Palliative Care | PG Diploma
Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders | PG Certificate
Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders | PG Diploma
Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders | MSc
Systemic Practice and Family Therapy | MSc
Systemic Practice and Family Therapy | PG Certificate
Systemic Practice and Family Therapy | PG Diploma
Systemic Psychotherapy | MSc

We also welcome applications from suitably qualified applicants for PhD study.

The DARN study assessed the feasibility of ‘wearing’ the device within a sample of a homeless hostel population. The individuals wore it whilst in the homeless shelter (for participant protection), under the supervision of hostel staff. Focus groups were held with individuals in Maghaberry prison and Hydebank College to ascertain the views of those who are at risk of opioid overdose on return to the community.

The redesigned programme offers a part-time structure over two to three years, with clear alignment to the Professional in Practice (PiP) framework. Completion of Year 1 meets Consolidation Award requirements, Year 2 supports the Specialist Award, and the final MSc year aligns with the Leadership Award. Two bespoke systemic practice modules will also allow students to gain Foundation-level accreditation with the Association of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice UK.

Updated content reflects current practice priorities - covering areas such as assessment, risk, parenting capacity, child participation and service development. Modules will be delivered by members of our Centre for Child, Youth and Family Welfare, alongside experienced external tutors supporting systemic skills and reflective practice.

This programme marks a renewed commitment to supporting professional development in child and family social work - meeting workforce needs, supporting staff wellbeing and ultimately improving outcomes for children and families.

Programme Director, Professor Lisa Bunting said:

“A huge thanks to everyone who contributed to the redevelopment process. This has been a genuinely collaborative effort involving School of SSESW colleagues, the Queen’s University Centre for Child, Youth and Family Welfare, and key external stakeholders including the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, Health and Social Care Trust Learning and Development teams, and frontline practitioners. Applications are open now and we look forward to welcoming the first cohort of students in September.”

Which course did you take and why?
I undertook the Relevant Graduate Route. It was an advantage that this took two years to complete and it was appealing that you would benefit from completing a placement each year.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I wanted to become a Social Worker since I was in school but I felt I wanted more life experience first. When I was studying Psychology, I loved studying issues related to Social Work in Social Psychology, including prejudice, and this cemented my wish to pursue a career in which these issues could be actively challenged.

What was your experience of the course and the School of SSESW?
I really loved the course and studying within the School of SSESW. The topics we studied were interesting and it was great to apply the knowledge we gained when on placement. The staff are amazing. They are so informative about their field of expertise, but also are supportive and kind which made a big difference.

What was your experience of the facilities and support at Queen’s?
The library is amazing and has everything you need for a good university experience.

How did you find the student experience at Queen’s?
There are so many clubs and hobbies you can get involved in which heightens your student experience. Everything was well organised and there was good communication from the University.

Were you involved in any additional university activities?
In the first year of my degree I was involved in the Social Work book club which was a really brilliant experience and I would recommend this to anyone.

How is your job going now that you’re in the workplace?
I love my job. I now work in an Older People’s Team in the South Eastern Trust. I completed my Assessed Year in Employment (probationary year) in Children’s Services. We get to work with people and make a difference every day. I always heard that Social Work is a challenging but a very rewarding career – and I can honestly say this is so true. 

The event highlighted the shared struggles and triumphs of Sister Cities, Nashville and Belfast, both of which have been shaped by their deep histories of conflict and resilience in the pursuit of civil rights and peace.  

From the Civil Rights Movement in Nashville over 60 years ago to the peace-building efforts in Northern Ireland, the highly successful Peace Summit provided a platform for dialogue, education and connection.  

The event also coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Sister Cities partnership between Nashville and Belfast, with the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray attending as part of a delegation from Northern Ireland, led by Belfast City Council. 

Congressman Joe Kennedy III (right), former Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, participated in an in-conversation event with our Social Work colleague Joe Duffy and award-winning journalist Dwight Lewis (centre) at Fisk University, discussing the ongoing fight for civil rights and peace. He reflected on the civil rights issues of today, how his grandfather, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and his great-uncle, President John F. Kennedy, campaigned for civil rights, as well as his own recent role as Special Envoy. 

Professor Duffy commented: 

''It is with immense pride I can now reflect on how my idea, first envisioned in January 2024, became a reality at the Peace Summit in Nashville. It was a personal highlight to interview Congressman Joe Kennedy III, Special Envoy to Northern Ireland 2022-24, alongside journalist Dwight Lewis about the path to civil rights in America and his reflections on peacebuilding in Northern Ireland.'' 

The annual visit to Belfast is a collaboration between the Centre for Public Health at Queen's University Belfast and the Centre for Global Health at Trinity College Dublin (TCD). Accompanied by academics from their MSc Global Health Studies programme at TCD, the international students come to Queen’s to learn from our research and clinical experiences in order to further their understanding of mental health as a public health issue in a post-conflict society.

Michael Duffy met last year’s visiting students and was invited this year to provide a lecture and a question and answer session on the long-term impact of conflict on mental health and  ‘Treating Trauma Linked to Conflict’. The international students were from various disciplines including Medicine, Social Work, Psychology, Nursing and a number of other academic backgrounds so the group discussion was rich and came from a wide range of perspectives.

While in Belfast, the students took a black taxi tour of the city with a guide and learned in more detail about the history of and trauma relating to the decades of The Troubles in Northern Ireland.