Intro

Social work is both a profession and an academic discipline that commits to social justice and human rights by supporting those in need.

It is a vital and rewarding field of work that puts you in direct contact with often vulnerable and marginalised individuals, giving you a chance to make a significant difference to their lives.

The course has been approved by Social Work England – the regulatory body for social work training. You'll need to demonstrate Social Work England's Professional Standards within your practice, alongside the expectations specified by the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) held by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW).

Completion of the degree programme leads to a generic social work qualification, which then allows you to specialise in a particular area of practice. It also allows you to apply to Social Work England for registration as a social worker.

This degree is run in partnership with local agencies including Brighton & Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council, as well as with carers and service users.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS code L500

Full-time 3 years

Approved by Social Work England

Clearing 2022

Places are available on this course to start in 2022.

If you have your results you can apply online for a place through Clearing.

Apply online now

Our hotline opens

Course content

Course structure

The course reflects the multi-professional nature of social work practice through joint learning sessions with students of nursing, occupational therapy, midwifery, medicine, education and physiotherapy. There is also a focus on the social science knowledge base of social work, with contributions from criminology, psychology, sociology and social policy.

Learning on the course involves the extensive use of actual and simulated case material and also includes presentations, workshops, seminars, and small groups, with students and staff from other professions. The course benefits from contributions from carers, service users and practitioners from partner agencies.

You'll be supported by regular individual and group tutorials, and teaching is informed by the research of our staff, whose interests include complexity theory, mental health and resilience.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up-to-date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you will be told about any new developments through Student View.

Social Work

Placements

Practice learning placements are a core part of your training.

In Year 2 you will spend 70 days on placement. The emphasis will be on generic skills and learning, and you are likely to work in the private, voluntary or independent sector.

In your final year you will spend 100 days on placement and will keep a structured Practice Portfolio and also write a Practice Study.

Your placement will be in a setting that offers you the opportunity to engage with: 

  • formal assessment processes
  • the application of legal frameworks
  • organisational policies and procedures
  • the demands of a high-pressure environment, and
  • multi-agency working.

You will also have an additional 30 days of skills-based activities which are spread throughout the three years.

Practice will be assessed according to the Social Work’s Professional Capabilities Framework. By the end of the course you also have to demonstrate the Social Work England's Standards of Proficiency for Social Workers in England.

Year 1

Year 1 will introduce social work practice and begin your professional training. You will also learn about how the social sciences inform social work and about the role of social policy.

Modules

  • Introduction to Social Work Practice

    In this module you'll be introduced to core and basic knowledge of professional social work practice, including the central importance of professionalism and ethical and anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice.

    The module outlines the nature, purpose, remit and knowledge base of professional social work; introduces key social work skills and outlines the component parts involved in professional social work tasks.

    You'll explore professionalism - the professional identity, role and responsibility of social workers and how this relates to, and differs from, the personal self. The statutory regulation of social work profession and the professional body for social work are introduced. You'll also be introduced to the range of different settings for professional practice.

  • Contemporary Social Inequalities

    This module will provide you with the theoretical and conceptual tools to confront normative/normalising explanations of difference and inequality. You'll understand the ways that ‘differences’ and inequalities are formed and their consequences for everyday lived realities.

  • Human Growth and Development

    This module will introduce you to theories and knowledge on human development across the lifespan, by examining a range of bio-psychosocial theories, applying understanding to how human growth and development is shaped as we grow and travel through the life-course.

    You will explore a range of bio-psychosocial theories: (eg. attachment; psychodynamic; bio-psychosocial, cognitive, behavioural, humanistic) and related theories (eg. systems theory and complexity theory). You'll examine the individual’s development in different contexts across the lifespan from childhood and adolescence, through adulthood to end of life, with consideration of the various transitions. You'll also take account of different cultural contexts; disability; mental health; harm and abuse; inequalities, exclusion and discrimination.

    Application of understanding the life course to social work practice is embedded throughout the module learning. Thus, bio-psychosocial theories of development are applied to specific practice issues ranging from child abuse and parenting through to offending behaviour and care for older people and those with mental health difficulties. Key concepts in the lifespan are explored also: for example, identity, vulnerability, risk, protective factors, resilience and the promotion of strengths.

    Learning and teaching on this module contributes to learning and assessment in relation to the College of Social Work’s Professional Capabilities Framework and the Health and Care Professions Councils’ Standards of Proficiency for Social Workers in England and Wales.

  • Preparing for Social Work Practice

    This module includes ten 'developing skills for practice' days and will enable you to develop core skills in engaging with service users/carers and undertaking assessments and interventions. You'll have the opportunity to shadow the practice of a Social Worker during your development days.

