Course structure
Our social work degree course links theory directly with practice, enabling you to engage effectively and sensitively with vulnerable groups. You'll graduate as a professional capable of ensuring the users of social work services have the maximum possible independence while still safeguarding them from harm and risk. We'll help you develop and maintain the confidence of service users, protecting their rights, effectively promoting their interests and ensuring equality.
Our degree is designed to prepare you in the best way possible for direct practice, partnering with employers to ensure you get experience in a variety of settings. You'll have the chance to work alongside a range of vulnerable groups and individuals with differing needs on placement. This may involve working in a day-care setting, for groups who require a few hours of attention daily, or in the community, carrying out assessments, developing care plans, identifying and responding to risk, managing complex caseloads and prioritising work, as well as delivering appropriate services.
In year one you'll start your training with five modules that will introduce you to what social workers do. This includes anti-discriminatory issues, the law and issues related to human growth and development, as well as other vital areas of social welfare.
In the second year, you'll continue to build your knowledge base about the demands placed on modern social workers with a further four modules as well as your first major placement (70 days). The year concludes with an introduction to research methods.
In the final year of the social work degree, you'll develop more of your evidence-based skills and hone your knowledge of law and policy. The course features a longer, 100 day placement. You'll finish the course by working on critical reflection, giving you a robust platform from which you can begin to practice as a social worker.
COURSE BREAKDOWN
Year One
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
Introduction to Social Work Practice
20 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module provides you with an understanding of the role of the social worker in different contexts and will provide an experience in social work practice.
It is intended that you will identify the expectations of the regulatory body and the role of the social worker in current practice. There is an acknowledgement that the current practice environment is complex, challenging, multi-dimensional, constantly changing alive with ethical dilemmas and tensions. Social Work is constantly changing as a result of learning from current practice including contemporary issues and is informed by student and service user feedback.
Equality, Diversity and Anti-Discriminatory Practice
20 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will focus on pursuing excellence in social work practice, and assisting you to become practice-led, employable and have a local, national and global outlook.
Human Growth and the Life Course
20 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will develop social work professionals whose work is informed by theory and evidence, with the goal of "transforming lives", by providing a range of the key knowledge required to facilitate this.
This module aligns with the overall philosophy and aims of the BSc (Hons) Social Work degree programme and the Health and Care Professions Council Standards of Proficiency by providing an understanding of the impact of human growth and development across the life span in relation to and in preparation for social work practice. The module also contributes to the "Knowledge" requirements of the Professional Capabilities Framework for Social Workers. It promotes an analytic and comparative approach to perspectives on personal development and change, with a focus on the chronological life-course. It explores the relevance of physiological, psychological, sociological and environmental perspectives to understanding personal and social development and functioning.
Foundation Law and Social Policy
20 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, and in order to prepare students for the complex and constantly evolving nature of modern social work practice this module enables students to develop their knowledge and understanding of law.
The module aims to:
- Develop a practical awareness of court processes and the roles of social workers in various legal and regulatory contexts
- Develop the skill of reading and evaluating legal and policy documents
- Begin to develop an awareness of the policy and legal frameworks of practice specialisms
Core Skills for Practice
40 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, and central to the delivery of high quality social work is the ability to understand and develop competence in using and applying a range of professional skills in direct practice with service users, carers and other professionals.
Determined by the Professional Capabilities Framework at ‘Skills and Readiness for Practice Level’, this Level 4 module teaches and assesses foundational skills in professionalism, communication, assessment, reflection, emotional resilience, Anti Discriminatory Practice, relationship building, recording, and initial awareness and understanding of evidence, risk, safeguarding, organisational context and leadership in social work. It includes skills simulation sessions and the opportunity to shadow a qualified social worker. Professionalism includes the ability to separate personal and professional values, draw on a professional knowledge base, use power positively, engage in ethical decision making and maintain professional boundaries with vulnerable people. This module is a ‘professional requirement’ and must be passed before you are considered ready and eligible to safely undertake your First Practice Placement working directly with vulnerable people. Service users, carers and qualified practitioners work alongside academic tutors as part of an interactive and practical approach to delivery and assessment.
