Social Work, Master of MSW
Awards: MSW
Study modes: Full-time
Accreditation
Funding opportunities
Placements/internships
Programme website: Social Work, Master of
Social Work research at Edinburgh has a permanent legacy across the world and has had significant influence in legislation and policy-making. The University of Edinburgh started providing training for social workers in 1918 and today our social work department is ranked as 1st in Scotland and 4th in the UK (Complete University Guide 2025).
Social Work is based at the prestigious School of Social and Political Science. The School brings together scholars from seven academic subject areas and 11 research centres, with subjects ranging from Politics and International Relations to Science, Technology and Innovation Studies. The Dean and Head of the School of Social and Political Science, Professor John Devaney, is Centenary Chair of Social Work.
The Master of Social Work (MSW)/Diploma in Social Work is a postgraduate qualification for anyone wishing to practise as a qualified social worker. Students come from all over the world to this programme, and go on to practise in diverse settings in social work practice, training, research, as well as in the government, public, private and voluntary sectors.
You’ll gain a fundamental understanding of the theory and practice that underpins all work in the field, splitting your time between theoretical learning on campus and practical work in various learning environments.
Our research
Our approach to social work is a critical one. Social work has always, as its name suggests, been concerned with ‘the social’ and with social explanations for problems faced by individuals, families, communities and society as a whole. C. Wright Mills, writing in 1959, made an important distinction between ‘personal troubles’ and ‘public issues’, arguing that problems we often think of as personal (for example, unemployment or criminalisation) are actually public issues which are encountered in the private sphere. Social work should be about understanding individual problems in their wider social context.
Our research areas include:
- Refugees and asylum seekers
- Social security and social work
- Children’s rights
- Violence against children
- Violence against women
- Friendship and social support
- Mental health and social work
- Innovation in restorative justice systems
93% of our impact case studies are recognised as 'world leading' and 'internationally excellent', and 100% of our research environment is assessed as 'world leading'. [REF 2021]
About the department
Staff teaching on the MSW/Diploma in Social Work include full-time and part-time lecturers, tutors, teaching fellows and practice coordinators. Sessional teachers and tutors also contribute to teaching, as do staff from other subject areas.
Besides their general social work backgrounds, teaching staff have specialist knowledge in particular areas of policy and practice. For example, they work in areas such as:
- children and families
- older people
- mental health
- criminal justice
Practitioners and managers, service users and carers, and researchers and trainers from the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors contribute to the teaching, drawing on their substantial specialist knowledge in ways which complement the expertise within the University.
The University of Edinburgh is approved by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to deliver this programme, which complies with the Scottish Requirements for Social Work Training and facilitates students to meet the Standards in Social Work Education (SISWE) and the Key Capabilities in Child Care and Protection.
Recognition of qualification
The MSW qualification is recognised by the Scottish Social Services Council and the corresponding regulators of social work in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and those who successfully complete the programme are eligible for registration as a social worker.
The programme, approved by the Scottish Social Services Council, complies with the Scottish Requirements for Social Work Training and enables you to meet the Standards in Social Work Education.
It is also recognised as a professional qualification in social work across the world, including the United States and Canada, following accreditation with the in-country regulatory authorities.
For information about using your MSW degree in the USA and Canada please see:
Accreditation
Successful completion of our MSW programme qualifies you to practise as a social worker.
You will study over two years, with periods of practice learning in both years.
You will complete six courses in your first year and three in your second year, including your dissertation.
The Masters dissertation is submitted at the end of the final year but is worked on throughout the programme, and gives students an opportunity to explore in depth a subject of their own choice.
You may need to complete a top-up mathematics course while on programme in order to satisfy Scottish Social Services Council registration requirements. This will be required unless:
- you have achieved at least SQA National 5 Mathematics at grade C, GCSE Mathematics at grade C or 4, or equivalent or
- your undergraduate degree included sufficient numerical content, such as a statistics course
First year courses
- Social Work in Communities
- Social Work with Individuals and Families
- Working with Self and Others: Skills, Theories & Methods
- Doing Social Work Research
- Understanding Care and Control in Social Work
- Professional Social Work Practice 1
Second year courses
- Working with Risk, Trust and Complexity in Social Work
- Professional Social Work Practice 2
- MSW Dissertation
You have periods of practice learning in both Year 1(full time for 70 days) and Year 2 (full time for 100 days).
