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BA (Hons) Social Work

Open Days

The best way to find the right university for you. Meet your lecturers, discover more about your course and take a look around the campus. 

RS2725 Open Day (5) (2)
UCAS code: 
L501
Institution code: 
S82
Location: 
Ipswich

Duration: 

Three years full-time.

Four and a half to seven years part-time.

Typical Offer: 

2023-24 and 2024-25 entry; 120 UCAS tariff points (or above), BBB (A-Level), DDM (129) (BTEC), Merit (T Level).

 

 

  • Our teaching partnership offers more opportunities for practice learning and is having a wider impact on the quality of social work practice and how people who use services are involved.
  • Tutors bring a wealth of experience and up-to-date knowledge.
  • The involvement of people with knowledge and experience of social work services adds to the quality of learning.
  • The high rate of graduate employment reflects our excellent standards.
  • Exceptional course content prepares you personally and professionally for your social work career.
  • Benefit from our strong links to the public, private and voluntary sectors.

 

Introduction

We have established a strong teaching partnership with Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils and the University of East Anglia. The initiative, which commenced in 2017, enhances the quality of your studies, bringing innovative approaches to learning, as well as even more opportunities for practical experience.

This fantastic project helps raise your practice to an excellent standard, giving you the opportunities, resources and skills needed for a demanding career in the public, private and voluntary social work and social care sectors.

Our rigorous approach to learning and community-based practice placements ensure you have the opportunity to become a critical, analytical and reflective thinker. When you graduate you will have the skills, values and knowledge to help enable positive changes for children, adults and families in vulnerable circumstances. 

Regulated by Social Work England (previously the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)), social work offers a wealth of values-based and stimulating possibilities. We constantly update the course contents to reflect the changing and diverse opportunities in this field, and to give you the tools for your ongoing professional development.

The tutors and people who use services and practitioners bring a diversity of experience to the course, and direct links to current practice ensures your learning is up to date. What is more, during your degree the teaching team provides academic guidance and careers support. All of this advances employability in time for graduation.

Service users and carers with a variety of experiences and knowledge are involved in many elements of social work education. It is a fundamental part of the activities at the University of Suffolk. View our Social Work Voices page for more information.

Further information about the University's relationship with Social Work England is available in the PSRB register

Sharon Shoesmith talk at the Univresity of Suffolk.jpg

Sharon Shoesmith talk at the Univresity of Suffolk

In March 2017 Sharon Shoesmith gave a talk to students and professionals entitled: 'Social Work in the Age of Social Media and Posttruth'.

Your course – approved by Social Work England (formerly the HCPC ) – is designed to meet Quality Assurance Benchmark Statements for Social Work, and incorporates Professional Standards and The Professional Capabilities Framework. In fact, when you apply, we will ask you to provide evidence that you are aware of and understand the Framework.

Once your degree is completed, you are qualified and eligible to apply to the Social Work England (SWE) register, allowing you to begin your social work career, subject to meeting SWE’s requirements.

 

Further information about the University's relationship with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is available in the PSRB register.

Course modules

Full downloadable information regarding all University of Suffolk courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Record.

Preparation for Social Work Practice (Mandatory)
Psychological Approaches to Human Behaviour and Lifespan Development (Mandatory)
Social Change and Social Justice in Social Work (Mandatory)
Values, Ethics and Dilemmas in Social Work Practice (Mandatory)
Effective Communication for Social Work Practice (Mandatory)
Social Work with Adults: Law, Policy and Practice (Mandatory)
Social Work with Children and Families: Law, Policy and Practice (Mandatory)
Social Work Research (Mandatory)
Assessed Practice Learning (70 days of assessed practice learning) supported by Professional Practice Workshops (Mandatory)
Mental Health and Social Justice for Children and Adults (Mandatory)
Critical Social Work and Social Justice (Mandatory)
Research Dissertation (Mandatory)
Assessed Practice Learning Year 3 – (supported by Professional Practice Workshops) (Mandatory)

Career opportunities

Social workers are typically employed by local authorities and other public organisations such as NHS trusts departments that provide services for children or adults. However, once you are qualified and registered, you can also work in the voluntary, private or independent social care sectors. For more information visit the British Association of Social Workers.

Our course is developed to give you transferable skills, helping to broaden your career choices. Moving into social work is just one option –  other opportunities range from Careers Adviser and Charity Project Officer to Play Therapist and Youth Worker. Whatever you aspire to do, we our best to help you explore your ambitions and potential pathways. 

Student profiles

I chose to study at the University of Suffolk because it was a very welcoming environment, the course offers a range of different modules to gain knowledge in the varying aspects of the job and I felt this offers the chance to gain that little bit of extra experience. The Univer...

I am currently in my third year studying BA (Hons) Social Work and I am glad I chose to study at the University of Suffolk. Despite applying for various universities, no other university gave the same impression as Suffolk did. Taking the plunge to get back into studying after worki...

I am a very indecisive person and find it difficult to make decisions, particularly when it is one that will have such a huge impact on my life and future career. I was accepted for an interview at three different universities. When I went to the interview at the University of Suffo...

Fees and finance

2023-24

  • UK full-time tuition fee: £9,250 p.a
  • UK part-time tuition fee: £1,454 per 20 credits (please contact the Student Centre for further information)
  • International full-time tuition fee: £14,598 p.a (inclusive lab-based fee)

Further Information

At University of Suffolk, your tuition fees provide access to all the usual teaching and learning facilities that you would expect. However, there may be additional costs associated with you course that you will need to budget for. 

Entry requirements

Staff

Course Leader BA (Hons) Social Work & Senior Lecturer.

Lecturer in Social Work

Senior Lecturer in Social Work, Social Work Apprentice Course Lead

Academic Administrator

Senior Lecturer in Social Work

Associate Professor (Social Work)

Facilities and Resources

Your studies will be based mainly in the Waterfront Building located in the heart of the bustling Ipswich Waterfront. The building has six floors, one auditorium which seats 200 people, two main lecture theatres each seating 140 people and 34 teaching rooms seating between 18 and 80 people. 

The Waterfront Building supports flexible learning with open study on all floors, where we have approximately 50 iMacs for students to access.

Waterfront_night.jpg

Waterfront night 1

Our Waterfront Building provides a contemporary, comfortable and well-equipped base for your degree.

Take advantage of our regular talks and guest speakers. We recently held our fifth annual conference, ‘Conversations Across Difference’ – which looked at promoting inclusion by improving conversations across difference within the practice educator/student relationship and between the student and service user in the practice context. 

Our keynote speaker was Dr Prospera Tedam, who developed the MANDELA model of practice learning - a framework which encourages the development of positive relationships between social work students and their practice educators in both adult and children’s services.