Social Work and Social Policy

Admission Requirements

The entrance examinations for the Master’s Educational Programme are conducted orally. The entrance examination syllabus and the list of recommended literature are available in the “Admissions” section.

Graduates of state-accredited higher education institutions of the Republic of Armenia, as well as graduates of non-state accredited higher education institutions, holding Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Certified Specialist’s degrees, are eligible to apply for Master’s programmes, offered in both full-time and part-time modes of study.

Admission to the full-time mode of study for the 2024/2025 academic year will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of the “Regulations on Admission to the Master’s Programmes of Yerevan State University (full-time and part-time modes of study)”․

Programme Objectives

The educational programme aims to provide students with fundamental knowledge in Social Work and Social Policy by introducing them to theories of social work, legislation governing the social sphere, the tools for social policy development, and implementation strategies. The programme also seeks to develop the practical skills necessary for the management of social services and the conduct of research in the social sector, while enabling students to apply their acquired knowledge and skills in professional practice.

Programme Advantages

Upon completion of the programme, students will acquire professional knowledge and understanding enabling them to explain the causes of social problems, compare and evaluate possible approaches to their resolution, present theories of social work, intervention methods, contemporary social issues, and modern research methodologies. Graduates will also be able to discuss different models of social policy, the principles underlying the development and implementation of social policy and social programmes in the Republic of Armenia, evaluation technologies, and the structure and functions of the social protection system. In addition, they will be able to justify the methods, techniques, and procedures used in social research, present the fundamental principles and methods of public health, and discuss international best practices in the development and implementation of social work and social policy.

Graduates will also acquire practical professional skills enabling them to plan and conduct social research aimed at identifying the social needs of the population, evaluating the activities of social services and social programmes, prepare and present reports, forecast social risks, design preventive social services, analyze social legislation and propose improvements, conduct administrative, supportive, and educational supervision, develop approaches and programmes for identifying, assessing, and addressing social problems, and carry out social research.

Furthermore, graduates will develop transferable skills, including the ability to apply information and communication technologies in solving professional problems and conducting research, work with diverse academic sources and online information resources, anticipate potential conflicts and professional dilemmas in the workplace, summarize research findings and communicate them effectively to both professional and non-professional audiences, prepare oral and written reports, statements, and public speeches, and organize presentations.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Master’s Educational Programme in Social Work and Social Policy have numerous employment opportunities in the Republic of Armenia. Specialists in this field are in demand in governmental, non-governmental, and international organizations alike. Significant transformations are currently taking place in the country’s social policy sector, including changes in the organization and ideology of social protection, the promotion of self-sufficiency among service beneficiaries, and the integration of employment services with social support approaches, all of which demonstrate the growing need for highly qualified professionals in this field.

Graduates of the programme may pursue careers in a wide range of institutions, including the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs; state inspectorates, committees, and departments; territorial centers of the Unified Social Service; state non-commercial organizations; the Standing Committee on Health Care and Social Affairs of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia; relevant subdivisions of local self-government bodies and regional administrations; educational institutions; healthcare institutions and rehabilitation centers; research companies and analytical centers; local and international non-governmental organizations addressing various social issues; associations; and social services operating under the auspices of dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church.