BA (Hons) Social Work

Course Overview

If you’re compassionate and curious about people, interested in society and motivated by a strong sense of social justice, social work is for you. Social work is about working with people, usually to help them to achieve their goals, and sometimes to protect them or others. At UEA, we see social work as a practical and ethical profession that helps people and makes a difference to their lives. You could work with children, young people, parents, people with mental health problems, people with physical disabilities or learning disabilities, older people, and with relatives and friends who care for them.

Many of our lecturers are actively involved in research and nearly all are experienced practitioners. Importantly, current practitioners and people with lived experience are involved in teaching activities across the course. This means our teaching draws on leading research, while providing you with a direct insight into the latest social work issues and evidence-based practice. We combine teaching that emphasises reflective and relationship-based practice, with the latest research and excellent placement opportunities.

You’ll learn about the theoretical foundations of social work, which are rooted in psychology and sociology. You’ll explore social policy and the laws surrounding working with children and families, people with mental health issues, and vulnerable adults. Throughout your three years, you’ll focus on what it means to work with individuals, families, groups, fellow social workers and other professionals.

We're part of the Suffolk and Norfolk Social Work Teaching Partnership, which ensures social work education in the region meets the needs of students and employers. The partnership ensures you’ll have practice placements in two contrasting settings managed by qualified practice educators who’ll guide and assess your practice.

After you graduate, and register as social worker with Social Work England, your first job could be working with children, young people, parents, people with mental health problems, people with physical disabilities or learning disabilities, older people, and with relatives and friends who care for them. When you join our community at UEA you’ll train to become a first-rate social work practitioner and you’ll graduate ready to start your social work career.

This course is open to

UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.

We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.

You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.

English and Mathematics

All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4 or grade 4.

In place of Mathematics GCSE we can also consider Functional Skills Level 2 Mathematics.

Typical International Entry Requirements

We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. For specific details about your country, view our information for International Students.

A levels

BBB

BTEC

Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDM

Combinations of BTEC and A levels

Extended Diploma: DDM

Diploma: DD plus B at A level.

Extended Certificate: D plus BB at A level.

BTEC in Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration are all excluded from our BTEC offers

International Baccalaureate

31 points overall

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)

4,4 plus Mathematics and English excluding Citizenship and Social Development.

Additional Entry Requirements

Application Process

Following the initial screening an 800-1000 word essay will be requested and has to be submitted prior to consideration to interview. Full essay guidance will be sent to applicants at the time of the request. We also require a Declaration of Suitability form to be completed which will be sent to you at the same time as the essay request.

Experience

All applicants are required to have gained some paid or voluntary work experience of helping people and working with others in a Social Work/Social Care environment. Relevant work experience could include activities such as volunteering in nurseries, schools, youth clubs, residential care homes, Rainbows, Scouts or sports clubs. We recognise that work experience opportunities may have been limited, please do contact Admissions to discuss your experience.

If shortlisted and invited to interview, applicants will be required to provide an additional reference. This should typically be a professional reference providing details of your ability in a caring/helping capacity, to complement your academic reference provided on the UCAS application.

We advise you review Research - School of Social Work - About - UEA to assist you with your decision of studying Social Work.

Disclosure and Barring Service

The course you are applying for is ‘exempt’ from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore, you are required to declare any convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings that are not ‘protected’ (i.e. filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013) on your UCAS application.

The amendments to the Exceptions Order provide that certain ‘spent’ convictions and cautions are 'protected' and are not subject to disclosure, and cannot be taken into account. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found on the Disclosure and Barring Service Website. Further information can also be found on the Nacro website. Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check during the first year after commencement of the course.

Where applicable, an Overseas Police Check may be required.

English Foreign Language

Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading): 

• IELTS:  7.0  overall (minimum 6.5  in all components) 

To meet the requirement for Social Work England we will require an IELTS in most cases due to the high level for entry.

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.

Non-Academic Entry Requirements

Overseas applicants should check to ensure they can drive in the UK for the second year onwards of their studies. Driving in Great Britain on a non-GB licence - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) You may be required to take a test in the UK and you will need access to a car for placements for your second and third year.

Social Work England is the new, specialist regulator for all social workers in England. It is an independent public protection body, setting professional, education and training standards for social workers. In its role, Social Work England also investigates and manages 'fitness to practice' cases brought against social workers.

Social work England’s professional standards are specialist to the social work profession. The standards are the threshold standards necessary for safe and effective practice. It also reflects the value and diversity of social work practice and the positive impact it has on people’s lives, families and communities. The professional standards apply to registered social workers and social work students in all roles and settings.

Social work is a regulated profession. This means that to be able to practise as a social worker in England, individuals must be registered with Social Work England. Once registered, all social workers are listed on a public register. The register is a statutory list of individual social workers who practise in England. It provides assurance that the people who practise as social workers in England have the right skills and qualifications and are capable of safe and effective practice.

You can apply to join the register when you have received official confirmation from the University that you have successfully completed your course. Further also evidenced by the University submitting the list of people who passed the course. However, it is important to know that there is no guarantee of entry onto the registration once the course has been completed, because Social Work England is the regulator and makes the final decision.

Interviews

Applicants living within the UK will be invited to attend to an interview on campus. Overseas applicants or UK applicants living overseas will be invited to attend an interview day online.

The format for both is the same. The first part of the admissions day consists of an observed group activity. The activity will be observed by members of the interview panel and will involve a university lecturer, social work practitioner or manager and a person with lived experience and gives you an opportunity to participate and communicate in a group. The group will consist of 2 – 9 social work applicants and your group members may vary in age and experience. However, the focus of the activity is on how you participate and communicate during the task and not your specific knowledge or experience and there is no ‘right’ answer for this activity.

Later in the day the interview will last around 30 minutes and the interview panel is made up of a University lecturer, a Social Work practitioner or manager and a person with lived experience where possible. The interview will enable the panel to look at your personal background and circumstances, essay and group activity participation and your understanding of Social Work, your current studies and your suitability for the programme.

Placements

During the course you will participate in a 70 day and 100 day placement. As this course includes people facing placements in social care settings, and these are mandatory component course, you will need to comply with the placement vaccination policy. Failure to meet the placement policy may prevent you from successfully completing the placement and course.

Deferred Entry

We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.

Admissions Policy

Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.

Recent Study

We would prefer you to be able to demonstrate evidence of recent academic study within 5 years of the start of the course. If your last qualification will have been completed more than 5 years ago by the time the course starts, please contact Admissions.

Employability

You’ll graduate with a professional qualification and an academic degree from a course accredited by Social Work England. You’ll have the knowledge, skills and practice experience to work with children, adults and carers in various social work settings. In time, you could become a leader in the field as an innovator, practice leader, senior manager, policy maker, researcher or lecturer.

Our high employability rates reflect the success of our students.

Career destinations related to your degree include:

• Local Authorities e.g., Norfolk and Suffolk County Council fostering and adoption agencies
• Charity and Voluntary sector e.g., NSPCC and Age UK
• NHS hospitals and mental health trusts e.g., NSFT
• Advocacy services
• Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS)

Discover more on our Careers pages.