BACKGROUND

The Master of Arts (M.A. Social Work) programme is a research based programme designed for holders of a bachelor's degree in social work, social practitioners and individuals in the helping profession who wish to advance their knowledge in social work theories and practice. Through this program, students will undertake a fully supervised research project. This approach enables the students to gain experience in exploring problems, analysing ideas and theories, evaluating practice, synthesizing and linking knowledge with practice, utilizing research methods and producing new ideas in various areas of social work practice. The integrated skills acquired through this learning process will enhance the students' capabilities in both theories and practice, and assist them in developing a professional career in social work and social welfare services.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

This programme is offered by full research. Students are required to:

• attend and pass the following courses (if necessary) with at least a B grade:
1. SZRZ6014 Research Methodology
2. SCLE6014 Academic Writing, and/or
3. any other course as determined by the supervisor or Academic Committee
• present and defend proposed research to a committee
• present progress reports of research work at colloquium arranged by the Graduate School or College
• attend a viva session to defend the thesis, and
• submit a final thesis.

RESEARCH AREAS AND SPECIALIZATION

One of the advantages of a research-based programme is the students are able to choose relatively freely which area of practice or which issues or problems that they are interested in and wish to conduct a scientific inquiry on. Depending on the availability of academic staff who are able to supervise, the choice is virtually endless. The Social Work programme at UUM is currently the largest programme offering such a degree in this country and as such possesses a wide variety of expertise in equally wide range of practice areas. Some of these areas include (based on available expertise in the programme):

• Social work with children and youth
• Social work with groups
• Social work with communities
• Medical social work
• Social work with family
• Social work with the disabled
• Social work with the elderly
• Social work in mental health
• Social work in organizations
• Islamic law and jurisprudence
• Social gerontology
• Social demography
• Volunteerism
• Criminology
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Deviance and correctional services
• Gender studies
• Policy,organization and management
• Management of welfare services and organization
• History of welfare sevices
• Urban dan rural sociology
• Study on social problems
• Study on poverty