Intro

Social work is a rewarding and impactful profession focused on social justice and human rights. It provides the opportunity to work closely with vulnerable individuals, helping to improve their lives and create positive change in society.

Our Social Work degree offers a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience, preparing you for diverse practice areas. With strong links to local agencies and a curriculum aligned with professional standards, you’ll gain the skills and knowledge needed to become a qualified social worker and make a real difference in the community.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code L500

Full-time 3 years

Approved by Social Work England

What are my next steps?

Clearing 2025: Apply now

Places are still available on this course to start in 2025.

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

Apply online now

You can also book a Clearing call back.

Our hotline opens .

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
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.

T-level
Merit in the health or education and early years T-levels. Other T-levels are not accepted.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
GCSE in English language with grade C or grade 4 or above. 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, is 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, in order to fulfil professional requirements, you will be expected to provide evidence of the following:

  • satisfactory DBS disclosure
  • satisfactory health declaration/clearance.

Contextual admissions

At Brighton, we understand that not everyone has the same opportunities, and some may face extra challenges to meet grade requirements. Every Brighton applicant is treated as an individual and we value creativity, persistence, resourcefulness and big ideas alongside grades.

If you meet our contextual admissions criteria and the subject-specific A-level and/or GCSE requirements for this course, your offer from us will be at least two grades or 16 UCAS tariff points lower than the standard for your course. Find out about contextual admissions at Brighton. You’ll be invited to interview with us after we make you an offer.

Sign up for one of our interview preparation advice sessions for top tips on how succeed at interview.

If we make you a contextual offer, you may be eligible for extra financial support through our Brighton Boost cost of living package. Find out about the Brighton Boost.

Graphic with the text 'Potential + possibility'

Course content

Top reasons to choose this course

  • Accredited by Social Work England (SWE), the regulatory body for the social work profession, ensuring your qualification is recognised by an industry-leading authority.
  • 200 days on placement across your second and final years so you graduate with varied real-world experience.
  • 100% of graduates are employed or engaged in further study 15 months after completing the course – Discover Uni.
  • Social work empowers you to transform lives and create lasting social change.
  • We have excellent links with local and regional organisations and agencies including Brighton & Hove City Council and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
  • Learn from our expert team of qualified and registered social work practitioners. You will also have a personal academic tutor who will support you throughout your student journey.
  • The curriculum prepares you to work in various practice areas, opening up diverse career paths.
  • Social work is a profession that is in high demand and sought-after in both public and private sectors.
Social worker talking with teenager

Course structure

The course consists of university-based teaching and 200 days of practice learning. In your first year you’ll be introduced to foundational social work knowledge – including contributions from the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, social policy and politics – something which develops in greater depth as you progress through the course. During your second and third years, you’ll complete two placements lasting 70 and 100 days respectively – take a look at the placement tab to find out more about these experiences and what to expect.

Knowledge from professional areas such as counselling, education and health is also incorporated into teaching and learning across the three-year programme and as part of this there are opportunities to work in larger interprofessional groups during your time on with us. In previous years this has included working with students from other vocational courses, such as medicine, midwifery, occupational therapy and education.

Teaching typically takes the form of workshop style lectures, offering you opportunities to work closely with other students, qualified social workers and other professionals who may work closely with them. In this sense, the course benefits from contributions from a number of external partners and you’ll also get to meet different people who’ve either been in contact with services themselves or care for someone who has. Use of actual and simulated case material is widely used within these sessions, helping you to apply your learning to real-world scenarios when on placement. 

We’re especially keen to enable you to become a curious, critical and compassionate practitioner, and across the three years of study you will be supported by regular tutorials to help meet your developmental needs. These will be facilitated by your personal academic tutor, who is social work qualified and registered with Social Work England.

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.

Placements

Practice learning placements are a core part of your training. Of the 200 days allocated for this, 30 take the form of skills for practice days delivered within the university. The focus of these, as their name suggests, is on skills development as set against specific social work tasks and interventions (like assessment and decision-making) and/or different areas of practice. These take place at intervals throughout the course.

The first placement, which runs in parallel for second-year undergraduates and first-year postgraduates, lasts for 70 days. Within this placement the emphasis will be on developing generic skills and is underpinned by relevant theories and research. This setting is predominantly based in the private, voluntary or independent sector.

