Social Work BA (Hons)
- Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
- Typical Offer: 112 - 120 UCAS tariff points
- UCAS Code(s): L500
- Start Date(s): September 2024
- Duration: Three years full-time
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: City Campus
Introduction:
Social work is serious, life-changing business. It calls for good hearts and strong minds.
What do social workers do? Where there’s a need, we’re there; wherever society is squeezed or stretched, we fill the gaps. From child protection to vulnerable adults, to the cost of living and the UK’s mental health crisis, it’s our job to find answers — for individuals, families, and whole communities. Social workers battle against discrimination, poverty, injustice, and inequality, and we earn victories every day. What’s more, we leave a lasting mark on the lives of those who need us.
It’s not always an easy job, but it is a deeply rewarding one. More than a career, it’s a calling. On this social work degree, we’ll deal in the real — the reality of practice, and of people. Prepare for an eye-opening, stereotype-busting journey of personal growth, as you explore the key issues, questions and processes, and emerge with the skills, knowledge and experience to be a professional social worker — someone who’s ready to make your own special difference to the world.
Why study this course?
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Learn everything that employers expect to see — this course is accredited by Social Work England. -
Experience the real world of social work, with 170 days of practice placements included as standard. -
Join a wider family — our industry connections and opportunities stretch right across the Midlands. -
92% of our Social Work students enjoyed and would recommend this course (National Student Survey, 2023).
What you’ll study
We’ve built this course with care. What makes it so special is the range of voices feeding into what you’re taught — from students and teachers, to statutory bodies, to social work partners and employers. You’ll graduate with your finger on the pulse of modern practice.
Together, we’ll explore the big issues and trends that other social work degrees don’t — things like the ‘digitisation’ of the profession, from online assessments to maintaining contact with service users via text and WhatsApp. We’ll talk, share, and reflect — and in the process of doing that, your own opinions and ideas will start to shift. You’ll learn how to make sense of human behaviours, and explore people’s responses to trauma, loss, and tragedy; you’ll unpack your views around family and society, as your eyes open to brand-new ideas and perspectives; and you'll complete professional placements, getting to grips with key issues like ‘need’ and ‘risk’, and examining the different ways they’re managed.
More than just showing you how to become a social worker, this course is about harnessing the strength, emotional intelligence, and desire for chance that’s already inside you. Here’s a full breakdown of the modules you’ll be studying.
Core modules
Preparing for Professional Social Work Practice
This module aims to equip you with the skills and capabilities in preparation for the assessed placement in Year Two. The module includes 30 practice skill days, which are assessed; 10 of these days are on a shadowing or observational basis within an agency context, culminating in a readiness-to-practise interview and a portfolio of evidence to reflect the skills acquired. Reflective practice, social work values, and interpersonal and communication skills feature highly in this module.
Reflective Assessment and Intervention Strategies
Develop a comprehensive understanding and knowledge base of the critical elements of social work practice, in particular assessment and intervention. A combination of large group teaching, directed study, and workshops using interactive exercises will enable you to understand and apply relevant theories, methods and models to typical situations that require social work intervention. You will develop an understanding of the legal and policy frameworks that inform practice, as well as the historical context to professional development, ethical and value base. Anti-oppressive practice will be incorporated throughout the module as well as the importance of drawing upon evidence, including research, to inform social work practice.
Life Course Development in Social Context
You will be introduced to the nature and principal features of human development in contemporary social, material, and political contexts. There will be a strong emphasis on the bio-psychosocial features of child development and early family life as the foundation for later trajectories. A life-span development framework will be used throughout – representing human growth and development as the interplay of biological, psychological, social and historical factors – to explain unfolding events in the individual life course. Theories relating to key developmental processes of social work concern (e.g. attachment, transition, and loss) will be illustrated using a chronological account of the human life course. An understanding of increasing diversity in adult life will be developed by exploration from a sociological perspective of social change, political economy, and current events. You will therefore begin to develop a broad appreciation of the nature, causation, effects and lived experience of social problems such as mental health issues and family breakdown. Major influences on the adult life course, such as changing family structures, non-normative events and ageing processes, will be used to develop your understanding of the later life course.
Core modules
Practice Placement (One)
You'll complete an 80-day placement, and will carry responsibility for a range of work in order to demonstrate meeting the required learning outcomes according to the Professional Capabilities Framework and Knowledge and Skills Statements. A Practice Educator will provide supervision and support, and will assess you during your placement. You will also receive support from your personal tutor.
Engaging with Professional Social Work Practice
Building upon the knowledge and skills you will have acquired in Year One, you will develop your ability to adopt an enquiring and analytical approach to knowledge in social work, and build the skills for systematic enquiry and critical thinking in practice. You will also build your personal skills and aptitude to engage within practice settings, and meet the personal challenges these present.
