To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online.
For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form.
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Disclaimers
Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the “University”) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.
1Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
2UK and international opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.
3Tuition fees
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For Home Students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.
For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
4Facilities
Due to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. The 2023/24 Contract is currently being updated so please revisit this page before submitting your application. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
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