• Skip to content
  • Skip to footer
  • Accessibility options
University of Brighton
  • About us
  • Business and
    employers
  • Alumni and
    supporters
  • For
    students
  • For
    staff
  • Accessibility
    options
Open menu
Home
Home
  • Close
  • Study
    • Courses and subjects
    • Find a course
    • A-Z course list
    • Explore our subjects
    • Academic departments
    • Visiting the university
    • Explore online
    • Online events
    • Virtual tours
    • Chat to our students and staff
    • Open days
    • Applicant days
    • Order a prospectus
    • Ask a question
    • Studying here
    • Clearing 2021
    • Accommodation and locations
    • Applying
    • Undergraduate
    • Postgraduate
    • Transferring from another university
    • The Student Contract
    • International students
    • Fees and finance
    • Advice and help
    • Advice for students
    • Advice for parents and carers
    • Advice for schools and teachers
    • Managing your application
    • Undergraduate
    • Postgraduate
  • Research and enterprise
    • Research and enterprise
    • Research and enterprise organisation
    • Brighton Futures – our themes
    • Centres of Research and Enterprise Excellence (COREs)
    • Research and Enterprise Groups (REGs)
    • Our research database
    • Information for business
    • Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP)
    • Postgraduate research degrees
    • PhD research disciplines and programmes
    • PhD funding opportunities and studentships
    • How to apply for your PhD
    • Research environment
    • Investing in research careers
    • Strategic plan
    • Research concordat
    • News, events, publications and films
    • Research and enterprise news
    • Research and enterprise public events
    • Inaugural lectures
    • Research publications and films
    • Academic staff search
  • About us
  • Business and employers
  • Alumni, supporters and giving
  • Current students
  • Staff
  • Accessibility
Search our site
View from above of people walking down the street

Social Work BSc(Hons)

  • Intro
  • Course
    content
  • Careers
  • Entry
    criteria
  • Fees
  • Location
  • Stay in
    touch
  • Related

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

Join an online event

Apply now with UCAS

95% of our Social Work BSc students were in work six months after completing their course.

Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey 2016-17

Course content

How this course is delivered

We've made some changes to the way our courses are taught to keep everyone safe, connected and involved in university life.

At the moment, students have a blend of on-campus and digitally enabled remote learning that provides lots of opportunities to interact and engage with lecturers and other students.

Find out what these changes mean for this course

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.

  • Social Policy and Social Welfare

    This module introduces you to the study of social policy and to main components of the welfare state. Focusing on service provision, it broadens an understanding of the complexity of the formation and implementation of social policy within the UK, noting and discussing the policy divergences which have occurred since devolution.

    The module will embrace a wide and inclusive understanding of the subject in a way that will engage and challenge your thinking.

  • 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, Children and Families: Skills, Theory and Context
  • Social Work Practice with Adults, Children and Families: Law, Policy and Protection
  • Practice Learning 1
  • Developing Analytic and Reflective Social Work Practice
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 Project
  • 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:

  • Jackie Lelkes
  • Ann-Marie Mullin
  • Lucy Basterra
  • Ian Dore
  • Cath Holmstrom
  • Emma Inch
  • David Watson
Sarah Wilkins

Our latest news

Thanking our social work students

Thanking our social work students

University of Brighton social work students who remained on placement despite the risks of Covid-19 are receiving a thank you gift supported by Santander Universities.

Students interviewed on BBC Radio Sussex

Students interviewed on BBC Radio Sussex

Students Karla Kern (Social Work MSc) and Hannah Beniston (Social Work BSc) were interviewed on the Sarah Gorell mid-morning show on Wednesday 29 April.

Covid-19 hasn’t stopped my placement.

Covid-19 hasn’t stopped my placement.

Social work student Karla Kern lives in a small flat with her partner and a friend – and she’s one of 30 University social work students who have volunteered to continue their placements to support the vulnerable during the pandemic.

Hannah’s helping the vulnerable

Hannah’s helping the vulnerable

More than 30 social work students at the University of Brighton are volunteering to continue placement work during lockdown by supporting vulnerable families whose needs are even greater with the COVID crisis.

Read more from our blog

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.

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:

  • Professional Social Work Practice and Management MSc
  • Professional Social Work Practice MSc
  • Social Work MSc (PGDip)
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

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
27 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 30 credits at merit or distinction, 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.

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) 14,748 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 Applied Social Science 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 £100 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.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further 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 2021–22.

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

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

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.

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube.


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.

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, but if you prefer you can add in a food and drink plan.
    • 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, and there's a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.