    The module will also examine a number of social work methods and you'll gain an understanding of the place of theory and evidence in social work in guiding and evaluating assessments and interventions.

  • Law for Social Workers

    On this module you'll be introduced to the use of law in social work - you will learn about the English legal system, frameworks and concepts, before going on to consider the core legislation and practice guidance underpinning social work with children and families, adult service users and carers and those with mental health needs.

    Attention will also be paid to the inter-professional context in which social workers operate and the need for partnership working when seeking to meet needs and safeguard and protect service users and carers. Throughout, a key focus will be upon the implications of statutory intervention for anti-oppressive, rights-based practice, the challenging of discrimination and the perspectives of service users and carers on use of law in social work practice.

  • Service User and Carer Needs and Resources

    This module will introduce you to the concept of need, what need might look like, how it might be defined by different groups and what resources may or may not be available to meet the needs of service users and carers.

Social Policy

Year 2

Year 2 will develop your specialist knowledge and practical skills. You will also complete your first professional placement.

Modules

  • Social Work Practice with Adults
  • Social Work Practice with Children and Families
  • Practice Learning 1
  • Critical Social Work
parents and children socialising at home

Final year

In year 3, the second placement will enable further development and the consolidation of more complex social work practice. You will also use your research skills to complete a social work project of your choice.

Modules

  • Social Work Dissertation
  • Contemporary Social Work
  • Practice Learning 2
Students in a seminar

Meet the team

Sarah Wilkins, course leader

Sarah is a registered Social Worker and qualified Practice Educator with over 20 years’ social work experience in front-line child protection practice, adoption work, working with young people leaving care and most recently with Brighton and Hove Fostering Service as a Practice Manager. 

Sarah is passionate about social work and the importance of learning from each other and the people we work with. She is interested in the notion of a ‘community of practice’ and how learning and experience can come together. 

Sarah’s approach to teaching aims to provide students with space to consider problem solving and reflection as central processes. This is often through tutorial groups and group learning activities, but also via group supervision in practice. She is keen to engage students with real Social Work practice scenarios and explore skill development in preparation for practice and beyond.

Other members of the teaching team:

Sarah Wilkins

How this course is delivered

How will my course be taught?
For the academic year that starts in September 2022 we’re planning for all students to be taught face-to-face on campus, enhanced by some online learning.

Students who started their course with us in 2021 are on campus for some face-to-face learning including tutorials, workshops, laboratory classes and studio sessions. They are also taking part in off-campus learning activities such as placements, field trips and study visits. And all of our campus facilities – libraries, learning spaces, restaurants, gyms and more are open.

Like all universities we are following government guidance and we are monitoring the pandemic very closely. Should Public Health advise it we have robust plans in place for additional safety measures to be introduced to enable everyone to continue learning on campus, and, as a last resort, for students to continue their learning remotely.

We will update you regularly on our teaching plans for the next academic year as you progress your application with us.

When does my course start?
The 2022 academic year begins on Monday 26 September 2022. Teaching for most courses starts the following week.

Many education courses, some health science courses including Medicine, and some postgraduate business courses have an earlier start date. Check your offer letter for the start date of your course.

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Hear from current Social Work BSc student Keeley Vokins on her experiences of studying at the University of Brighton.
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“I chose Brighton as it had a good reputation, especially for vocational courses, and the interview process was pleasant and smooth”

Read our Q&A with first year Social Work BSc student Dave.
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Spotlight on Social Work placements

Placements are a core part of the training on our Social Work BSc(Hons).

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Careers

Accreditation

The course has been approved by Social Work England (SWE) – the regulatory body for social work training.

Completion of the degree programme leads to a generic social work qualification, which then allows you to specialise in a particular area of practice. It also allows you to apply for registration with SWE, which is essential before practising as a social worker.

Social Work England logo

Prepare for your social work career 

As a social worker you’ll need organisational skills, problem-solving skills, relationship-building skills and motivational skills – you’ll gain all of this from your degree.

  • Completion of the degree programme leads to a generic social work qualification, which then allows you to specialise in a particular area of practice.
  • The degree enables you to apply for registration with Social Work England which is essential before practising as a social worker.
  • The placement element will provide you with varied experience to ensure you are prepared for your social work career
  • You’ll gain the ability to work in accordance with statutory and organisational requirements in challenging and conflictual situations
  • Inter professional learning will bring you together with students on other courses - learning together to support working together.

Placements

Your placement will ensure you are fully prepared for your career in social work.

