Sept 2025 Entry
3 years
37 (including 8 clinical/field credits)
This programme is offered within the Postgraduate Scheme in Applied Social Sciences.
This programme adopts multi-method approaches in teaching and learning such as online, classroom, skill laboratory, or blended learning.
This programme (from 2025 intake onwards) is currently under the Social Workers Registration Board's regular qualification recognition review.
Notes for Applicants
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview in one of these two time periods: (i) 3, 6-8 January 2025, or (ii) 7-8 April 2025. Qualified candidates will be notified of their results via the eAdmission. Once all vacancies are filled, the remaining qualified applicants will be put on a waiting list. Early applications are strongly encouraged.
What's New
- Undergraduate
- Taught Postgraduate
- Undergraduate
Programme Aims
The overall aim of the MSW programme is to nurture students to become advanced generic social work practitioners, engaged in critical reflection of their work and with a strong commitment to pursuing scholarship in practice.
Characteristics
This programme is designed for Bachelor’s degree holders who would like to pursue a social work qualification on a part-time basis.
Students integrate theory and practice and generate new theoretical and practical insights to improve professional practice. The programme values the following principles:
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Contextual reflection: reflecting on the unique features of the social, cultural and political contexts of human service practice and their implications for both theory and practice.
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Relationship between theory and practice: testing and reflecting on theories and developing them into personalised “theories-in-use” in specific practice domains.
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The inter-connectedness of problems and issues: relating one’s knowledge and skills to the context of professional practice, the local community, the Chinese mainland and the international community as a whole, and appreciating the ethical and value considerations underlying professional practice.
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Personalised styles and frameworks of practice: continually reflecting on and integrating one’s professional self, personal values and life experiences, and hence transforming practice theories into new ideas and methods that are congruent with one’s personal style of practice and within the evolving practice context.
Special Features
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Interactive and innovative teaching and learning;
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Interdisciplinary exposure;
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Investigation of social problems from professional perspectives;
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Indigenisation of knowledge and skills in professional practice
Graduates are eligible to apply for registration as Registered Social Workers (RSW) in Hong Kong.
For registration as a RSW, please refer to the requirement and application procedure as stipulated by the Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) by visiting the Board's official website.
Programme Structure
To be eligible for the award, students must complete 12 Required Subjects, 1 Elective Subject and 1 AIE Subject (for a total of 37 credits).
Core Areas of Study
Required Subjects
- Advanced Human Behaviour & Social Environment
- Advanced Social Work Theory & Practice I
- Advanced Social Work Theory & Practice II
- Critical Introduction to Social Work
- Law & Social Work
- Practice Research in Social Work
- Principles & Methods of Social Service Administration
- MSW Fieldwork I
- MSW Fieldwork II
- MSW Integrative Seminar in Social Work Studies
- Social Problem, Policy Analysis & Accountability
- Social Work Practice Workshop
Elective Subjects
- Advanced Macro Social Work Intervention
- Advanced Practice Methods: Brief Therapy
- Information & Communication Technology for Psychosocial Interventions
- Integrating Health and Social Care
- Mental Health Practice
- Narrative Therapy
Remarks:
In addition to the above subjects, students are required to complete a 1-credit subject on Academic Integrity and Ethics (AIE) - HTI5T04 Academic Integrity and Ethics (Health and Social Sciences). No tuition fee is required for this subject.
37 (including 8 clinical/field credits)
Dr LI Chi-mei, Jessica
PhD, MPhil, BASW, RSW
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A Bachelor's degree from a recognised university.
If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the University’s minimum English language requirement for admission purpose. Please refer to the "Admission Requirements" section for details.
For further information on admission matters, please contact:
Tel: (852) 2766 5714
Email: sspg@polyu.edu.hk
3 for local students
6 for non-local students
HK$364,800 per programme (Taught subject: HK$7,900 per credit; Fieldwork: HK$17,950 per credit) for local and non-local students
* No tuition fee is required for the 1-credit Academic Integrity and Ethics subject
Entry Scholarships are available. Please click here for details.
PolyU reserves the right to change or withdraw the scholarship at any time. In case of any dispute/disagreement, PolyU’s decision is final.
Copies of the graduation certificate and official academic transcript (for all post-secondary degrees, including sub-degree level and above) are required. Please also provide the academic transcript explanatory notes of the grading systems (課程績點與等級換算關係表).
1-page Personal Statement in English is required.
Optional