In your final year you’ll spend 100 days on placement. This placement will take place in a statutory setting, usually a local authority or an organisation fulfilling statutory functions, such as a private fostering agency. During this placement you’ll have opportunities to:

  • undertake formal assessment processes
  • apply legal frameworks in practice
  • make decisions (with guidance) in relation to situations involving risk and complexity
  • experience the demands of a high-pressure environment
  • work with other professions as part of a multi-agency team.

For both of your placements, your practice will be assessed according to the Professional Capabilities Framework and you’ll be assigned a Practice Educator who’ll oversee your assessment. Supervisory and case management support for your work with service users will also be provided by the placement.

The university works with a large number of placement providers along the south-east coast and some upwards into Surrey, this enables us to draw on a wide range of learning opportunities for our students and ensures we meet the regulatory requirement to provide students with two distinct placements. These are our core providers and you will be offered both your first and second placements within these geographical parameters.

In terms of professional requirements, by the end of the course you must also demonstrate that your practice meets the Professional Standards for Social Workers from Social Work England.

Year 1

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

Modules

  • Introduction to Social Work Practice

    You will gain a core knowledge of professional social work practice, including the importance of professionalism and ethical, anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice. The module outlines the nature, purpose, remit and knowledge base of social work, introduces key skills and explores professional social work tasks. You will look at the statutory regulations of the profession and the 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 will examine the ways that ‘differences’ and inequalities are formed and their consequences for everyday lived realities.

  • Human Growth and Development

    This module introduces you to human development across the lifespan and looks at bio-psychosocial theories and related theories (such as systems theory). You will examine the individual’s development in different contexts from childhood and adolescence, through adulthood to end of life, taking into account various transitions. You’ll consider cultural contexts; disability; mental health; harm and abuse; inequalities, exclusion and discrimination. 

  • Preparing for Social Work Practice

    This module includes ten ’developing skills for practice’ days and will enable you to develop the core skills needed for engaging with service users/carers and undertaking assessments and interventions. You will have the opportunity to shadow a social worker during these development days. You’ll also examine a number of social work methods and gain an understanding of the place that theory and evidence have social work in guiding and evaluating assessments and interventions.

  • Law for Social Workers

    Focusing on the use of law in social work, you will learn about the English legal system, frameworks and concepts as well as looking at the core legislation and practice guidance underpinning social work with children and families, adult service users and carers and those with mental health needs. You will explore the inter-professional context in which social workers operate and the need for partnership working when seeking to meet the needs of and safeguard and protect service users and carers.

  • Experts by Experience: Lived Experience, 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 people with lived experience of receiving social work services or carers. You will also develop skills in group work, inquiry and evaluation. 

Social Policy

Year 2

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

Modules

  • Social Work Practice with Adults

    This module develops specialist knowledge and skills – including increased engagement with theory and research evidence – needed for working with adults in different areas and contexts of social work. It aims to promote critical understanding of how issues of human rights and social justice impact the lives of adult service users and carers and how such understanding underpins professional social work practice.

  • Social Work Practice with Children and Families

    You will focus on the specialist areas and contexts in which social workers intervene with children and families during this module. You will explore and reflect on how a critical understanding of equality and diversity, values, ethics and anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice may inform social work in relation to children, young people and families.

  • Critical Social Work Practice

    During this module you will develop key abilities such as critical thinking, research mindedness, systemic appraisal and decision-making to support your ability to critically engage with situations involving competing demands, rights and values as applicable to social work practice and research. You will develop the skills required for the appraisal, analysis, assessment and management of situations involving risk and the need for protection.

  • Practice Learning 1

    A combination of university-based tutorials, skill days and placement learning, this module will see you undertake a 70-day placement working directly with service users and carers alongside other practitioners and professionals. This will give you the chance to apply knowledge and theory to practice and develop further social work skills, such as communication, engagement, assessment and decision-making.

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

  • Practice Learning 2

    Forming the second part of the placement requirement, this module will expand the learning and experience you gained during Practice Learning 1. Learning takes place within skills days, group tutorials and a 100-day placement. You will gain more advanced knowledge and specific methods of social work intervention, for example, communication skills required for working with children, service users with dementia and those experiencing acute mental distress; managing risk in cases of complex needs; and judgement and decision-making in a statutory setting.

