| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-07-27 | 2023-04-01 |
| 2023-10-01 | 2023-07-01 |
| 2024-01-05 | 2023-10-01 |
| 2024-04-01 | 2024-01-01 |
Program Overview
Introduction:
Do you want to make a difference to people's lives? Then our Social Work degree is for you. You will gain the knowledge and skills that could really change someone's life.
This Social Work England (SWE) approved degree will prepare you for the role of a social worker. It has been designed to enable you to progress into employment and integrates both academic and practice work-based modules.
Why choose this course?
Course accreditation
Program Outline
What you’ll study
This Social Work England (SWE) approved degree will prepare you for the role of a social worker. It has been designed to enable you to progress into employment and integrates both academic and practice work-based modules.
You'll undertake an assessed placement which will give you the opportunity to gain valuable experience of being a student social worker in a range of different workplaces. These form an integral part of the assessment process and are arranged and assessed by the University in partnership with social work organisations. Evidence-based practice and research underpin work in the social work arena, so you will explore what works in practice settings.
Year One
Year Two
Final year
Core modules
Preparing for Professional Social Work Practice
This module aims to equip you with the skills and capabilities in preparation for the assessed placement in Year Two. The module includes 30 practice skill days, which are assessed; 10 of these days are on a shadowing or observational basis within an agency context, culminating in a readiness-to-practise interview and a portfolio of evidence to reflect the skills acquired. Reflective practice, social work values, and interpersonal and communication skills feature highly in this module.
Reflective Assessment and Intervention Strategies
Develop a comprehensive understanding and knowledge base of the critical elements of social work practice, in particular assessment and intervention. A combination of large group teaching, directed study, and workshops using interactive exercises will enable you to understand and apply relevant theories, methods and models to typical situations that require social work intervention. You will develop an understanding of the legal and policy frameworks that inform social work practice, as well as the historical context to social work professional development, social work ethical and value base. Anti-oppressive practice will be incorporated throughout the module as well as the importance of drawing upon evidence, including research, to inform social work practice.
Life Course Development in Social Context
You will be introduced to the nature and principal features of human development in contemporary social, material, and political contexts. There will be a strong emphasis on the bio-psychosocial features of child development and early family life as the foundation for later trajectories. A life-span development framework will be used throughout – representing human growth and development as the interplay of biological, psychological, social and historical factors – to explain unfolding events in the individual life course. Theories relating to key developmental processes of social work concern (e.g. attachment, transition, and loss) will be illustrated using a chronological account of the human life course. An understanding of increasing diversity in adult life will be developed by exploration from a sociological perspective of social change, political economy, and current events. You will therefore begin to develop a broad appreciation of the nature, causation, effects and lived experience of social problems such as mental health issues and family breakdown. Major influences on the adult life course, such as changing family structures, non-normative events and ageing processes, will be used to develop your understanding of the later life course.
Core modules
Practice Placement (One)
You'll complete an 80-day placement, and will carry responsibility for a range of work in order to demonstrate meeting the required learning outcomes according to the Professional Capabilities Framework and Knowledge and Skills Statements. A Practice Educator will provide supervision and support, and will assess you during your placement. You will also receive support from your personal tutor.
Engaging with Professional Social Work Practice
Building upon the knowledge and skills you will have acquired in Year One, you will develop your ability to adopt an enquiring and analytical approach to knowledge in social work, and build the skills for systematic enquiry and critical thinking in practice. You will also build your personal skills and aptitude to engage within practice settings, and meet the personal challenges these present.
Legal and Statutory Responsibilities
You will be equipped with the knowledge to know when statutory powers and duties should be used to prevent, or protect people from, harm; and how legislation can help ensure entitlements are met and rights promoted. Students will be taught to be confident and skilful in order to make complex decisions informed by the social work principles of equality, human rights and social justice.
Social Policy
You will explore contemporary social issues, welfare provision and socio-economic factors contributing to the social problems encountered by service users and their families. Studying social policy from the perspective of social work practice will enhance your understanding of the impact of social policies on marginalised and excluded groups.
Core modules
Practice Placement (Two)
In Year Three the placement increases to 90 days and must include a focus on statutory tasks. A Practice Educator will provide regular supervision and support to enable professional development and assess your practice according to the Knowledge and Skills Statements and Professional Capabilities Framework. Your personal tutor will also provide you with support.