Placements are an integral part of the programme, during which you will be attached to a social work practice setting and will be under the supervision of a practice educator.
You will also have periods to return to the University and will be provided with regular support, including a member of staff visiting you while on placement.
The Social Work department supports students with national and international placements. Since 2018, our students have been placed in a wide variety of locations including:
- USA
- Canada
- India
- Republic of Ireland
- Dubai
- Italy
Any placement is conditional to students securing a visa to the respective country, which is independent of the University of Edinburgh placement arrangement process.
The department has a partnership agreement in place with Rajagiri College of Social Sciences in Kerala, India allowing us to organise a regular annual placement with them.
Many of our MSW graduates go on to work across a range of diverse settings:
- social work practice
- training
- research
- government
- in the public, private and voluntary sectors
You will also develop a range of highly transferable skills, such as communication and project management, which can be applied to roles in any field.
A new inter-university resource site has been produced as a collaboration between the Universities in Scotland which deliver programmes leading to a qualification as a social worker.
The site contains lots of information for students who do not currently live in Scotland and will be coming here to study social work.
Visit the website:
This site includes information on:
- Living in Scotland
- Social Work in Scotland
- Studying in Scotland
- Becoming a Social Worker
- Placements
- Your University
These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025. A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, is preferred. Applicants holding or predicted less than a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) with additional qualifications and/or substantial relevant experience may also be considered.
You must be able to demonstrate knowledge and experience of social work and a sound motivation to train as a social worker through a period of paid or voluntary work in a social care/social work settings or any settings that allowed you to work with people in need. You will normally have at least six months of work experience at the time of applying.
We may also consider your application if you have other voluntary or work experience and can demonstrate an ability to transfer your learning and experience, and to manage complex relationships in personal or work contexts. You must be able to demonstrate this in your personal statement.
Students from China
This degree is Band C.
Protecting Vulnerable Groups
All successful applicants will be required to join Disclosure Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme before starting the programme. In addition, all applicants who don't live in the UK, or who have spent more than a year abroad, will need to provide equivalent verification from the relevant national authority.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
- Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.
Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:
borrowing money
taking out a loan
family support
personal savings
income from work
employer sponsorship
- scholarships
Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study
SSSC Bursary for Scottish Students
The Scottish Social Services Council administers postgraduate bursaries for students studying full-time postgraduate social work courses in Scotland. Funding is reviewed annually but for 2023/24 includes a contribution of £3,415.00 towards tuition fees and a maintenance grant.
Students must be nominated by their university for each year of the course. Nomination is attached to the university as well as to the student. Funding is limited and subject to a quota.
The University will send lists of nominated students to the SSSC. For September intake this is during summer. Those students will be invited to apply. Nomination does not guarantee eligibility for funding. Students will be assessed for residence eligibility, previous funding received and, if eligible, entitlement.
Please contact the Bursaries team at bursaries@sssc.uk.com for further information.
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 3565
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Director, Dr Sangeeta Chatterji
- Contact: s.chatterji@ed.ac.uk
- College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
- Undergraduate Admissions Office
- 57 George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9JU
- Programme: Social Work, Master of
- School: Social & Political Science
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Applying
All applications must be made through UCAS. Although this is a postgraduate programme, applications are submitted via the UCAS undergraduate system rather than through UKPASS. The course code is L508.
To apply:
- Go to the UCAS website
- Select 'Apply' then 'Continue to Apply' then 'Register'
The UCAS system will walk you through the short registration process. Once you have completed this, you will be able to start your application.
For more information please contact the CAHSS UG Admissions office.
Start date: September
Awards: MSW (21 mth FT)
Further information
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 3565
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Director, Dr Sangeeta Chatterji
- Contact: s.chatterji@ed.ac.uk
- College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
- Undergraduate Admissions Office
- 57 George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9JU
- Programme: Social Work, Master of
- School: Social & Political Science
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences