Department of Social Work

Mission of the Department of Social Work 

The Department of Social Work is a community of professionals providing high-quality, practice-oriented education in social work. Through this education, it strengthens the social functioning and development of individuals, groups, and communities in the region while respecting their needs and diversity.

Core Values of the Department of Social Work

• Individual approach to students
• Professionalism and expertise
• Partnership
• Authenticity
• Openness
• Respect for diversity
• Responsibility

Department Leadership and Office

• Head of Department:
  Mgr. Markéta Dubnová, Ph.D.
  Email: marketa.dubnova@vspj.cz
  Phone: +420 773 737 38

• Deputy Head of Department:
  Mgr. Martina Černá, Ph.D.
  Email: martina.cerna@vspj.cz
  Phone: +420 777 478 050

• Department Secretary:
  Markéta Stejskalová
  Email: marketa.stejskalova@vspj.cz
  Phone: +420 567 141 199

Study Programmes Overview

Clinical Social Care – Three-Year Bachelor's Degree Programme

This program prepares graduates for a non-medical healthcare profession without professional supervision, as defined by Act No. 96/2004 Coll. on Non-Medical Healthcare Professions and Decree No. 55/2011 Coll. on the Activities of Healthcare Professionals and Other Specialized Professionals, and for a social worker profession, as defined by Act No. 108/2006 Coll. and related regulations, in accordance with the Minimum Standard of Social Work Education (Association of Educators in Social Work).

The programme's primary goal is to achieve graduates' comprehensive professional preparedness for the clinical social worker role, emphasising self-experience and self-reflection.

Graduates will:

• Obtain professional qualification to work as a clinical social worker, as defined in §10 of Act No. 96/2004 Coll., who is competent in preventive, diagnostic, and rehabilitative care within the field of clinical social care and participates in nursing care in the area of meeting social needs of patients.
• Obtain professional qualification to work as a social worker, as per Act No. 108/2006 Coll. and related regulations (social assessment, social agenda, social and legal counselling, screening, crisis intervention, social rehabilitation, methodological activities and other social work activities.
• Acquire knowledge and skills as required by Decree No. 39/2005 Coll., which sets minimum requirements for study programmes in non-medical healthcare professions.
• Gain competencies in compliance with Decree No. 55/2011 Coll., qualifying them to work as a healthcare professional without professional supervision.
• Gain knowledge and skills, as per the Minimum Standards of Education in Social Work (Association of Educators in Social Work), ensuring a qualified and competent professional practice and further development of professional competencies.
• Expand their expertise through optional courses (social work with people with mental health problems, substance addiction, with seniors, etc.).
• Gain comprehensive knowledge and skills to be effectively applied in real-world professional settings.

A graduate of the study programme, in accordance with Act No. 96/2004 Coll. and Decree No. 55/2011 Coll., will obtain professional qualifications to perform the profession of clinical social worker without professional supervision and social worker according to Act No. 108/2006 Coll. The graduate will carry out specialized activities in social work within the healthcare sector, social service facilities, and other institutions and organizations operating in the field of social work. They will work either as a healthcare professional with competencies in clinical social care or as a social worker with professional competencies in social services.

Graduate Competencies

Graduates will be able to:

• Conduct social prevention, including outreach screening activities.
• Carry out social assessments and case analysis.
• Develop and implement psychosocial intervention plans.
• Manage social care agendas.
• Provide social-legal counselling.
• Provide social-legal counselling concerning disease and its consequences.
• Assist in the integration of clients and encourage community engagement.
• Organize rehabilitation programs and support services.
• Facilitate hospital discharge planning, ensuring further care and services.
• Offer bereavement counselling and manage post-mortem social services for isolated patients.
• Perform key social work functions, such as therapeutic support, crisis intervention, training skills, and legal advocacy.
• Maintain medical and legal documentation in compliance with regulations.
• Provide patient guidance and information within their professional expertise.
• Conduct analytical, methodological, and conceptual work in the clinical social field.
• Participate in practical training and supervision of students in related study programs.

Social Work in Mental Health Care - Follow-up Master’s Programme 

The Master’s degree programme in Social Work in Mental Health Care comprehensively prepares graduates for the profession of social worker in the field of mental health care, with a strong emphasis on self-experience and self-reflection. The programme aims to equip graduates with theoretical knowledge, practical skills, communication and psychosocial competencies, organizational abilities, and a thorough understanding of the field, enabling them to:

• Perform professional social work at all levels of prevention.
• Provide social work services in both acute and long-term care for people with mental illnesses.
• Collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams and potentially lead such teams.
• Contribute to the development of community-based social work as part of the mental health care reform.
• Advance the profession, discipline, and interdisciplinary cooperation.
• Engage in their own professional growth and development.
• Critically assess the needs of individuals and society in mental health care.
• Participate in destigmatization efforts.