Legal and Statutory Responsibilities
You will be equipped with the knowledge to know when statutory powers and duties should be used to prevent, or protect people from, harm; and how legislation can help ensure entitlements are met and rights promoted. Students will be taught to be confident and skilful in order to make complex decisions informed by the social work principles of equality, human rights and social justice.
Social Policy
You will explore contemporary social issues, welfare provision and socio-economic factors contributing to the social problems encountered by service users and their families. Studying social policy from the perspective of social work practice will enhance your understanding of the impact of social policies on marginalised and excluded groups.
Core modules
Practice Placement (Two)
In Year Three the placement increases to 90 days and must include a focus on statutory tasks. A Practice Educator will provide regular supervision and support to enable professional development and assess your practice according to the Knowledge and Skills Statements and Professional Capabilities Framework. Your personal tutor will also provide you with support.
Safeguarding: Working with Risk and Complexity
A module in which the specialist skills and knowledge required for safeguarding vulnerable children and adults are enhanced and consolidated. Students will explore a range of topics and practice-based scenarios / issues including the assessment and management of risk and working with complexity. The module will support students' professional confidence and equip them with core skills and knowledge to undertake their safeguarding responsibilities as qualified practitioners.
Working with Individuals, Groups and Families
Apply a more in-depth and critical social work perspective, with an emphasis on holistic interventions and systemic thinking. The module will enable you to manage risk and safeguard adults, children and families from abuse and harm. The module links with the final practice placement to provide a context for you to complete a final in-depth project, and will generate expertise in an area that is likely to be valued by potential employers.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
Hear our student stories
How you’re taught
How will I learn?
Our teaching team has over 170 years’ professional experience in social work. Across the country, from the NSPCC to the Football Association, they’ve worked in fields as varied as mental health, neurodiversity, domestic violence, child protection, learning disabilities, addiction, and the probationary services. You’ll be learning from the best of the best: add in the insights of guest speakers (including our own graduates, who are ready to share their professional success stories), plus your coursemates’ own experiences of ‘the system’, and your journey towards Social Work England registration will be a dynamic, thought-provoking one.
You’ll learn through a mix of:
- lectures, introducing the biggest issues in social work, and exploring the realities of professional practice
- small-group seminars and workshops, designed to improve your teamworking and problem-solving skills
- simulation, building up your interpersonal skills by roleplaying with people who’ve got lived experience of the social work system
- real-world case studies, helping you to understand the people and processes that have resolved high-profile, high-risk situations
- placements in Years Two and Three, where you’ll get to experience different environments — from local authorities to the voluntary sector
- field trips, and the opportunity to attend conferences at our seven partner universities across Europe
- one-on-one meetings with your friendly personal tutor
- independent study, as you build up your research skills.
Contact hours
Here’s the year-by-year breakdown of contact hours throughout our Social Work degree course:
- Year One — lectures / seminars / workshops (20%), independent study (73%), and placement (7%)
- Year Two — lectures / seminars / workshops (16.25%), independent study (54.75%), and placement (29%)
- Year Three — lectures / seminars / workshops (12%), independent study (44%), and placement (44%)
How you’re assessed
People learn in different ways, and we want everybody to have the best possible chance of success. That’s why we’ve introduced a wide range of assessment methods onto NTU’s Social Work degree course — everything from essays, reports, and group presentations, to coursework, quizzes, and your performance while out on placement.
- Year 1 coursework (66%), written (17%) and practical (17%)
- Year 2 coursework (66%), Written (17%) and practical (17%)
- Year 3 coursework (100%)
Careers and employability
We don’t keep any secrets about the profession. Becoming a social worker is a challenge, but it’s also a privilege. By understanding from day one the realities of professional practice — the fact that supporting vulnerable and marginalised people can be tough, busy work — you’ll be fully prepared for your next steps. Many courses shy away from those realities, but we feel that our job isn’t just to help you find a great graduate role: it’s to help you stay in it, and then progress. That means keeping the profession’s surprises to a minimum.
Because we’ve developed this course in partnership with major social work employers and statutory bodies, the quality of our graduates is already well-known throughout the UK — and even further afield. In that sense, we’re a great university to be associated with.
Experience the real world of social work, as you study
The embedded placements are a vital part of this course. After 30 days’ practice in your first year, you’ll complete 170 days of assessed placements across Years Two and Three. It’s not just about bringing your theoretical skills out of the classroom and into the real world; it’s about you finding your best professional fit for life after graduation. That could be anything from a local authority, to a school, to a housing association like Framework. What’s more, the placement process will give you the experience of applying for roles and marketing yourself — a big competitive advantage when it comes to job-hunting.
Social work jobs and careers
Once you’ve graduated and joined the Social Work England register of professional practitioners, the world’s your oyster! On a planet full of people in need, social work is a genuinely global profession. With the knowledge and transferable skills you’ll cultivate on this course, you could be a prime candidate for roles in everything from hospitals and hospices, to NGOs and Third-Sector organisations, to teaching and training — anywhere from Australia to Canada!
