Program Overview

Social Work BA (Hons)

Overview

Make a difference as you prepare for a professional career within social work. The BA (Hons) in Social Work at Chester offers an exciting opportunity to gain your social work qualification. Alongside teaching and learning sessions based at our Warrington Town Centre campus, you will also undertake two placements located within private, voluntary and charitable organisations, as well as statutory social work departments.

Study Options

• Full-Time (BA) at University Centre Warrington
• Full-Time with Foundation Year (BA) at University Centre Warrington

Level and UCAS Points

• Level: Undergraduate
• UCAS Code: L505
• UCAS Points: 120

Start Date and Duration

• Start date: Sept 2025, Sept 2026
• Duration: 3 years

Location

• University Centre Warrington

Fees

• UK fees: £9,535 per year for a full-time course (2025/26)
• International fees: £14,450 per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Accreditations

• Accredited by Social Work England

Course Content

Foundation Year

• Term 1: Exploring Professional Practice
• Term 2: Social Issues and Contexts
• Term 3: Leadership, Coaching and Change Management

Year 1

• Readiness for Direct Practice (40 Credits) Core
• Social Work Law and Policy (20 Credits) Core
• Human Growth and Development (20 Credits) Core
• Sociology and Social Policy (20 Credits) Core
• Social Work Values and Ethics (20 Credits) Core

Year 2

• Social Work Practice with Adults (20 Credits) Core
• Social Work Practice with Children and Families (20 Credits) Core
• Social Work Theory and Methods (20 Credits) Core
• Social Care Organisations and Inter-Professional Working (20 Credits) Core
• Placement 1 (40 Credits) Core

Year 3

• Critical Social Work Practice (20 Credits) Core
• Placement 2 (40 Credits) Core
• Approaches to Research (20 Credits) Core
• Placement 2a (20 Credits) Core
• Resilience in Practice: Individuals and Organisations (20 Credits) Core

Who You'll Learn From

• Victoria Arnold, Senior Lecturer
• Vanessa Goldsmith, Senior Lecturer
• Emily Weygang, Senior Lecturer
• Bridget Caffrey, Senior Lecturer
• Alexandra Modder, Senior Lecturer
• Dr Gill Buck, Associate Professor
• Dr Pauline Cusack, Senior Lecturer
• Dr Sarah-jo Lee, Senior Lecturer
• Kath Hayes, Senior Lecturer

How You'll Learn

• You’ll learn through a variety of methods, including practice placements
• There are a range of assessment methods on this course
• This course is designed around in-person study
• There may be some online learning activities

Entry Requirements

Home Students

• UCAS points: 120
• GCE A Level: Typical offer BBC-BBB
• BTEC: BTEC National Extended Diploma: DDM; BTEC Diploma: DD
• T Level: T Level: Merit
• Irish / Scottish Highers: Irish Highers: H3 H3 H3 H3 H4 Scottish Highers: BBBB
• International Baccalaureate: 28 points
• Access requirements: Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at Level 3, 30 of which must be at Merit or above and 15 Level 3 credits at Distinction
• OCR: OCR Extended Diploma - DMM
• Extra Information / General Entry Requirements: Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A Level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. Applicants must also have GCSE Grade 4/C or above in English or a recognised Level 2 equivalent. Please note that applicants must also have evidence of recent study within the last five years.

International/EU Students

• UCAS points: 72
• GCE A Level: 72 UCAS points from GCE A Levels to include D in one subject
• BTEC: BTEC National Extended Diploma: MMP BTEC Diploma: DM
• T Level: T Level – Pass (D or E on the core)
• Irish / Scottish Highers: Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 Scottish Highers: CCDD
• International Baccalaureate: 24 points
• Access requirements: Access to HE Diploma – Pass overall
• OCR: OCR Extended Diploma: MMP
• Extra Information / General Entry Requirements: Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A Level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. Applicants must also have GCSE Grade 4/C or above in English or a recognised Level 2 equivalent. Please note that applicants must also have evidence of recent study within the last five years.

Where You'll Study

• University Centre Warrington
• Remond House
• Time Square

Fees and Funding

• Home Students: £9,535 per year for a full-time course (2025/26)
• International Students: £14,450 per year for a full-time course (2025/26)
• Foundation Year: £5,760 for the first foundation year (2025/26)
• Additional Costs: Prior to admission to this course, you will be required to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check through the University, for which there will be a charge.

Your Future Career

• Job Prospects: Our graduates go into careers in a number of social work settings, working with both children and adults, in Local Authority or Health Trust agencies, as well as private and voluntary organisations.
• Careers service: The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences.