Study at Department of Social Work

The department offers the social work programme as a broad social sciences education that includes three-and-a-half years of full-time studies. It is a generalist education that provides knowledge of scientific theory and scientific methods, as well as broad knowledge of social work, both as a scientific subject and a professional field. Specialisation occurs through selected courses at second cycle.

As a social worker, you will meet people of all ages, and as a profession sociologists are found within many fields of work, such as municipal social services, treatment centres, residential care, schools, healthcare, habilitation and care, correctional facilities, and closed institutional care for children and young people. Social work is also carried out within the non-profit sector and by private businesses.

Social work as a main field of study coincides in large parts with sociologists’ branch of work, and work with people in vulnerable positions. Terms such as people, wellbeing, social welfare, help and support, as well as living circumstances and environment, are central in the education, and a holistic view of people is emphasised. The value base of social work is based on a humanistic view of people, and an ethical approach with an emphasis on human rights.

The education is anchored in social science research and social work as practice. Consistent themes throughout the education are power, human rights, and socially sustainable development, which are elucidated with the help of research and experience from practical social work.

The social work programme leads to a Degree in Social Work with 210 credits, which is a professional qualification, and is finished in the seventh semester of the second-cycle. It is also possible to apply for a Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree with 180 credits after the sixth semester.

The department offers at second-cycle a Master's programme, as well as freestanding courses in social work.

The Master's programme in social sciences with specialisation in social work offers the opportunity to expand your knowledge of social work and the collaboration between the individual and the group. You deep dive in the subject’s theory and methods, as well as ongoing research in social work. The courses can be oriented towards effort against social issues, as well as understanding their causes and propagation. This could, for example, include areas such as children and young people, intimate partner violence, abuse, social gerontology, and functional variation.

The programme is both research preparatory and a continuation of professional development in the area of social work. The education provides you with increased competence in advanced assessment, investigation, and development work, which today is an important element of private and government activities. You will also expand your understanding of social work within voluntary activities and organisations.

In the programme you will study subject- or theme-oriented specialisation courses in parallel to secondary-cycle courses within other disciplines. There are also several courses included in the programme that aim to enable you to achieve high proficiency in theory and methodology.

Secondary-cycle freestanding courses

The department also offers freestanding secondary-cycle courses, which can be found listed on the Swedish version of this page.