Unihomes and unilets
Unihomes and unilets are student houses that we let to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option can work particularly well when you're balancing learning with placements and other commitments. We have unihomes and unilet properties across the city.

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. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards. 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

Maps

Falmer campus

Student views  

Grace

"I chose the University of Brighton because after researching other institutions, I was very impressed by how detailed the course curriculum was and what the future prospects could be. This course prepares you for the real world of social work; you go into the job market prepared and ready to do the job without any nasty surprises.

"My placement experiences were complete polar opposites, with the first involving work with young people and the final with older people. The opportunity to have had both voluntary and statutory placements richly developed me personally, my skills, knowledge and most importantly made me the social worker that I am today.

"The best part of the course for me was the teaching staff, each of whom have their own style and approach but are all equally always so very helpful and eager to help, motivate and see their students succeed. An inspirational group of people who work tirelessly to help mould every future social worker.

"I got a job offer even before graduation and I currently work in adult services in an integrated multi-disciplinary team which brings together a wider range of professionals from community services, social care, mental health, pharmacy and third sector based around groups of GP Practices.

"I am so very proud to have studied social work and to also be a University of Brighton alumni."

Grace Dawson

 Kevin

"I got to a point in my job in which it was either go into a management role or follow my dream and see if I could become a social worker. After considerable research the University of Brighton appeared to be the most suitable to me as an older student. I also wanted a course that was more experiential.

"I liked the whole course. It was just great to be able to study a subject that interested me and was presented by tutors who appeared to be interested in it too. The staff were a really helpful knowledgeable bunch. I cannot recommend them enough.

"My first placement had much in common with the role I had for the past several years - the biggest thing I learned was that I did not want to work long term with this client base.

"My second placement however was the opposite in that it was exactly what I wanted to do. Over the eight months of the placement the fact that this was exactly the right place for me was confirmed. I found it to be an amazing experience and it was so good that I applied for a job there and got it.

"I am now the social worker in the west district Integrated Primary Care Team. I love the role. Exactly what I wanted."

Kevin OKeefe

Helen

"I chose to study at the University of Brighton for the location - to train to be a social worker as locally as possible.

"It is rewarding when the work comes together and I feel I am learning and progressing along the course.

"It is a lot of work, more than I realised it would be, but looking back at how I was when I started shows how much I have learnt which is encouraging. I think it will prepare me well to start out as a social worker.

"I have found the staff excellent. The lecturers make me feel supported and that I am being taught a good quality course.

"If you are thinking of applying I would say definitely do it but be prepared for how hard it is going to be!"

Rob

"I chose to study social work at Brighton because I found the staff to be friendly, approachable and supportive. At my interview, I asked how the course was taught and felt that it was suited to my style of learning.

"Throughout the course, lectures were quite relaxed and taught as an open conversation. I felt I could build a rapport with staff from the beginning and that they really want to be there to help you learn. I felt that the teaching staff really care about their students.

"Lectures with service users or practitioners felt hugely beneficial. These sessions allowed us to get an insight into social work practice by people sharing their experiences from across the social work field.

"My first placement was in a school. I initially thought ‘what am I going to learn about social work in a school’ but I was able to experience 1:1 work, facilitated groups, shadowed Child in Need and Child Protection meetings, co-wrote professional contribution reports, spent days with partner agencies, and so much more.

"My 100 day placement was with the Adolescent Service. The team did intensive work with some of the most vulnerable young people in the city. I held my own caseload and was supported by an excellent supervisor who really let me develop my own style of working. In addition to the support from my supervisor and the team, we had weekly student hubs run by a Practice Educator from Brighton and Hove Children’s Services.

"The skills and knowledge that I learnt, the experiences I had and the networks I met put me in great stead when it came to applying and interviewing for jobs.

"I’m now working in one of the teams in Brighton and hove Children’s Services. The ‘Pod’ system means that we’re in generic teams working Child in Need, Child Protection, Children in Care, and Private Fostering from pre-birth up to 18 years old. The work is hard but it’s incredibly rewarding. Even in the toughest weeks, I still look forward to coming to work."

Mia

"I was offered at two local universities and I chose Brighton due to the staff. My first impression was that they came across as approachable and extremely supportive, more importantly I felt that we had a similar value base that I instantly resonated with.

"I could not have asked for a more supportive team of staff. I feel very blessed to have had them to encourage me during my own person struggles over the three-year degree.

"I most enjoyed the opportunity to get a varied experience on my placements. My final placement was an incredible experience having had the opportunity to work in forensic mental health. I was able to work in a challenging environment and work beyond my comfort zone which was a fantastic learning curve. This placement also affirmed my decision to pursue a career in social work within a mental health sector and working within a multidisciplinary team.

