Accredited by Social Work England, this demanding Social Work BSc degree will enable you to practise as a social worker. You’ll benefit from our extensive links with statutory organisations, local authorities and the voluntary sector, as well as from the experience our lecturers bring to the classroom.

The course is a preferred provider of the North East London (NEL) commissioning panel, representing the Social Work Development Partnership of five local authorities. The partnership has commissioned us to train existing social workers to supervise graduates starting out in social work, which means you’ll receive continuity of support to your career.

This course is in high demand and applications outnumber the places that are available each academic year. For routes into social work, you could also consider other related and equally exciting pathways on our Community Development and Leadership BSc (Hons), Youth Studies BSc (Hons) or Health and Social Care BSc (Hons) courses.

Social work is a profession that has its history rooted in the principles of equality and social justice. This social work course is informed by research, evidence, current policy and practice. You’ll learn in a structured and dynamic environment with considerable interaction with experienced academic staff, social care service users, as well as key partners and practitioners. Your learning will be enriched by fellow students from within the health and social care sector who’ll share their experience, cultivating collaborative practice for providing service user-centred health and social care.

Our Social Work BSc (Hons) is a professionally accredited course that is designed to provide the knowledge, skills and values required to begin a career as a social worker. Successful completion of the course will enable you to register with Social Work England. It’s been designed specifically to give you the capabilities and skills needed to qualify and practise as a social worker.

We’ve integrated the nine key frameworks for social workers into our modules, including professionalism, values and ethics, diversity, rights, knowledge, judgement, critical reflection and analysis, context and origins, and professional leadership. Knowledge, skills and values in these core areas will help you to become a reflective, resilient and effective social work practitioner.

During your three years (or four years with foundation) of study towards the Social Work BSc, you’ll complete at least one placement providing you with experience of statutory social work tasks that involve legal interventions into care and provision of services to contrasting service user groups.

Professional accreditation

The course is accredited by Social Work England.

The Social Work BSc is the only social work programme in the country that is fully validated by the Chartered Institute of Housing, the professional body for housing. This will give you an edge when applying for jobs and will help you in your future career.

Entry requirements

• a minimum of grades BBB in A levels (or a minimum of 120 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg Extended Diploma)
• GCSE English Language at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent qualification, eg Functional Skills English at Level 2)
• a minimum of 12 weeks’ previous experience (at the point of application) either in a paid or voluntary capacity of working directly with vulnerable people, normally within a social care or health context – Employer reference/s are required to verify your work experience
• an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for the Child and Adult Workforce, which is registered with the DBS Update Service.

Modular structure
Year 1 modules include:

• Assessing, Planning and Professional Ethics (core, 30 credits)
• Communication, Skills and Values in Social Work (core, 30 credits)
• Human Growth and Development: A Life Course Perspective (core, 30 credits)
• Social Context for Social Work (core, 30 credits)

Year 2 modules include:

• Inter-Professional Practice (core, 15 credits)
• Law for Social Work Practice (core, 15 credits)
• Safeguarding Children and Adults (core, 15 credits)
• Social Work Practice Learning 1 (core, 60 credits)
• Theoretical Perspectives in Social Work (core, 15 credits)

Year 3 modules include:

• Effective Social Work Practice with Children and Adults (core, 15 credits)
• Research Project (core, 30 credits)
• Social Work Practice Learning 2 (core, 75 credits)