  • Social Work Dissertation

    During this module, you will carry out an in-depth inquiry into an area of practice which is of particular interest to you. This will enable you to develop further understanding of research approaches, methodologies, ethics and skills in literature searching and reviewing. It provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate knowledge of a specific area of social work practice and the relevant abilities and skills in critical thinking, discussion and writing.

  • Contemporary Social Work

    In this module you will further develop your professionalism and knowledge about emerging and contemporary issues, law, policy and practice guidance in social work, including that on risk and protection. You will analyse and reflect critically upon your professional development to date and consider areas for future development and also further your skills for direct practice, including building relationships, critical analysis, working systemically and working with others in situations involving complex decision-making.

Lab facilities

Mithras House has a series of lab rooms which can be used for teaching on your course or in your independent research work.

Life lab
A skills-based lab for practice-based teaching, social work, psychotherapy and counselling, and employability. The Life lab is fitted with lounge furniture to provide a comfortable space for conducting qualitative research with larger groups. The lab can be used to conduct research activities with children of all ages and can be used for meetings and events. The room also contains a dedicated space to conduct assessed role play or interviews with children.

City lab
This is a qualitative research methods and creative methods resource for all students, staff and researchers, as well as research participants, including children, community groups and the general public. It can also be used for meetings and events. The City lab contains a kitchen, a teaching/meeting room with enhanced acoustic isolation and two meeting spaces that can be separated with a screen or combined to accommodate larger groups.

Design lab
Housing our extensive collection of historic dress and textiles, which are used in some teaching on our History of Art and Design courses, this has the space and equipment for you to work on textile projects. Displays created by students on these programmes are on view in the social spaces of the building.

Community lab
A space designed for collaborative student learning, this is used by students and staff involved in the university’s Global Challenges programme – our collective mission to contribute towards solutions to tackle the pressing issues facing our world.

Stats lab
A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab contains eight acoustically treated booths for both recording and transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research and for recording and editing podcasts.

Stats lab
A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab contains eight acoustically treated booths for both recording and transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research and for recording and editing podcasts.

Applied cognition lab
A dedicated research space for psychological research involving measures such as electrodermal activity (EDA) and electroencephalography (EEG). The space is designed to allow the participant and researcher to sit at separate desks whilst psychophysiological data is being collected. 

VR and eye tracking lab
The VR and Eye-Tracking Lab is used for psychological research using equipment, such as eye-trackers and virtual reality headsets. The space has adjustable lighting and a blackout blind for maintaining consistent lighting conditions during eye-tracking research, as well as sensors set up in the room to allow individuals to move freely around the room during virtual reality research.

Studying social work (video)

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Watch this film from our Teaching Partnership and hear stories from social workers and students about working in the field.

Meet the team

Annie Mullin, course leader

“I am a Social Work England-registered social worker, Fellow of Advance HE, senior lecturer and the course leader of the Social Work BSc(Hons) and I have worked at the University of Brighton since 2017.

“At present I teach, module coordinate, assess and act as a personal academic tutor and dissertation supervisor, primarily on the BSc course. This includes supporting students on their practice placements.

“My current teaching, tutoring and course leadership draws on my 20 years of experience working in voluntary sector social care and statutory social work. Before joining the University of Brighton I supported adults and their carers in my social work roles, including people living with dementia, long-term disabilities and short-term health problems.

“Having worked in multidisciplinary teams and in hospital settings in my direct practice, I am enthusiastic about the opportunities for inter-professional education offered to our social work students at the University of Brighton. My additional experience as a practice supervisor and educator for social work students on practice placements developed my interest in enabling student learning and led to my move into an academic social work role. This experience underpins the active learning approaches I use in my teaching to support the deep learning students of social work need to prepare them for practice.”

Read Annie’s full profile.

Other members of the teaching team include:

Annie Mullin

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Careers

Accreditation

Our Social Work BSc(Hons) degree is approved by Social Work England (SWE), the regulatory body for the social work profession and qualifying training programmes in England.

Successful completion of this degree course can lead to registration with SWE, enabling you to apply for social work jobs and practice as a registered social worker. As a generic social work qualification, you can apply to work in any area of social work practice – subject to any specific employer requirements.

This qualification may enable you to register and work as a social worker in countries other than England. If you are intending to do this, you should first check with the regulatory body in that particular country to see if this qualification enables this.

Social Work England logo

Professional links 

Our qualifying social work courses are delivered within a consortium of partners who form the South Coast Regional Centre for Social Work Education.

Together we work with the University of Sussex, Brighton & Hove City Council and East Sussex County Council to deliver a positive training experience. Our local authority partners are key to the delivery of our programmes and offer a number of placement opportunities across a range of practice settings each year – from work in adult safeguarding to child protection.

We also work closely with other statutory agencies, such as Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which offer placement experiences related to mental health issues, as well as a range of non-statutory, community organisations. These have included agencies such as charities supporting the needs of people who are homeless or have substance misuse issues and primary and secondary schools.

Local council information on becoming a social worker:

Graduate destinations 

As a social worker you’ll work with people to find ways to enhance their wellbeing through problem-solving issues of support, advocating for change and taking steps to minimise harm. 

This may involve helping to protect people from harm, abuse or neglect, or supporting people to live independently. Social work is a challenging yet rewarding profession – the majority of graduates find this career choice fulfilling and virtually all say it is meaningful (Social Work at University of Brighton: Discover Uni)*.

After graduation and successful registration with Social Work England, you can specialise in many different areas. Social workers are employed across many different areas, enabling you to work with both children and adults in a variety of services, such as:

  • children in need and child protection
  • adults in additional needs and in need of protection
  • youth offending
  • mental health
  • substance misuse
  • homelessness support
  • asylum seekers and refugees
  • specialist disability and enablement support.

*comparative data for postgraduate programmes is not available.

A family using a tablet

Supporting your employability 

Outside of your course, our Careers and Employability team are here to support you as you discover (and rediscover) 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.

  • 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 about careers and employability at Brighton.

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Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,535 GBP

International (full-time) 17,250 GBP

Social work bursary information

The NHS Business Service Authority administers social work bursaries. For further information and to check your eligibility, visit its website. 

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

What's included

Here you’ll find details of specific resources and services that are included in the tuition fee for our social work students. To help you to budget for your studies, there is also information on any additional costs that you may have to pay or can choose to pay in addition to your tuition fee.

Find out how tuition fees enable us to support all of our students with important services, facilities and resources across the university and check out our finance pages for info about fees, funding and scholarships along with advice on international and island fee-paying status.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information.

What's included in your tuition fee

  • Course books, magazines and journals are available in the university libraries. You do not need to have your own copies. See the subject area in the library for an up-to-date list of key subject journals and databases.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software on campus – and can borrow a laptop from us if yours is broken or you don’t have a computer at home. Specialist equipment is provided to cover essential learning.

Additional course costs

  • These courses include compulsory placements and you will need to cover the costs of travel to and from the placement
  • You'll be required to cover the cost of their DBS check.
  • Most coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget up to £100 for printing.
  • You’ll need to budget for printing and stationery for personal study, and books if you decide to buy your own. Many of the set texts are available as cheap editions and we estimate that students will not need to spend more than £200.
  • 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.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Moulsecoomb has been transformed by a recent development of our estate. On campus you’ll find new Students’ Union, events venue and sports and fitness facilities, alongside the library and student centre.

Over 900 students live here in our Moulsecoomb Place halls and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains so you can access all the exciting things happening in our home city.

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Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students. So if you applied for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Halls of residence
We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:

  • Mithras Halls are stylish new high-rises in the heart of the student village at our revitalised Moulsecoomb campus with ensuite rooms for more than 800 students.
  • Varley Park is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently?
We can help – find out more about private renting.

Relaxing in halls

Modern accommodation at Moulsecoomb

Mithras halls room with a view

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Student Union social space

Student Union social space at Moulsecoomb

Local area

One of Time Out's 50 best cities in the world

“Brighton has… all the important parts of a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis (connections to London in under an hour, an array of properly excellent restaurants, energetic late-night spots) … with the easy-breezy beachy attitude to life that makes you feel welcome in an instant.”
Time Out’s 50 Best Cities in the World, 2025

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy – as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and there are daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Moulsecoomb campus map

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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 about how we support your wellbeing.

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.

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Develop your cricketing skills in the UK’s largest indoor cricket facility alongside studying for a degree. Whether you can already play or you’re new to the game offers the opportunity to train with top coaches in our world-class training environment. 