Your practice learning will be assessed according to the Social Work’s Professional Capabilities Framework.

By the end of the course you will also need to demonstrate the Social Work England Professional Standards – the standards set out the requirements social workers are expected to meet.

Our students have carried out their practice learning in a wide range of areas including in:

  • assessment teams
  • long-term teams
  • family centres
  • children’s hospitals
  • fostering services
  • adoption services.

Elsie Foster spent her second year placement with Stay Up Late – a local charity that helps people with learning difficulties to stay up late and have some fun.

Elsie said: “My experience of working at Stay Up Late allowed me to explore a more informal approach to working in order to build effective relationships."

Read more about Elsie's placement. Our spotlight on placements post on our blog features the experiences of four other social work students.

Work-related experience 

We’ll ensure you’ll have knowledge of the many professions and roles your social work career will bring you into contact with. 

Inter professional education is an important element of the course and can help each profession enhance its own professional practice, through gaining a deeper understanding of its own knowledge and practice base and how this complements and supports that of other professions.

Working with students on other courses at the university you’ll make extensive use of actual and simulated case material in order to prepare for collaborative practice. The types of sessions could include: 

  • working collaboratively in children’s services with education, nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, occupational therapy students, youth workers
  • physical abuse with medical students
  • safeguarding vulnerable adults and children with nursing and occupational therapy students
  • conference on current practice issues.

Service users, carers and practitioners from partner agencies, organisations and NHS trusts will be central to your learning experience.

Their involvement ensures that practitioner, service user and carer perspectives lie at the heart of learning and teaching and that the taught input is correctly aligned to current practice. You’ll benefit from their input in guest lectures throughout your studies.

Graduate destinations 

As a social worker, you will work with people to find solutions to their problems. This may be helping to protect vulnerable people from harm or abuse or supporting people to live independently.

As well as working with clients and their families and other carers, social workers work with other agencies including the police, local authority departments, schools and the probation service.

This is an important time to enter the profession and there continues to be a need for social workers nationally.

Employment opportunities exist with local authorities but also voluntary agencies who work with:

  • children
  • older people
  • disabled people
  • those using mental health services.
A family using a tablet

Further study 

We offer a range of professional development opportunities for social workers at all stages of their careers:

students in lecture

Supporting your employability 

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

  • Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
  • Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
  • Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
  • Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
  • Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
  • Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

Coloured background with the words Be More, Connected, Skilled, Emlployable

Professional links 

This degree is run in partnership with local agencies including:

  • Brighton & Hove City Council
  • East Sussex County Council
  • West Sussex County Council

We also work in partnership with carers and service users.

Entry criteria

Flexible admissions

When you apply to Brighton we want to hear about who you are. Grades are never the whole picture; we're interested in things like creativity, resourcefulness, persistence and the capacity to think big and find new ways of doing things. And we recognise that not everyone has the same background. That's why we treat everyone who applies as an individual. We recognise many qualifications and we care about all of your achievements and the experiences you've had that set you apart.

Find out more

Students on a field trip

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level ABB–BBC (128–112 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DDM–DMM. Applicants invited to interview are normally selected from the group who have predicted grades at the top of this range but it is not a guarantee of interview.

If your predicted grades are towards the lower end of this range we may still invite you to interview if you offered a significantly competitive GCSE (or equivalent) profile, personal statement or relevant non–academic achievements. Subsequent offers will be made based on assessment at interview.

International Baccalaureate
32–28 points with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Social work diploma preferred. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 18 credits at distinction and 27 credits at merit, including level 3 credits in written communication, study skills, and reading and writing skills.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
A good GCSE profile including maths and English language. These are national requirements for social work training and cannot be waived/other subjects cannot be accepted in lieu. Functional Skills, level 2 in English and maths, are acceptable.

If you do not have the required GCSEs find out which equivalent qualifications we accept instead.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. 

English language requirements
IELTS 7.0 overall, with a minimum of 6.5 in the other elements.

Other
You should have:

  • experience of being in a helping or support role, for example in a social care or education setting (this may be paid or voluntary)
  • understanding of, and preparedness for, social work practice
  • a satisfactory academic reference
  • a satisfactory second (character) reference preferably relating to social care, a helping role you have had outside of your family, or from your most recent employer.

Note that we are unable to accept deferrals of places to the next academic year for this course. 

If we make you an offer
Once you've accepted your offer, to fulfil professional requirements, you will be expected to provide evidence of the following:

  • satisfactory DBS disclosure
  • satisfactory health declaration/clearance.

Fees

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 14,892 GBP

Social work bursary information

The NHS Business Service Authority administers social work bursaries, for further information and to check your eligibility visit their webpage. 