Only recently, our graduates have secured roles as:
- Social Workers, specialising in children and families
- Adult Care Workers
- Community Care Officers
- Mental Health Support Workers, and advocates for Adult Learning Difficulties
- Befrienders
- Refugee Support Workers.
Campus and facilities
You’ll mainly be studying in the Chaucer and Newton buildings, at the centre of our vibrant City Campus. As well as a range of classrooms and lecture theatres, our facilities include a mock courtroom — where you can practise your report-writing and presentation skills with a panel of experts — and an on-site residential simulation, where you’ll get the full experience of knocking on a door, gaining entry to a property, and managing a potentially volatile situation.
NTU’s City Campus has everything you’ll need to keep occupied between lectures. As well as the Boots Library and its beautiful roof garden, there’s our superb Students’ Union building and two-storey, 100-station gym; a whole host of cafés, bars, restaurants and food outlets catering to every taste; our much-loved Global Lounge; performance and rehearsal spaces for musicians; and much, much more!
If that’s not enough, just take a few steps off campus, and you’ll find yourself in the beating heart of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities. Enjoy lush green spaces and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink, and social scene by night.
Entry requirements
What are we looking for?
- Standard offer: 120 UCAS Tariff points from three A-levels or equivalent qualifications
- Contextual offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from three A-levels or equivalent qualifications
- GCSEs – English and Maths grade C / 4.
If you are working towards your GCSE English Literature or English Language and / or Maths or equivalent qualification, please ensure you mention this on your application form.
Personal statement
In addition to the entry requirements listed above, you will need to submit a personal statement which demonstrates your understanding, insight, and experience in the field. See the 'how to apply' section for more information.
Other requirements
You will also need to:
- take part in a 3 stage interview process that is inclusive of an online written test, an in-person group work exercise and panel interview.
- complete an enhanced-level Disclosure and Barring Service check
- provide a satisfactory health declaration
- declare any personal involvement with Children's and / or Adult Services by completing a Character Conduct form
- confirm the ability to use a range of IT facilities including email, internet, and word processing.
There may also be other recommendations, such as a vaccination programme, before any placements can be undertaken.
Interview dates
We welcome early applications from candidates as we are keen to meet you and introduce you to our BA Social Work degree. We are open to receiving your application from September 2023. Interview days are then due to start from October 2023 onwards.
Contextual offers
A lower offer may be made based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer and we get data from UCAS to make these decisions. NTU offers a student experience like no other and this approach helps us to find students who have the potential to succeed here but who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Find out how we assess your application.
Other qualifications and experience
We may also consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS tariff points attached to specific grades, including A levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to three different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
What are we looking for?
- 120 UCAS Tariff points from three A-levels or equivalent qualifications
- GCSEs – English and Maths grade C / 4.
If you are working towards your GCSE English Literature or English Language and / or Maths or equivalent qualification, please ensure you mention this on your application form.
Personal Statement
In addition to the entry requirements listed above, you will also need:
- 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
- provide 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 specifically demonstrates your suitability to study and train as a social work practitioner.
Other requirements
You will also need to:
- take part in a 3 stage online interview process that is inclusive of an written test, a group-work exercise and panel interview.
- complete an enhanced-level Disclosure and Barring Service check (formally known as a Criminal Records Bureau disclosure)
- provide a satisfactory health declaration
- declare whether you have had any personal involvement with Children's and / or Adult Services by completing a Character Conduct form
- confirm the ability to use a range of IT facilities including email, internet and word processing.
There may also be other recommendations, such as a vaccination programme, before any placements can be undertaken.
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
English language entry requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Undergraduate preparation courses (Foundation)
If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Foundation courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:
Advanced standing (starting your undergraduate degree in year 2 or 3)
You may be able to start your undergraduate course in year 2 or 3 based on what you have studied before. This decision would be made in accordance with our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy.
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Fees and funding
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there’s no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.
Additional Costs
Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team, and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses.
Library books
Most study modules will recommend one or more core text books, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential text books, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) – meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
Placements
If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.
Print and copy costs
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service.
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494
For guidance, tuition fees for September 2024 entry are:
Mode of study | International tuition fee |
|---|---|
Full-time | £15,600 |
Tuition fees are payable for each year that you are at the University. The level of tuition fees for the second and subsequent years of your undergraduate course may increase in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.
Scholarships
We offer scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for your scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.
Living costs
Get advice on the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget:
Paying fees
Find out about advanced payments, instalment plan options and how to make payments securely to the University:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
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 issues in the industry
- an insight into the statutory and regulatory aspects of social work and training
- demonstrate an understanding of the role of a social worker and current 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
- provide 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 specifically demonstrates your suitability 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 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 issues in the industry
- an insight into the statutory and regulatory aspects of social work and 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 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 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!
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
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