Social Work

The BSc (Hons) Social Work, awarded by the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), and regulated by the Office for Students.

Social work changes lives. The BSc (Hons) Social Work degree enables you to develop the understanding and skills to support society's most vulnerable people to ensure their wellbeing. You will have the opportunity to develop both the academic grounding and practical skills you need to become a skilled social worker with the professional skills, knowledge base and placement experience that will help you stand out.

Throughout your studies, you will explore the critical issues that affect people's wellbeing and learn how to safeguard their interests and promote greater independence. You will learn about psychological and sociological theories for understanding individuals, families, groups, and communities. You will deepen your understanding of law, policy, and communities, and how the legal, social and organisational context shapes what social workers do. You will also have the opportunity to explore contemporary practice, consider how research can inform your practice, and understand best practice, including how to think critically and creatively in complex situations, and how different professions can work together to provide better services.

This course is available on a full-time basis and is taught in-person at our Yeovil campus. The course duration is 3 years, and requires a significant commitment of time and effort – students are typically timetabled for up to 3 days of on-site learning per week. Alongside this, the Social Work course requires undertaking 170 set days of placement (70 days in Year 2, and 100 in Year 3), and engaging in additional professional development activities such as shadowing social workers in Year 1.

As outlined above, the BSc (Hons) Social Work degree includes 170 days of mandatory placement – 70 in Year 2, and 100 in Year 3. This experience also hones your social work skills, knowledge, and professional network, shaping you into a sought-after graduate on qualifying.

Students may be allocated placements across a range of settings, including statutory, voluntary, private, and / or independent organisations. Placements can be located within a 50 mile radius of the College, and will expect students to attend for a full working day (precise hours vary between placement settings). When on placement, students will have the support of a practice educator and a link tutor at the University Centre to support with applying your understanding of law, policy, skills, and theory in practice.

Please note that this qualification is still subject to approval by Social Work England.

You will study a range of units that will develop your specialist knowledge and skills. Modules currently offered include:

Year One
• Law for Social Work Practice
• Readiness for Professional Social Work Practice
• Relationship Based Social Work
• Rethinking Social Justice: Social Policy and Inequalities
• Social Work and the Life Course.

Year Two
• Engaging with Young People, Children and Families
• Mental Health, Society and Social Work
• Social Work Placement 1
• Working with Adults in Social Work Practice.

Final Year
• Equality, Ethics and Values for Social Work
• Future Practice; Leadership, Organisations and Sustainability
• Research Proposal Project
• Risk, Complexity and Decision-Making
• Social Work Placement 2.

Please be aware that modules studied may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline or in response to student and stakeholder feedback. Students can always find the most up-to-date information about their modules and who is teaching them in the course handbook.

An assessment schedule, outlining all assessments and deadlines, will be issued to you at the start of each academic year, and each module will have an assignment brief and module guide to support your summative assessment. You'll will be assessed using a mix of written assignments, presentations and evidence of competence in practice. We may use reflective diaries and progress files. Feedback will be provided to you in writing, along with information reflecting your performance and recommendations for improvement.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS