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Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Social Work

Explore CPD opportunities to develop your professional knowledge and experience.

Supporting your professional progress

Our Master level Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme, led by , can help you to meet the requirements of re-registration or simply improve your understanding of key areas of social work practice, health and social care.
With our courses you can:

• build on the knowledge and experience gained in your qualifying training and professional practice
• enhance your skills and reflect critically on your practice in light of current research and policy
• engage in collaborative learning with peers, developing your confidence in articulating complex ideas and contributing to both academic and professional dialogue
• accumulate academic credits that can contribute towards a full academic award
• choose from a range of modules offered across the University’s Schools and departments
• benefit from learning opportunities shaped by real-world practice issues, expert by experience, and diverse professional contexts.

Our courses and awards have been designed for newly qualified and experienced social workers, senior practitioners and managers, as well as those working in children, adult and family contexts (including those in criminal justice, education and health). You are taught and assessed in partnership with academics, professionals and experts by experience.

CPD-accredited learning gives you the critical frameworks you need to develop your practice and reflect on it from an informed position. All learning is evidenced and can support your professional registration and career aspirations.

CPD modules 2026-27

Explore the modules we’re running this year:

• Practice Education 2

  There are 15 and 30-credit versions of this module which enable you to further your knowledge, skills and capabilities to effectively supervise and assess student social workers and others in the workplace. It meets the requirements for Stage 2 of the Professional Practice Educator Standards programme for Social Work (BASW 2022) and successful completion will enable you to gain the credentials to be a Practice Educator in Social Work.

  This module is taught on campus by over six days between September 2026 and April 2027.

• Risk and Decision-making: Challenges for Children's Services - Management and Practice

  This 30-credit module is designed for experienced social workers and social care, health and education practitioners.

  You will learn about key perspectives, theory and the evidence base concerning risk and decision-making in Children’s Services in contemporary legal, policy and practice contexts. The focus is on integrating learning with critical reflection and developing risk management practices, as well as tackling role related challenges.

  This module is taught remotely by  and  over seven days between October 2026 and March 2027.

• Professional Learning Review

  There are 15 and 30-credit versions of this module which is designed for practitioners who have already accrued at least 30 postgraduate level credits from free-standing CPD modules. You must be in professional practice or management in social work, or a related field.

  The module offers an opportunity to review and reflect on previous learning and experience, and to complete an assignment to demonstrate ongoing development of expertise. It particularly suits experienced practitioners needing 15 or 30 credits to complete a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma award.

• Understanding and Engaging in Trauma-informed Practice

  Visit the for details of this 15-credit, remotely delivered module which will enable you to gain an in-depth understanding of the theory behind trauma-informed practice, along with practical skills that can be applied by both frontline practitioners and those in senior management roles.

• Dissertation

  This 60-credit module is the final module needed to complete an MA course. It is self-directed and designed for practitioners who have already earned 120 postgraduate credits. It offers an opportunity to critically explore a particular issue related to your professional field in depth with a view to developing a leading role in your profession.

  You will be appointed a supervisor and have four supervisory sessions between October 2026 and August 2027.

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How to apply

Please complete the CPD Application Form [DOC 162.50KB] and email it to socialwork-cpd@sussex.ac.uk

Fees

Fees are payable after the first day of teaching either via the self-funding route or through the employer sponsored route. Please indicate your preference via the Funding Agreement on the CPD Application Form [DOC 162.50KB]. We are pleased to offer a 10% discount to organisations submitting over 15 applications for one module.

• 60 credit Dissertation/MA module: £3175
• 45 credit Work-based Research module: £1700
• 30 credit modules: £1175
• 15 credit modules: £750
• 15 credit Practice Education 2 module: £850
• 30 credit Practice Education 1&2 combined £1500

CPD Awards

Credits achieved from individual modules can be built towards academic awards as follows:

• 60 credit Postgraduate Certificate in Effective Practice, Practice Education OR Leadership & Management
  *Achieved within 5 years
• 120 credit Postgraduate Diploma in Effective Practice, Practice Education OR Leadership & Management
  *Achieved within 7 years
• 180 credit MA in Effective Practice, Practice Education OR Leadership & Management
  *Achieved within 8 years

For Social Work CPD enquiries

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Essex House (Social Work Office Room 01/02)
Brighton
BN1 9RH
United Kingdom

+44 (0)1273 872733

socialwork-cpd@sussex.ac.uk

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More information

• find a course
• Open Days and events
• visit the current students and staff website.