Course contact details
Admissions (Magee)
Email:admissionsdld@ulster.ac.uk
Phone:02871675678
Ulster University
Cromore Road
Coleraine
BT52 1SA
Social Work (Graduate Entry)
- Bachelor of Science (with Honours)
- 2 Years
- Full-Time
- 21 September 2027
- Undergraduate
- Derry~Londonderry
Course summary
The Degree in Social Work was introduced in 2004 to meet the requirements of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, which, along with other Councils, agreed that all social work training would be offered at Honours degree level. One of the main features is the introduction of a pre-registration year. This means that when you complete the degree, you will then have to successfully undertake an assessed year in employment before being eligible for full registration as a Social Worker with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council. Within Northern Ireland, this is called the 'Assessed Year in Employment'
The programme is for those who intend to work as professional social workers and includes a substantial element of practice learning.
The programme includes underpinning relevant theory in the social sciences, including social policy, psychology, sociology and law, the focus of the programme is on the development of skills, values, and knowledge required for social work practice. You must successfully complete a preparation for practice module prior to undertaking supervised practice learning on placement.
The design and delivery of this ‘fast track’ degree programme are premised on the relevant graduate qualities of the applicant in meeting the demands of this accelerated learning programme.
Modules
Course Modules
This course is recognised by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council as the professional qualification for social workers in Northern Ireland. The design and delivery of this ‘fast track’ degree programme is premised on the relevant graduate qualities of the applicant in meeting the demands of this accelerated learning programme. In acknowledging the reality of meeting the requirements of the degree within the limits of the academic timetable, the Northern Ireland Social Care Council require students to partake in Professional Development Days (additional to the scheduled timetable,15 days each year), in acquiring key knowledge for university and practice learning. More information is provided regarding these at Induction.
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- Northern Ireland Social Care Council
How to apply
Apply by
13 January 2027
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:
- L501
- Institution code:
- U20
- Campus name:
- Derry~Londonderry
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Typical qualification requirements
A level
The 2 year accelerated Social Work course is not open to school leavers. Applicants must be graduates, with at least a Second class honours degree in a cognate area.
A relevant degree (second class lower division or higher) is deemed to be an Honours degree, where at least 33% of the programme passed at Honours level comprises one or more of the following: Sociology, Psychology, Social Policy/Social Administration, Law, Teaching, Nursing, Community Work, Youth Work, Early Childhood Studies and other cognate subjects at the discretion of the University.
Applicants who do not have a cognate degree should apply to the three-year course.
A relevant degree (second class lower division or higher) is deemed to be an Honours degree, where at least 33% of the programme passed at Honours level comprises one or more of the following: Sociology, Psychology, Social Policy/Social Administration, Law, Teaching, Nursing, Community Work, Youth Work, Early Childhood Studies and other cognate subjects at the discretion of the University.
Applicants who do not have a cognate degree should apply to the three-year course.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
You must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements for admission to a degree course and hold a GCSE pass in English Language and Maths at grade C or above (or equivalent). Essential Skills Communication and Application of Number are accepted as equivalent to GCSE Maths.
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
Additional entry requirements
- Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) / Disclosure Scotland Check
- Interview
- Audition
Historical entry grades data
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course 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.
Not enough data available
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
Historical entry grades report
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Per year tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England, Scotland, Wales & Channel Islands | £9790 | |
| Northern Ireland & Republic of Ireland | £4985 | |
| EU & International | £18030 |
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
Please note that for NI, ROI and GB, these are the fees for 2026/27. Fees for higher education programmes in NI are set by the Department for the Economy and the 2027/28 fees will not be released until later in the year. It is expected that there will be an inflationary increase from the 2026/27 fee.
Sponsorship information
Scholarships and bursaries 1
The Department of Health Social Work Incentive Scheme is available to eligible students (approx. value £4500 per annum).
Related courses
At Ulster University
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