Programme summary for BA (Hons) Social Work
Social Work is concerned with the relationship between the individual, family, group or community and wider society. The Social Work Centre at UEL recognises the UK as a multicultural society and is committed to training social workers who have a strong understanding of contemporary social, political and cultural issues.
This programme provides both a foundation in social work for those with relevant practical experience, and subsequent advanced development enabling you to enter a career in the field. Level 1 covers core social work issues including Social Work Development in Theory and Practice, Psychosocial Perspectives and Law. Levels 2 and 3 provide advanced study of these areas, connecting theory with practice, with additional teaching in law and social policy. Both years include practice placements.
About the programme
This programme emphasises an integration of the totality of social work methods including work with individuals, families, groups and communities. We lay a broad yet high-quality foundation for competent professional practice, entitled successful students to register with the General Social Care Council as qualified social workers.
DBS check
his programme involves working closely with children and/or vulnerable adults. Applicants are therefore subject to a satisfactory Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure check.
If you have any queries regarding this procedure, please contact Lucy Watson on +44 (0) 20 8223 6271 or l.watson@uel.ac.uk
Professional qualifications
This is UEL’s undergraduate qualifying programme in social work (we also offer a postgraduate qualifying programme in conjunction with the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust). You are required to register as a trainee social worker with the General Social Care Council from the start of the programme and must comply with their requirements
(for example, in relation to Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks). On successful completion of the BA in Social Work, you become a qualified practitioner in social work for which you will have been well prepared through a rich variety of accredited practice-learning experiences combined with strong academic input.
Programme structure
The social work degree is a three year full-time programme for college-based students. Those sponsored by their employer join the programme on a four year part-time work-based route for which practice learning opportunities and practice assessment are provided by the sponsoring agency.
Career opportunities
UEL is East London’s principal social work training provider. Our placements and partner employers are from this area and our graduates have had great success in entering their chosen career. UEL qualified social workers are much in demand.
Support
As soon as a student starts the UEL social work programme, they find themselves in a group of students and tutors with similar interests to their own (although expressed in many very different ways). Students are assigned a tutor who sees them through that year of the programme. The tutor meets with their tutor group regularly in Semester A. The tutor visits the student in the practice setting and advises them in relation to the application of theory to practice and vice versa. If a student is struggling, they may contact their tutor to make an appointment to see them.
Admission
All candidates are required to have:
- written and spoken English
- Key Skills in Maths and English (GCSE: A-C)
- appropriate personal and intellectual qualities
- experience of work in relevant settings
The selection process after the application form involves an entrance test, then a group event (in the presence of service users) and an individual interview with a tutor and/or a practice teacher from a partner social work agency.
Key facts
You can start many programmes in either September or February and applications are simple to make. Click below to:
Apply online Social Work (BA (Hons))