"I am now employed by West Sussex County Council on the ASYE programme in the Horsham Community Team for my first year of working, thereafter I will work toward working in mental health recovery, hospital or community work as there are many adult teams.

"I had not studied for almost 20 years. I did an access course and applied to university as a single mother with a young child. If I can do it so can you, it is so worth it, you will never look back !!"

Naomi

"Prior to doing my degree I worked in child protection, within a secondary school, and really enjoyed the experience. It inspired me to do my social work degree.

"I enjoyed the variation in teaching, and the opportunity to work with other professions such as doctors, health visitors etc. Subjects which focused on diversity, anti-oppressive practice, inequality, have all inspired me in my role as a social worker.

"I had a placement in adult services and family services. The adult service placement was in a recovery project with homeless people. Originally I was quite focused on working in children’s placements, but I found my experience in an adult setting really valuable and believe it has contributed significantly to how I work with families.

"It is clear in the level of teaching that lecturers have such a passion and interest in social work, and it makes a huge difference to be taught by lecturers who have a range of different experiences, and who have worked in many different fields. The standard of teaching is really good and I learnt so much in my three years undertaking this degree.

"Lecturers support you to think beyond your understanding, question things, and expand your knowledge. I also felt there was a strong pastoral support at university, and I had a really good rapport with my tutors and was able to discuss any difficulties I had.

"I am now a qualified social worker and have completed my ASYE. I am so grateful that I did a degree in Social Work, it gave me a really solid foundation to work from.

"Studying at Brighton has been a valuable experience for me. I felt so supported over the three years, and encouraged to develop as a student social worker. I look back on my degree fondly, it is a challenging degree to undertake, but I felt really listened to."

Rachel

"I chose Brighton because the course collaborated with the medical school and occupational therapists which I thought was interesting and would provide different perspectives to social work. It felt more accessible than other institutions, the learning environment felt relaxed and the staff were approachable. At the time of starting the course I didn’t have a clear career path or expectation for myself, I simply wanted to learn and hoped that the course would give me some direction.

"The reflective space lecturers provided was the most enjoyable aspect of the course. The university really encouraged professional and personal development and I enjoyed not just learning things in order to pass an assessment but to learn in a more general sense about myself and what sort of professional I wanted to be.

"We would have regular debates and discussions which pushed me to think differently or question my own views and understanding. Using the skills that I developed throughout the course is something I am still using on a daily basis.

"My cohort was a relatively small group and it felt like the staff and students got to know one another well which I think helped people feel comfortable. Staff were always easy to approach with regards to learning issues but also on a personal level. Staff have different working backgrounds which were helpful particularly in the final year when deciding what route to take post qualifying as we could get broad advice.

"The course provided me with a professional qualification, employment and a steady career path. Social Work is one of those professions that once you are in it you realise there are so many avenues to go down - you can make the career what you want it to be.

"I have worked in Children’s Services since graduating. For the first three years I worked in a Family Support Team as an allocated social worker for families open on Child in Need or Child Protection Plans. I am now in my fourth year post-qualified and I have recently moved to a MASH/Duty and Assessment Team. This means I do two roles, working in MASH screening referrals to determine what level of need the situation is, gathering information and making decisions to close referrals or transfer to other teams. And the other part of the role is Duty work, dealing with any urgent referrals where there is no allocated social worker and completing Family Assessments."

Stay in touch

Join an online event

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

Visit the School of Applied Social Science blog.

Statistics

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

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 above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

Discover Uni

Discover Uni enables you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Discover Uni data on their website. Discover Uni will be launching a widget this month that will show top line stats for this course. Once live, the widget will appear below. 

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

Programme specification

Related courses

No related courses found for this course

Search again

Find your course
Back to top
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Contact us

University of Brighton
Mithras House
Lewes Road
Brighton
BN2 4AT

Main switchboard 01273 600900

Course enquiries

Sign up for updates

University contacts

Report a problem with this page

Quick links

  • Courses
  • Open days
  • Order a prospectus
  • Academic departments
  • Academic staff
  • Professional services departments
  • Jobs
  • Privacy and cookie policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Libraries
  • Term dates
  • Maps
  • Graduation
  • Site information
  • Online shop
  • COVID-19

Information for

  • Current students
  • International students
  • Media/press
  • Careers advisers/teachers
  • Parents/carers
  • Business/employers
  • Alumni/supporters
  • Suppliers
  • Local residents