Social Work

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Programme Objectives and Competencies Acquired
Upon completion of the programme the students will have acquired the following competencies:

* Systemize theoretical approaches about changes and perspectives of social work theories paying a special attention to critical and social constructionism paradigms substantiating application of innovative social work practice methods and interventions in professional contexts and creation of new social services and programmes.
* Design and conduct applied and comparative researches of social work practice and its context substantiating solutions with arguments and making assumptions for installation of innovations and its control in micro, mezzo, and macro levels for an implementation of human rights and social justice.
* Implement research projects (analysing researches) reflecting perspectives of a recipient while developing qualitative research methods and creating social work knowledge for the adequate practice of professional activity methods and interventions.
* Establish the suitability / appropriateness and effectiveness of intervention, developing ethical changes enabling social worker and client interactions, using specialized methods of work with individuals, families, and/or groups in unpredictable, complex situations with consideration to resources and opportunities.
* Initiate the creation and development of innovative social services projects, programmes and/or organizations integrating enabling innovative principles and methods of organizations control and interdisciplinary collaboration, foreseeing/using local, national and international financial, human and structural resources.
* Summarize analysis outcomes of policy, resource and social structure links preparing recommendations for social policy improvement, social services and sustainable social development in the aspect of comparative social policy.
* Associate and convincingly convey professional information communicating and collaborating with social work specialists, recipients and other professions representatives ethically influencing and responsibly presenting relevant questions of social work professional and academic fields.
* Critically assess ones further individual learning and application of innovative social work professional knowledge together with practical and research methods, reflecting ones professional and learning experience and its impact to social welfare.

Career Opportunities
Graduates of Social work Masters programme organize and control social work activity, do social work researches, implement prevention programmes, administrate, prepare and are working on national and international projects and programmes, initiate new social services, participate in preparation and qualification programmes of social workers, design, implement and assess intervention processes, working with individuals, families, groups or society in these fields:

* Social Security and Work Department and its subdivisions; in social assistance departments of municipalities, stationary and non-stationary institutions of social services (centres of social services, foster homes, specialized foster institutions, day and society centres, etc.);
* Educational institutions: universities, non-university higher education institutions, vocational education and other institutions;
* Healthcare system institutions: individuals primary, secondary and tertiary level (including mental health) healthcare in ambulatory and stationary institutions, Centres for Addictive Disorders and public healthcare institutions;
* judiciary institutions: institutions controlled by prison department;
* National and international non-governmental organizations.

Graduates of Social work Masters continue their doctoral studies of social work, sociology, educology and other social science programmes of doctoral studies in Lithuania and foreign universities.

Curriculum:

Course titleCompulsory subjects (x)

* Theoretical models of social work

* Practice methodology of social work

* Group therapy in social work

* Models of social work with families and their application

* Comparative policy of social welfare

* Intercultural context of socio-cultural problems

* Social work paradigms

* Social work management in a society

* Supervision theory and practice in social work

Optional subjects (x)

* Professional activity practice of social work

* Experience psychology

* Social gerontology

* Human resources management in social work organizations

* Management of social programmes and projects

* Social work in Europe

Research papers (x)

* Methodology of qualitative research

* Activity research for social justice in global context

* Modelling of social work researches

Final paper

* Social work MA Thesis

Total:

120 ECTS

This programme can be studied by students who have university bachelor of Social work. Graduates of other social and humanities bachelor studies or graduates who have equal university education in these fields are admitted only if they have fulfilled conditions of supplementary studies. Graduates of Social work studies who have a qualification degree of professional bachelor admitted to these studies only if they have fulfilled conditions of supplementary studies.Complementary studiesStudents with a Bachelors degree other than of a social work must have studied other subjects of Social Sciences (8 credits), Humanities (6 credits) and Social Work (8 credits) and mush have an accomplished social work practice of at least 10 credits. Students, who didnt study social work subjects before, can choose these subjects: Social Work Basics (4 credits) and Practicum of Social Work Competences (4 credits). These subjects are studied together with Bachelor students in first two semesters of Master studies.Programme of supplementary studies (40 credits) is prepared for graduates of college programmes of social work field who were awarded with qualification degree of professional bachelor. Programme of supplementary studies contains of compulsory subjects general to all universities (6 credits), introductory subjects of various science fields and areas (15 credits) and subjects of social work (19 credits).

Scholarships
Scholarships to Persons who Graduated from Foreign Institutions

Vytautas Magnus University offers scholarships to students who are currently enrolled or planning to enrol in Masters degree programmes taught in English at Vytautas Magnus University.

Scholarships
* Golden and Silver awards
* State scholarships
* Stipendium Honoris