BSc (Hons) Social Work

This degree is a three year, full-time course that will equip you with the skills and knowledge you need for a successful career in social work, supporting people through difficult times. This includes safeguarding, care and crisis intervention, to help bring about positive change in circumstances and wellbeing.

Delivered at Yeovil College University Centre, this course is Social Work England approved. This course enables graduates to apply to Social Work England for registration as a Social Worker. The course also benefits from strong links with Somerset County Council.

The programme covers the range of social work specialities: children, families and young people; adults; adult social care; mental health; substance misuse and social work law. As well as being taught by social work experts, you'll learn by working with children, families, adults and vulnerable people. You'll gain real experience by shadowing social workers and undertaking placements – meaning you'll help to change lives even during the course of your study. Working with organisations such as statutory social work teams, substance misuse charities, homeless hostels and children's centres, you'll draw on the knowledge of experienced practitioners in the field. There are even opportunities to visit court hearings to see how social work law is applied and contested.

Supported professional practice is a core part of the course and you can undertake work placements and shadowing experiences within the Somerset area. We have strong connections with the third sector, including Somerset County Council who are key employers of social workers locally. To become qualified students must have completed a minimum of 170 placement days and 30 skills days.

BSc (Hons) Degree in Social Work awarded by the University of Gloucestershire.

You will be qualified Social Worker and can apply to practice with Social Work England.

To complete your programme you must pass the following compulsory modules:

Level 4 SW4001: Law and Social Policy SW4002: Social Work Skills, Methods and Interventions SW4003: Development over the Lifespan SW4004: Ethics, Equality and Diversity SW4005: Introduction to Professional Social Work SW4006: Theories for Social Work

Level 5 SW5001: Practice Placement (70 days) SW5009: Rights, Justice and Wellbeing SW5008: Professional Knowledge SW5006: Context and Organisations 

Level 6 SW6001: Practice Placement (100 days) SW6002: Children, Young People and Families SW6003: Social Work with Adults SW6004: Social Work and Mental Health SW6005: Professional Identities within Integrated Services SW6006: Dissertation SW6009: Professional Leadership

Please be aware that modules studied may change periodically in line with student and stakeholder feedback, awarding body changes, or to reflect developments in the discipline.

A minimum Grade 4 (C) in GCSE English and Mathematics or Level 2 Functional Skills in English and Mathematics (or equivalent) are required.

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team of lecturers both have industry experience alongside guest speakers providing an added layer of expertise

During year one of the course you will be expected to be in University for a minimum of three full days, with the remaining days being self-directed study. During year two you will complete a 70 day placement during semester one, and be expected to be in University full-time in semester two. During your final year you will be expected to be in University full-time during semester one, and completing a 100 day full-time placement during semester two. Each academic credit taken equates to a total study time of around 10 hours. Total study time includes scheduled teaching, independent study, and assessment activity. Learning is interactive with lots of group work, discussion and debate, role plays and case study projects. We have a supportive social work learning community which includes students, staff, service users, carers and practitioners. Assessment for the course is through a variety of methods including portfolios evidencing Professional Capabilities, essays, case studies, exam, role play and observations.

You will receive feedback on all practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor.

The fees for the BSc (Hons) Social Work programme are set by the University of Gloucestershire. Students should therefore consult the University of Gloucestershire's fees information to confirm tuition fees for this courses.

Our typical offer is 104 UCAS tariff points. Grade 4 (C) in GCSE English and Mathematics (or equivalent) are required. Please email university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk for further information. We welcome applications from mature students (aged 21 and over as of 1st September) and do not necessarily require the same academic qualifications as school leaving applicants, although GCSE English and GCSE Maths, or equivalents, are essential. To find out more, please email university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk Please be aware that any offer of a place would be subject to satisfactory DBS disclosure. Applicants will be invited to attend an admission interview and will be advised of the criteria in advance. To find out more, please email university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk. International applicants will be required to evidence English language skills - this could be an IELTS score of 7.0 (with at least 7.0 in every component), a grade 4 in GCSE English (or equivalent), or having recently completed a Level 3 qualification taught and assessed in the English language. Find out more about English Language Entry Requirements on the University of Gloucestershire's website or email university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk.

To study full-time, please apply through UCAS (University of Gloucestershire - campus name: Yeovil College, Campus code: E, Institution code: G50, Course code for BSc (Hons) Social Work: L503).