Institute of Social Work  

Due to this the mission of the Institute of Social Work is to create conditions for the development of professional social workers in the changing Estonian society, by guaranteeing that the theoretical and ethical principles of social work are acquired and have developed; and that the methods of analysing social processes for studying the problems in the social sphere are mastered.

The institute is included in the implementation of research and development projects, target financed research grants are applied and international scientific articles are being published. The institutehas defined research areas and there are research teams.

Academic staff and research activities of the department are visible in the research information database ETIS.

The curriculum is being constantly updated according to the changes in the society and the feed-back survey of students and employers.

Social work education at the Tallinn University, Institute of Social Work

Tallinn University, Institute of Social Work provides social work education at all three levels (BA, MA and PhD). The Institute offers in total 5 different curricula:

1. social work bachelor program 180ECTS
   
2. social work master program 120ECTS
   
3. applied social work master program 120ECTS
   
4. social pedagogics and child protection master program 120ECTS
5. social work doctoral program 240ECTS

All five curricula of the Institute have been fully accredited in 2007, the current accreditations lasting until 2014. Social work research was positively evaluated in 2004.

These master programs are opened curricula as any person with a bachelor degree may enter the program. Hence these programs attract persons already working in the social field (including education and health care), but lacking academic education in this area. The two master's curricula are interdisciplinary, integrating the competences of social work and social policy, sociology, educational sciences and psychology.

Incooperation with other specialities of the faculty and TU open university carry out social work supplementary training and re-training.

Minor for ERASMUS students in English has been initiated (BA). To develop in cooperation with partner universities joint curriculum in English at master level. The tradition of summer universities has been developed (began in 2006).