Find out about the Brighton Cricket Academy.

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Take a tour of sport facilities on our Falmer campus

Meet our students  

Ruth

“I always wanted to work in a role that I would make a difference and support children and families. I had my own social worker who massively supported me and had such a positive effect on me and my family. 

“The lecturers/tutors were extremely supportive and engaging during our sessions and I enjoyed that the course did not focus on just adults’ or children’s services as this helped me choose the area I wanted to go into. 

“The placements showed me how the knowledge I have learnt is used in practice. Having this opportunity showed me the many paths of social work you can take and the variety of people you can support. It was beneficial having one placement in adults’ and one placement in children’s services as I got to experience the different types of support offered. 

“I now work in a children and families assessment and intervention team and I love this role. There has been a leap in responsibility due to holding my own caseloads, but I feel extremely supported by my team and manager.”

Ruth Whitehead

Melanie

“My first placement was in the alcohol and drug service (CGL). This 70-day placement opened my eyes to the life experiences of adults and the true meaning of the Care Act, Human Rights Act and the Mental Capacity Act.

“I adored being the advocate for adults and learnt the value of harm reduction, knowledge of mental health, homelessness, domestic violence and prison, alongside respect for the lives they had lived.

“My final year 100-day placement was with the unaccompanied asylum-seeking children team. Children would arrive alone into the UK and often would have experienced abuse, bereavement, harm, war, trafficking, loss and self-harm and suffered deep trauma.

“This course has meant that I have been able to successfully get a job with a local authority and work within the child protection team which has always been my aim.”

Madison

“I chose to study social work because witnessing the impact of social services on my family and friends inspired me to support others in building healthier relationships and resilient lives. I chose Brighton because of the beautiful local area, and it was in the top 10 rated for Social Work.

“In my first placement at a YMCA residential for 16–25-year-olds, I gained hands-on experience supporting young adults transitioning to independence, helping me understand the unique challenges they face.

“My second placement with children in care deepened my insight into the foster care system and the specific needs of vulnerable children.

“Both placements reinforced my commitment to advocating for youth and equipped me with practical tools to make a positive impact in social work.

“The course provides both practical experience and strong theoretical knowledge, preparing you for a career where every day is meaningful and impactful. If you are passionate about helping others and ready to grow both personally and professionally, social work is a truly fulfilling path.

“Since I graduated in July 2024, I am now a newly qualified social worker with a children’s trust under its ASYE Programme. I have been placed in a child in care court team which has been an incredible experience so far.”

Justina

“What I enjoy the most about the social work course is the teamwork and group work. It is a good feeling to know that you are not on your own in decision-making as interagency and multidisciplinary collaboration is one of the professional requirements of social work.

“The course has also built my confidence. An aspect of the course known as problem-based learning gave me an opportunity to work with students on other courses, like nursing and occupational therapy, to formulate dilemmas and ways of solving them which in the future will help in my collaborative work with other professionals and in multidisciplinary team meetings.

“My first placement was with a local charity that supports asylum-seeking children between 16–18 years. It was such an interesting experience as it gave me a first-hand opportunity to support service users experiencing various forms of trauma.

“I learned so much about myself as an individual but also about the need to take a trauma-informed approach to practice, using research-based knowledge on theories, skills like good communication and active listening, values such as honesty and respect, as well as the appropriate use of self.

“When I graduate, I would like to go into adult social work. I plan to work in the statutory sector as I believe this will be a good learning avenue during my ASYE year. I am a social activist kind of social worker and would most likely go into supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the long term.”

Justina Neequaye

Ellie

“I currently work as a support worker and have done this for the past four years. Becoming a qualified social worker felt like the next logical career step for me to take.

“The thing I enjoy most about the course is the range of people I get to meet, work with and learn from – including tutors, fellow social work students and service users and professionals out on placements! I’ve learnt so much already just from hearing about others’ experiences and perspectives.

“My first placement was at a supported accommodation hostel for women with complex needs alongside a need for housing. All of them had experienced or were experiencing some type of homelessness alongside substance misuse, mental health problems, domestic violence and abuse, physical health problems, or a combination.

“A typical day would start with the morning meeting including a handover from the night before, and once that was over the office door would be open so the service users could interact with us staff whenever they needed.

