Social Work University of Otago

Overview

Key Features

The Master of Social Work (MSW) programme at the University of Otago covers key elements of social work practice: models of practice, family and children, community organisations and policy settings, kaupapa Māori and Indigenous approaches to practice, and research and evaluation skills. Students will also complete two fieldwork placements with social service agencies where they will have the opportunity to learn within a professional setting supervised by a registered social worker.

Job opportunities arise in both policy and practice in a range of human services in education, health, welfare and justice sectors. These include government social service agencies, voluntary, and community agencies. Graduates work as health workers, social workers, teachers, probation officers, counsellors, advocates, community workers, policy advisers and analysts, and researchers.

Students are encouraged to tailor courses to their career aspirations by combining social work courses with other subjects to open up new fields of opportunity such as:

• Community development
• Cultural services
• Correctional services and Police
• Health services
• Individual care and counselling
• Law
• Māori and Iwi development
• Management
• Policy advice and development
• Political studies
• Treaty-based services