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Humanities and Social Science in the 2022–23 academic year are listed here.

  • For some assessments you may be required to print large format posters for presentations at a cost of £5–£10 per poster.
  • Most coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £100 for printing.
  • Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £200 to buy your own copies.
  • Some courses include an optional placement module for which students will need to cover the costs of travel to and from the placement and DBS checks as required.
  • For the Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counselling PGDip and Psychotherapeutic Psychodynamic Counselling PGDip, the following course-related costs are not included in the tuition fee:
    • Supervision fees: £1,170 for each full year. Estimated based on £45 per hour with fortnightly meetings. In some agencies, supervision will be provided at no cost. Where students have to pay, the cost will only begin when supervision begins.
    • Personal counselling/therapy: £2,000–£2,800 over the course. Estimated based on £40 per hour.
  • For a number of courses you will have the opportunity to attend field trips and off-site visits. These are optional and are not required to pass your course but under normal circumstances we would expect a budget of approximately £150 per year will cover the costs of particular trips. The amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2022–23.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. 7,000 students are based here taking subjects including criminology, English, education, nursing and medicine, paramedic science, psychology and sociology. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources and clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students. Psychology students learn in our applied cognition and flexible creative method labs.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes, and a students' union shop and bar.

The campus sports centre has a fitness suite, activity studios and a sports hall. There is also a floodlit astroturf football pitch, netball and tennis courts.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre and there is a BTN BikeShare hub on site. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine minute journey to central Brighton.

Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

Brighton: Falmer

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students who apply by 30 June.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • Falmer campus is linked to the halls on Falmer campus and at Varley Park. All halls are self-catered.
    • Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls are on Falmer campus and offer a range of rooms
    • Varley Park offers a mix of rooms. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private renting. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Students dining at Westlain

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Falmer campus

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

Students talking in a social area

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Cricket Academy

New for September 2023, our Cricket Academy offers aspiring players the opportunity to continue their cricket development alongside studying for a degree. The programme offers a world-class training environment with the highest quality coaching.

Find out more about the Cricket Academy.

Students playing frisbee

Student views  

Elicia

"My interview for the University of Brighton was my first out of the five choices. I had such a positive experience, so this played a big part in my final decision. Also, having lived in a small town my whole life, I wanted to explore somewhere different, and when talking to family, family friends and friends, they only told me positive things about Brighton.

"Being on the social work course has already allowed me to become aware of the inequalities in society that might not have been obvious to me before and how this impacts the everyday lives of individuals. I already feel that learning about the many inequalities and how they are embedded into society has made me realise how unjust society is. I chose social work because I have a strong sense of social justice and care about the inequalities people face. Therefore, I believe the course will make a difference to my future and career because it will give me more insight into what goes on in the world and why people need Social Workers to help support them and advocate for them.

"I also believe that this particular course will help me grow as an individual because I have to continuously develop my knowledge, skills, and values, which all help shape the person I am.

"So far in the course, I have learnt a lot about myself as a person, and as a social work student, for example, skills and values I would not have thought about before. Whether personal or professional, I have learned how they can interlink with one another and how I can continue developing these and use them throughout my degree and future career to be an excellent practitioner.

"The course allows me to view situations and experiences with a more open mind because I must practice holistically. Therefore, when presented with concerns in everyday life and my career, I will learn to look at the individual and their surroundings, which could also contribute to their problems.

"For someone wanting to apply for a social work degree, my top bit of advice would be for you to really want to go into this type of profession. It is a great course to study; however, it is challenging and demanding, and you must be able to see the benefits throughout for yourself to want to carry on and succeed.

"I guess it is like anything; if you really want something, you will continue to succeed and take on anything thrown at you. I have learnt that social work is not like many other courses. You cannot just skip lectures, not participate in class and tasks set, and everything you are asked to do will all contribute to helping you as an individual, a student, and a future social worker.

"If you love a challenge and to be put to the test, keeping you on your toes, social work is the course for you.

"As a first-year student, the support I have received has been excellent. I studied social work on an access course the year before I started university and was told I would not receive much help. However, from experience, I now know this is not the case.

"My 1:1 tutor and course tutors have been very supportive, especially when I struggled to cope. Having their support meant I was able to contact student services, who have also really helped and provided me with great advice, which I can apply throughout university and my personal life."

Mandy

"I have wanted to be a social worker for 30 years so doing this course feels like a dream coming true. The course will stand me in good stead for practice.

"To anyone thinking about applying for this course I would say 'Do it', it is a great course. I like all the teaching staff. There is a nice difference in the way they teach. All staff are friendly, approachable, and easy to learn from. The lectures are good. The support staff are helpful too.