Year Two
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
Law and Safeguarding 1
40 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will provide you with the opportunity to engage with law and policy, and the knowledge needed to safeguard and protect vulnerable service users as specified by the professional requirements for social work.
You will need to reflect on your legal roles and responsibilities as a social worker with a duty of care so that you can practice professionally and be prepared for employment. The module will examine the court process and structure and prepare you to present evidence in court and to write formal reports. You are required to analyse relevant law and policy with an emphasis on the process of joint working and the individual responsibilities of practitioners working in the areas of children and families, adult care, and mental health.
Theories and Methods for Social Work Practice
40 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will prepare you for the complex and constantly evolving nature of modern social work practice, enabling you to develop your knowledge and understanding of theory and methods of intervention.
You are required to not only learn about the theories but to develop skills for using these in practice whilst demonstrating the ability to work in an anti-oppressive/anti-discriminatory manner. The BSc (Hons) Social Work programme is clear in its aim to develop social work professionals whose work is informed by theory and evidence, with the goal of transforming lives.
Introduction to Research
40 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will focus on pursuing excellence in social work practice, and assisting you to become practice-led, employable and have a local, national and global outlook.
This module is designed to provide an introduction to research, research design and research methodology. You will learn the relevance and purpose of research in the context of social work practice, how to carry out research and follow a research process whilst taking into account research paradigms, research approaches, sampling, piloting, data collection, data analysis and data presentation.
First Placement
0 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, the First Placement module will focus upon practice learning. Social work is a practice led profession and this is reflected in practice learning being integral to the social work programme. The First Placement module will support you to link your developing knowledge, skills and values to practice through the provision of a 70 day practice placement that will provide opportunities for you to work directly with service users, carers, colleagues and other professionals. This module also contributes to the programme philosophy and aims by enhancing your interdisciplinarity, for example by developing your ability to work with and learn from other professionals; and employability, for example by giving you opportunities to develop your professionalism and practice excellence in a service delivery setting, and be work ready.
Year Three
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
Research Knowledge for Practice
40 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will focus on pursuing excellence in social work practice, and assisting you to become practice-led, employable and have a local, national and global outlook.
It is important that you have an opportunity to develop your research knowledge for practice based on a social care issue within the context of a pluralist society. You are required to demonstrate a critical understanding to recognise the ways in which research needs to address differences of equality, race, gender and culture, at local, national and global perspectives.
Law and Safeguarding 2
40 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme, this module will provide you with an understanding of the legal system in England and Wales and the knowledge needed to safeguard and protect vulnerable service users as specified by the professional requirements for social work.
You will need to reflect on your legal roles and responsibilities as a social worker with a duty of care so that you can practice professionally and be prepared for employment. The module will examine the court process and structure and prepare you to present evidence in court and to write formal reports. You are required to reflect on the process of joint working and the individual responsibilities of practitioners working in the areas of children and families, adult care, mental health and youth justice
Last Placement
0 credits
In line with the philosophy and aims of the Social Work programme the Last Placement module will focus upon practice learning. This practice-led, knowledge applied module contributes to the programme philosophy and aims by further enhancing your interdisciplinarity for example, your ability to work with and learn from other professionals; and employability for example, giving you opportunities to develop your professionalism and practice excellence in a service delivery setting, and be work ready. The Last Placement module is a professional requirement that builds on the level 5 First Placement module.
Critical Reflective Practice
40 credits
Welcome to the Critical Reflective Practice Module, this is the last module of Year 3 of the BSc (Hons) Social Work Degree which is taught in Semester 3 of the programme. This module focuses on providing you with the opportunity to promote a critical reflective approach to practice.
The Critical Reflective Practice module is a core module in preparing you for completion of the BSc (Hons) Social Work Degree and future employability through enhancing your presentation skills and your ability to critically reflect and analyse your work.
