Social Work BA (Hons)
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- UCAS Code(s): L500
- Start Date(s): September 2023
- Duration: Three years full-time
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: City Campus
-
Entry Requirements:
More information
Introduction:
Do you want to make a difference to people's lives? Then our Social Work degree is for you. You will gain the knowledge and skills that could really change someone's life.
This Social Work England (SWE) approved degree will prepare you for the role of a social worker. It has been designed to enable you to progress into employment and integrates both academic and practice work-based modules.
Why choose this course?
- We work closely with employers in the statutory and independent sectors to ensure our course content is up to date with the latest social work knowledge and practice.
- You'll be taught by an expert team of enthusiastic staff who are qualified professionals and come from a range of professional environments in social work and the health and social care sector. They are widely published in their field and the course content is informed by their specific research interests, which ensures you have a current and relevant learning experience. Throughout the course, we provide a strong emphasis on professionalism, social work values and links between theory and practice.
- You'll complete assessed placements, which will give you the opportunity to gain valuable experience of being a student social worker in a range of different workplaces.
- The course has an excellent employability record, and many of our students enter the profession by working in services for children or adults. Opportunities may also exist in social services departments, the private and independent sector, educational welfare, services such as guidance-providing agencies, careers services, and youth justice.
-
92% of Social Work students are positive about the teaching on their course (National Student Survey 2023) -
90% of BA (Hons) Social Work graduates were in high-skilled jobs 15 months after completing their studies (Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2020/21).
What you’ll study
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
Careers and employability
Social Work graduate jobs
The job titles below give an indication of the careers our recent Social Work graduates have gone in to:*
- Social Worker
- Child Protection Social Worker
- Mental Health Social Worker
- Children and Family Social Worker
- Community Forensic Mental Health Social Worker
- Community Care Officer
- Mental Health Practitioner/ Social Worker
- Befriender
- Support Worker
- Refuge Support Worker
- Adult Social Care
- Refuge Support Worker.
Excellent work experience opportunities
You'll undertake two assessed social work practice placements, which will give you the opportunity to gain valuable experience of working alongside and learning from highly experienced qualified social care professionals, as well as registered social work practitioners from a range of settings. These form an integral part of the assessment process and are arranged and assessed by the University in partnership with statutory social work and voluntary sector social care organisations.
Throughout the duration of the degree you'll complete 30 practice skills days, which are incorporated in a number of modules, for example Preparing for Professional Social Work Practice that is inclusive of a readiness-to-practice interview.
In Year Two you'll complete your first practice placement of 80 days, and then in Year Three you will complete your final practice placement of 90 days in your final year. We will endeavour to arrange your final placement in the setting you hope to work in after you qualify.
We have well-established partnerships with local statutory social work and voluntary sector social care agencies that provide opportunities for experience in a variety of settings, primarily in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
Your career development
At the end of the course you'll graduate with the experience and confidence to believe that you do have the ability to make a difference to people's lives.
Social work is very demanding and carries a lot of responsibility. It's also a regulated profession. All social workers must register with the regulator and agree to abide by a code of practice. On completing the degree you may be eligible to apply for registration with Social Work England (SWE) and you will need to abide by it code of Professional Standards. In addition, many employers will be offering an Assessed Year in Employment to newly qualified social workers.
Please be aware that an Aegrotat award certificate allowing a student to obtain their degree despite illness etc., or any other exit award granted to students who do not complete the course, does not confer eligibility to apply to Social Work England (SWE) register or for annotation of an individual’s current registration.
Our Employability team
We have a dedicated Employability team located on the City Campus. The team are well placed to give you specialist guidance and practical help that will really make a difference to your prospects once you do graduate.
Campus and facilities
How to apply
Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.
Writing your application and personal statement
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember that we can only make a decision based on what you tell us, so include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades.
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application. It’s your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place! You’ve got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show the following:
- an understanding of the role of a social worker and current social work issues
- an insight into the statutory and regulatory aspects of social work and social work training
- your social care work experience (paid or unpaid), and how this relates to social work
- demonstrate an understanding of the role of a social worker and current social work issues
- demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively, through spoken and written English
- demonstrate in your application your motivation to study and train as a social work practitioner
Make sure you provide clear details of the length of time spent gaining relevant social care experience and the type of social care experience you have (either paid or voluntary) which demonstrates your suitability to study and train as a social work practitioner. Where this information is missing, you do risk the likelihood of your application not being processed further.
Important information
Social Work at NTU has a limited number of places available to ensure that you receive a good quality placement experience. In exceptional circumstances this may result in the course becoming full before you have completed the admissions process. In this situation we will offer you the opportunity to be considered for the following year’s entry.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page. Good luck with your application!
Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember that we can only make a decision based on what you tell us, so include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades.
Your personal statement is a really important part of your application. It’s your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place! You’ve got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show the following:
- an understanding of the role of a social worker and current social work issues
- an insight into the statutory and regulatory aspects of social work and social work training
- your social care work experience (paid or unpaid), and how this relates to social work
- demonstrate an understanding of the role of a social worker and current social work issues
- demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively, through spoken and written English
- demonstrate in your application your motivation to study and train as a social work practitioner
Make sure you provide clear details of the length of time spent gaining relevant social care experience and the type of social care experience you have (either paid or voluntary) which demonstrates your suitability to study and train as a social work practitioner. Where this information is missing you do risk the likelihood of your application not being processed further.
Important information
Social Work at NTU has a limited number of places available to ensure that you receive a good quality placement experience. In exceptional circumstances this may result in the course becoming full before you have completed the admissions process. In this situation we will offer you the opportunity to be considered for the following year’s entry.
You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page. Good luck with your application!