"I am on my placement in statutory children’s social work services and love it. I feel I have really landed on my feet with the team I am working with and really hope I will get a permanent job with them in the future. The work is varied and interesting with great support from other professionals. It is demanding and fast paced which suits me. I learn something every day…amazing."

Abi

"I chose this course because I have had an interest in becoming a social worker since leaving sixth form, I have always liked the idea of being able to help people in a way that makes a difference in their lives. I feel that I will be able to do this once I have completed this course. 

"I have always wanted to go to the University of Brighton. It is close to my family home and I enjoy the area.

"The course will give me the ability to fulfil the role of social worker or other similar professions, it has provided me with key ideas of what a social worker needs to do and how to do it. It has provided me with an idea of the work that I will be doing when I qualify and has help me with to see the different aspects of social work and social care in general.

"The teaching has been great, with a variety of staff members, they are happy to help if you have a questions or are struggling with anything. Tutors are great for one to ones where you can discuss any difficulties your may have, they can help to talk through this to make it clear and give you guidance on how to move forward. 

"I would say that if you have a passion to make a difference and you want to be able to support people to improve their situations then social work would be good. It is a good course that provides lots of information and helps in building an understanding of how to fulfil the role of a social worker. 

"I am on my first placement, it has been in a residential home for adolescent children with behaviour an education needs. It has various locations in East Sussex. There is no average day, some days can be very busy and others are more relaxed. It involves encouraging the young people to meet their education needs, attend therapy, be independent and to manage their emotions. They work with families where possible to improve relationships between the young people and their families.

"The placement has been great for putting theory in to practice, this is what I was worried about at the start of my placement but you are offered support throughout, this is great and helps you to reaffirm what you are learning. By being on placement it helps in building skills such as communication, interviewing and general interventions.

"Placement is what you make of it, use the resources that you have, talk to you practice educator, tutor and supervisors, they are a great way o ensure that you are getting what you need out of the placement. The more open and willing you are to complete task on placement the better the experience you will have. 

Nisha

"I chose the Social Work course because it allows students to have well rounded training and provides an opportunity to see what the profession is really like in the placements embedded within the course. 

"I chose to study at the University of Brighton because I always heard positive things about it from other people and from the reaction, I knew it was an excellent choice to make. I believe the course will set me up well by the end of the three years at university as it provides detailed information and experiences to encounter before entering the professional career.

"I am currently enjoying the law module the most, as it is interesting and insightful to understand a vital aspect within the profession.

"The teaching has been great, and the staff are supportive to students and seem to care about the wellbeing of their students.

"I would say to anyone thinking about applying to go for it! It is a highly interesting and challenging course, and it gives you a wide range of knowledge to set you up for the career.

"I have just completed the first shadowing placement and I really enjoyed it as it was a realistic insight into the profession, and I am grateful that the course offers the opportunity for it. My placement was in the family support team in East Sussex County Council based in Lewes. In a typical day within the office, I would read case notes, family assessments, child protection plans, police reports and pre-birth assessments. When I was not in the office, I went to a few houses visits each day or primary schools to visit young children and I encountered many different types of families.

"I definitely learnt a lot on my short placement that I was not aware about prior to going, as sometimes it is best to see it in action to get a real understanding. To anyone who is unsure about the placement option, I would say to not worry as much about it and instead look forward to it. I was very nervous before my placement however it really opened my eyes, and I was able to gain so much from it."

Isy

"I chose social work because I wanted a progression on from care work, I wanted to have a career that had a positive impact on my community. And I chose the University of Brighton as I had heard about the student support being good and I had friends and some family in the city.

"The campus has a nice atmosphere, the library is really good and there is good support available from the lecturers if needed.

"My 70-day placement with the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership has been amazing. I really enjoy it."

"My typical day may include: supporting cooking or gardening groups for a range of adults and young people with different support needs, arranging referrals to the therapeutic groups, contacting service users for evaluations of our services, and assisting colleagues with admin tasks."In terms of what you gain from being on placement and out of the classroom, you get to do practical person-facing jobs, supervision which has massively supported my learning, and you are able to just do the social work!

"The support for placement from the uni involved lots of prep lectures. We have regular group tutorials where we discuss placement and how things are going."

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Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked below). You can find out also about the support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Course and module descriptions on this page were accurate when first published and are the basis of the course. Detailed information on any changes we make to modules and learning and assessment activities will be sent to all students by email before enrolment, so that you have all the information before you come to Brighton.

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Programme specification

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