Social Work
University of Plymouth
UCAS Code: L501 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
104- 120 Science or Social Science preferred.
Pass a named Access to HE (Higher Education) Diploma with at least 33 Level 3 credits at merit/distinction level to include 15 level 3 credits in Science/Social Science (Social Work/Social Care/Psychology/Sociology/Criminology). Will need GCSE English at grade C/4 also Maths at grade C/4 (or equivalent).
Considered in combination with other qualifications.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
To include Grade 5 in one subject at Higher Level. Social science/social care, psychology, criminology profile preferred but not essential.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
To include Social Science. English, Maths, and Science accepted within as GCSE equivalent.
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
Considered in combination with other qualifications.
Considered in combination with other qualifications.
Considered in combination with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Science or Social Science preferred
Considered in combination with other qualifications.
120 UCAS Tariff points to include CC at Advanced Highers. Health or Social Science profile is preferred, but not essential.
Considered in combination with Advanced Highers
T Level
preference pathways would be Health and Science.
UCAS Tariff
104 - 120 points from a minimum of 3 A levels or level 3 qualifications. Science or Social Science preferred.
Considered in combination with other qualifications.
You may also need to…
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About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
Want to make a rewarding and positive contribution to society? Social workers support children and families through child protection procedures, fostering and adoption and youth justice to name but a few. They also support adults with issues including disability, drug and alcohol dependency, mental health, homelessness and safeguarding. You'll spend over 170 days on real-life placements with adults and children so you graduate ready to start your professional career.
* Get a head start – on successful completion of the course you can apply to become a registered social worker.
* Stand out from the crowd with a degree recognised by Social Work England.
* Benefit from the expertise of our network of partner agencies across the social work spectrum, learning from professionals to develop your skills.
* Gather insights and develop a real understanding of social work through our highly commended approach to integrated learning.
* Build your hands-on knowledge and experience on an excellent variety of placements, working in real-life adult and childcare settings in all three years.
* Engage with real service users and carers at every stage of your learning, so you graduate primed to put effective strategies to use in the workplace.
* Learn about the increasing influence of global issues on social work and be inspired by staff who are leading the way in international social work.
* Develop as a professional – equip yourself with the skills to be a reflective and ethical practitioner, committed to lifelong learning.
* Train and practice your professional healthcare skills in an inspiring purpose-built environment, InterCity Place.
* To complement your formal learning we offer regular PALS sessions that provide the opportunity for you to learn with and from your peers. Share knowledge, discuss ideas, and ask questions in a relaxed and friendly environment.
Modules
In your first year, your work will cover the foundations of social work. You’ll start developing your professional identity in the complex environment of social work, learning about everything from the values that underpin theory and practice to the importance of self and identity, and the perspectives of users and carers to the connections between local and global issues. You’ll learn through doing, spending a minimum of 30 days in preparation for practice.
In your second year you’ll further your professional development, learning how to apply ethical and theoretical perspectives to human development, understanding social sciences in a social work setting and getting to grips with applying legal and social policy in the context of welfare. You’ll explore issues of diversity and difference, reflect on real-life issues that impact users and carers, and develop your skills in collaborative working. You’ll spend a minimum of 70 days on placement.
In your final year, you’ll consolidate your learning, working towards becoming a safe, competent, ethical practitioner who demonstrates sound professional judgement. Learn how to analyse complex issues, and apply your knowledge and skills to resolve them. Gain a critical perspective on complex, uncertain and changing contexts in social work, further your skills working in multi-agency settings and develop your understanding of the international arena. You’ll spend a minimum of 100 days in complex social work settings.
The modules shown for this course or programme are those being studied by current students, or expected new modules. Modules are subject to change depending on year of entry and up to date information can be found on our website.
Assessment methods
For up to date details, please refer to our website or contact the institution directly.
The Uni
University of Plymouth
School of Health Professions
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Social work
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Social work
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
We're short of social workers - so if you want a degree that is in demand, then this could be the one for you! There's a shortage of social workers all over the UK, and graduates can specialise in specific fields such as mental health or children's social work. If you decide social work is not for you, then social work graduates also often go into management, education, youth and community work and even nursing. Starting salaries for this degree can reflect the high proportion of graduates who choose a social work career - social work graduates get paid, on average, more than graduates overall, but not all options pay as well as social work. This is also an unusual subject in that London isn't one of the more common places to find jobs - so if you want to get a job near to your home or your university this might be worth thinking about.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Social work
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£29k
£25k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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