Safeguarding: Working with Risk and Complexity
A module in which the specialist skills and knowledge required for safeguarding vulnerable children and adults are enhanced and consolidated. Students will explore a range of topics and practice-based scenarios / issues including the assessment and management of risk and working with complexity. The module will support students' professional confidence and equip them with core skills and knowledge to undertake their safeguarding responsibilities as qualified practitioners.
Working with Individuals, Groups and Families
Apply a more in-depth and critical social work perspective, with an emphasis on holistic interventions and systemic thinking. The module will enable you to manage risk and safeguard adults, children and families from abuse and harm. The module links with the final practice placement to provide a context for you to complete a final in-depth project, and will generate expertise in an area that is likely to be valued by potential employers.
How you’re taught
To provide you with a first-class learning experience and to guarantee you have an opportunity to make the most of your time at university, you'll receive contact time through a diverse range of delivery methods.
Structured teaching will be delivered through a combination of traditional lectures, seminars, and workshops. The smaller group seminars and workshops provide opportunities to develop a range of skills that are used with daily social work practice, such as:
Tutorials with staff
As the relationship between students and tutors is an important one, you can expect to have lots of direct contact and support through seminars and one-to-one tutorials via your Personal Tutor and when in your social work placement, your Practice Educator. At these sessions you’ll have the opportunity to:
During your time on the course your Personal Tutor, who will work with you on both academic and practice placement throughout your degree.
Independent study
Independent study is an important and expected part of this course. Throughout the three years of your course, the scheduled contact hours you receive will gradually decrease as you develop the skills required to undertake an independent study or dissertation in your final year. You'll still have regular contact with your tutors, and if necessary ad hoc tutorials can be arranged when necessary.
Virtual learning environment
You'll also use our virtual learning environment, NOW, which is a flexible web-based system that allows you to have 24-hour access to module learning materials and reading lists. It allows you to discuss work with tutors and other students, and submit coursework electronically from anywhere in the world.
Learning from experts
You will be taught by a team of qualified and registered staff that come from a range of professional environments in social work and the health and social care sectors. As a team they continue to influence social work practice and research through their professional networks that include BASW, publications and the delivery of training to qualified social work practitioners.
How will I be assessed?
The majority of your work will be assessed through coursework-based essays, reports and presentations. You'll also be assessed using formal examinations and online tests. The practice placements in years 2 and 3 of the degree also form an integral part of the assessment process. They are arranged and assessed by the University in partnership with statutory social work and voluntary social care organisations.
In response to student feedback, the University have introduced a policy ensuring marked work is returned to you electronically within three weeks of submission.
Contact hours
Careers and employability
Social Work graduate jobs
The job titles below give an indication of the careers our recent Social Work graduates have gone in to:*
Excellent work experience opportunities
You'll undertake two assessed social work practice placements, which will give you the opportunity to gain valuable experience of working alongside and learning from highly experienced qualified social care professionals, as well as registered social work practitioners from a range of settings. These form an integral part of the assessment process and are arranged and assessed by the University in partnership with statutory social work and voluntary sector social care organisations.
Throughout the duration of the degree you'll complete 30 practice skills days, which are incorporated in a number of modules, for example Preparing for Professional Social Work Practice that is inclusive of a readiness-to-practice interview.
In Year Two you'll complete your first practice placement of 80 days, and then in Year Three you will complete your final practice placement of 90 days in your final year. We will endeavour to arrange your final placement in the setting you hope to work in after you qualify.
We have well-established partnerships with local statutory social work and voluntary sector social care agencies that provide opportunities for experience in a variety of settings, primarily in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
Your career development
At the end of the course you'll graduate with the experience and confidence to believe that you do have the ability to make a difference to people's lives.
Social work is very demanding and carries a lot of responsibility. It's also a regulated profession. All social workers must register with the regulator and agree to abide by a code of practice. On completing the degree you may be eligible to apply for registration with Social Work England (SWE) and you will need to abide by it code of Professional Standards. In addition, many employers will be offering an Assessed Year in Employment to newly qualified social workers.
Please be aware that an Aegrotat award certificate allowing a student to obtain their degree despite illness etc., or any other exit award granted to students who do not complete the course, does not confer eligibility to apply to Social Work England (SWE) register or for annotation of an individual’s current registration.
Our Employability team
We have a dedicated Employability team located on the City Campus. The team are well placed to give you specialist guidance and practical help that will really make a difference to your prospects once you do graduate.