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Social Work

  • BA (Hons)
  • 3 Years
  • Full-time
  • 09/2025
  • Undergraduate
Main Site
More about Keele University

Course options

2025-20262026-2027
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Course summary

Begin your journey to become a social worker who enables positive change in people’s lives. Support diverse groups of people of all ages, and promote human rights and social justice in a worthwhile and challenging career.

Why choose this course?

  • Regulated by Social Work England with all core academic staff registered as social workers

  • Member of the West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership

  • Social Work ranked Top 10 in England (NSS 2025, broad-based universities)*

  • Part of Keele's exceptional School of Medicine which has an excellent reputation in both education and research

  • An international profession offering potential global career opportunities

Social Work at Keele gives you a solid grounding in this professional area of study and supports the development of key professional skills and values ready for your future career as a Social Worker. The programme has been carefully designed to allow you to apply the course theory into a range of exciting, varied and specialist social work occupations in the UK and potentially internationally.

You will explore child, adult and family social work, and cover key elements of the profession including law, social policy, ethics and values, and the socio-economic contexts of social work. You will investigate the impact of inequality and the disadvantages in society around age, race and sexuality. You will examine anti-oppressive and non-discriminatory approaches in social work whilst developing your communication, assessment and decision making skills.

*We have compared the positivity ratings of all participating UK institutions using the NSS 2025 sector data to determine Keele's position relative to other broad-based universities (i.e. excluding specialist institutions and further education colleges).

About Keele
Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university.

We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.

Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.

Modules

For a list of indicative modules please visit the course page on the Keele University website.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Main Site

Study options

  • BA (Hons) • Full-time • 3 Years

Start dates

  • 09/2025

Apply by
29 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
L500
Institution code:
K12
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Year 1

Keele University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
29 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
L500
Institution code:
K12
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 112 points

A level - BBC

BBC in three A Levels

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DMM

DMM in any BTEC Extended Diploma / National Extended Diploma

Access to HE Diploma - D: 15 credits

112 UCAS points in any Access to HE Diploma including Distinction in at least 15 Level 3 credits

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 29 points

554 in three Higher Levels or 29 points

GCSE/National 4/National 5

You will also need: 4 / C in GCSE Maths or Level 2 Functional Skills Maths, plus an English language qualification (see the Keele website)

T Level - M

Merit in any T Level

Please see the Keele University website for the full range of qualifications considered

Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.

Additional entry requirements

Admission tests
Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
A compulsory Enhanced plus Barring Lists DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Enhanced check will need to be completed by anyone accepted on the course before they begin their placements with social work practice providers. Completing placements are mandatory for all students.
Health checks
Whilst there is not a formal health check completed by all candidates, prospective students are required to sign a Declaration of Suitability/Fitness to Practice for Social Work form. Depending on the information supplied by candidates, the programme director may seek clarification on any potential health concerns and this may also require further consultation with your GP or the university’s Occupational Health department.
Interview
All prospective candidates need to complete an interview. This will usually be held at the university on the selection day where the candidate will be asked questions by a panel comprising a social work academic, a social work practitioner and a service user. Successful completion of this interview is required to be invited onto the course.
Institutions Own Test (IOT)
Candidates for the social work programme will be selected through a two-part process. Initially, the candidate’s application form and personal statement will be read and its suitability assessed. As well as reaching the required academic standards, the candidate’s personal statement should demonstrate a clear understanding of social work and its values. If this is achieved, candidates will then be invited to a selection day, which will include a written task, a group discussion and an individual interview with academic staff, a social work practitioner and a service user (in most cases). Only those deemed competent via this process will be offered a place. Candidates must also complete a written declaration of their suitability to undertake social work training in respect of health status, criminal convictions and other matters.

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

When we consider an application we take into account a wide range of information, including the context in which an applicant has gained their qualifications, work experience (paid or unpaid), extra-curricular activities and personal circumstances. A number of our applicants offer a combined portfolio or additional qualifications and these will also be taken into account. In some instances, we may make an alternative offer which will differ from the published grades.

Learn more on the Keele University website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Data from:
This course and 15 other social sciences courses
Date range:
2022-2024

Grades held by accepted students

For Keele University, the top and bottom 5% of student grades have been removed from these calculations. This change helps to remove any extraordinary circumstances that could impact the data. Learn more here .
BCC Most common
  1. ABB
  2. Highest grades
  3. DDE
  4. Lowest grades

Offer rate for UK school & college leavers

93% Students aged 17/18 who applied to this course were offered a place.

How do you compare?

See how students with your grades have been accepted onto this course in the past.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

85 Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

95 Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Our 2025 fee summary is available on our website: keele.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/tuitionfeesandfunding/undergraduatetuitionfees/

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