Social work is a professional and academic discipline that describes the application of social theory and research methods to study and improve the lives of people, groups, and societies. It incorporates and utilizes other social sciences as a means to improve the human condition and positively change society's response to chronic problems.
The programme deals with the fundamental knowledge of power and resources distributed in the world, and impact political decisions on societies. The purpose of the programme is to assist students to develop knowledge and skills for professional careers in international policy studies. The curriculum for Master of Social Work is also structured such that the students from social science, arts and humanities department from Lincoln University College and from outside of the Lincoln University College could enroll in the program to enrich their capacity in this particular field in order to broaden their sphere of opportunities in the marketplace.