Entrance Year Sept 2026
Programme Code 54047
Stream Code
MSW
Mode of Study Part-time
Normal Duration
3 years
Fund Type Self-Financed
Credits Required for Graduation
37 (including 8 clinical/field credits)
Local Application Deadline
1 Mar 2026 *
Early Round: 2025-10-15
Main Round: 2026-03-01
Non-Local Application Deadline
1 Mar 2026 *
Early Round: 2025-10-15
Main Round: 2026-03-01
Tuition Fees
HK$382,000 per programme (Taught subject: HK$8,300 per credit; Fieldwork: HK$18,700 per credit) for local and non-local students 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.
* No tuition fee is required for the 1-credit Academic Integrity and Ethics subject
Programme Leader(s)
Prof. LI Chi-mei, Jessica
PhD, MPhil, BASW, RSW
Remarks
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.
The programme has been selected by the University Grants Committee (UGC) for the Hong Kong Future Talents Scholarship Scheme for Advanced Studies. Local students admitted to this programme can apply for the scholarship, please click here for details.
Notes for Applicants
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview (the schedule will be announced on the programme website in due course). 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.
Aims and Characteristics
Programme Aims
The overall aim of the MSW programme is to prepare 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
The programme is designed for Bachelor’s degree holders who wish 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:
Generic social work practice involves mastering foundational elements such as values, purposes, functions, objectives, knowledge and skills. Advanced generic practice uses critical reflection to enhance this framework across various contexts and intervention levels, including individuals, families, groups and communities. In Hong Kong, adopting this advanced generic approach is more practical than training specialists for specific settings. As social problems grow increasingly complex, social workers need a broad knowledge base to effectively tackle intricate issues within changing organisational, cultural and socio-political environments.
Critical reflection is the ability to step back and consider the broader context of professional social work in challenging situations. Rather than just applying theories or generating insights without making reflections, our programme encourages practitioners to engage in reflective learning during difficult circumstances. This approach enables them to work flexibly within various contexts while delivering high-quality services despite constraints. We believe that nurturing students' competencies in critical reflection is as essential as training them in specific techniques, as it equips them to handle uncertainties and challenges effectively in their practice.
Our commitment to scholarship in practice is reflected in our ongoing acquisition of social work knowledge and engagement in advanced generic social work practice. Evidence-based practice is indeed important in building social work knowledge and practice models. In our programme, scholarship goes beyond research in controlled settings; it includes practical insights and theories from frontline experience. Advanced generic social work practitioners apply and examine theories and methods, acting as both practitioners and inquirers. We believe that inquiry and practice are interrelated and mutually reinforcing.
Special Features
Advanced generic social work practice as the training focus
Multidisciplinary approach to social work practice
Integration of social work knowledge and personal capabilities