“I key-worked three residents who all had very different needs, so my days would consist of helping them access other services, supporting them to attend appointments, helping them with daily living activities or doing intervention work with them, such as recovery stars and setting SMART targets.

“As someone who learns by ‘doing’, I feel as soon as I started placement, all I’d started to learn in class solidified and made so much more sense. It also gave me a more realistic view of what social workers and social care staff are faced with on a daily basis.”

Ellie Jade Anderson

Sophie

“I chose to study social work because I have really enjoyed my previous work in welfare within the education sector, specifically with teenagers. I have always found helping others fulfilling, and many of the core values and qualities of social work resonate with me.

“Brighton is an open-minded and diverse place and it’s fantastic to be studying social work while living here. The supportive and personable nature of the teaching staff, which I sensed during my interview, really confirmed that this was the right place for me to study.

“The aspect I am enjoying most about the course is the interactive nature of it. Most of our lectures and seminars are very practical, with lots of conversations as to how we would approach situations in practice. It has been interesting hearing the other students’ perspectives and experiences.

“The teachers have been kind and approachable, and clearly put a lot of effort into planning and delivering their classes. The learning environment is very open, kind and non-judgemental, which has made me feel comfortable speaking up in lectures and developing my teamwork skills.”

Sophie Webber

Tyler

“I was drawn to the University of Brighton because it combines that sense of inclusivity with a strong focus on social issues and community engagement – both of which are central to social work.

“Brighton offers a vibrant, diverse and welcoming community and it feels like a place where I can truly engage in my studies, whilst still feeling connected, surrounded by people who are equally passionate about making a difference.

“Our class size is quite a bit smaller than other courses, which I really like as it allows us to have discussions and ask questions to really unpack each concept. This environment allows me to hear a range of different perspectives and helps me feel more confident in applying these ideas on placement and, eventually, in practice.

“What I gained from my placement that differed from the classroom was the real-world application of the theories, laws and approaches we discuss in lectures. Experiencing the dynamics of client interactions and seeing how social workers advocate for their clients provided me with valuable context for my learning.

“The support from all the staff has been phenomenal. Having people like individual tutors and the Student Support and Guidance Tutors to support me and signpost me to resources made the world of difference. It was reassuring to know that I had people to talk to if I ever struggled with anything, university-related or otherwise.”

Tobie

“The amount you will learn and change within even just the first year is exciting! Already by the second year I feel so much closer to understanding my own professional identity.

“The staff have been amazing – they always listen to our feedback and when things don’t run smoothly, either personally or within uni, they are easy to talk to and support us with solutions. I find the lecturers so engaging and I like that we are a small group. It isn’t the kind of course where you just get talked at by a lecturer – it feels collaborative and supportive.

“I have already made so many friends from different backgrounds within the course. Meeting people from all sorts of work has given me an inside look at the kind of career paths I could have which I may not have considered before.

“I have so far completed my three-day shadowing placement which was with the Brighton & Hove Children and Families Pod. I found the placement so helpful as I can start to see how the knowledge I have gained at uni is applied in practice, which pieces everything together.

“The Moulsecoomb campus is lovely, the library is one of my favourite spots to get work done. I love being close to the sea and Brighton has a very diverse population. I also know it has a lot of great charities which I am likely to come into contact with within my work and placements.”

Rosie

“I chose to do social work as I have always wanted a career in helping people and the Social Work BSc degree gives the knowledge, skills and qualification to be able to do so effectively. I am also incredibly lucky to be surrounded by people already in the profession who inspired me to go for it!

“I chose to come to Brighton as I had visited the city before and really liked it; I also did a lot of research into the university and found that it really focuses on supporting students in terms of their studying and wellbeing which was really important for me.

“My interview at the University of Brighton was such a positive experience. I was made to feel so relaxed and in control, which allowed me to perform to my best ability. I felt really supported, listened to and valued, which further influenced my decision to come to Brighton.

“To anyone thinking of applying to the social work course, I would say 100% go for it, it is one of the best decisions I have ever made! I have already learned so much and have grown as a person. I have also met some amazing and inspiring people.

“For me, the teaching and support staff are the best part of the University of Brighton. Every student is made to feel so supported and looked after which allows you to become the best version of yourself and succeed academically. The teaching staff are all so knowledgeable and truly want the best for every student.”

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