Social Work

You will normally have an existing Honours degree at 2:1 or above in a relevant social science discipline. Consideration will be given if you do not meet this criteria but have extensive practical experience. You are particularly encouraged to apply if you have more than 6 months experience of working in the social care sector.

Our course is professionally recognised by the Scottish Social Service Council (SSSC) and core to this recognition is that all applicants can demonstrate that they have literacy and numeracy skills equivalent to the Scottish Standard Grade 2 in both English and Mathematics. In addition, all applicants are strongly advised to provide information about modules studied at Undergraduate level in your application.

You must demonstrate that you can study at the required level.

International qualifications will be accepted providing that they provide equivalent credits to that specified within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.

A satisfactory academic reference will be required in all cases.

You must demonstrate that you have an understanding of the social work role and that you have the potential to become a social worker.

If you meet these initial requirements you will be invited to take part in a group interview that will be co-facilitated by service users/carers/employers.

offers of study

Note that offers to study will only be made after all elements of the application have been considered and may be subject to further review for the application to the register for social work students by the SSSC.

English language requirements for most courses

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. The qualifications below must have been gained within two years of the start of your course.

General English language requirements at UWS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

• overall score 6.0
• no sub-test less than 5.5

Common equivalent English language qualifications

All stated English tests are acceptable for admission for both home/EU and international students for this programme:

• CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English): 176 overall; no sub-test less than 169
• CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English): 176 overall; no sub-test less than 169
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English: ISEII with the minimum of a Pass in all sub-tests
• PTE Pearson Academic English: An overall score of 54 with no element below 51 (for programmes that require IELTS 6.0 with no element below 5.5). An overall score 61 with no element below 51 (for programmes that require IELTS 6.5 with no element below 6.0)

IELTS Score Exceptions (DBA, Certificate of Higher Education, PhD, etc.)

For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 6.5
• no sub-test less than 6.0

For Health, Nursing & Midwifery courses that lead to professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 7.0
• no sub-test less than 7.0

For our Certificate of Higher Education courses, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 5.0
• no sub-test less than 4.5

TOEFL IBT

TOEFL IBT*: 78; no sub-test less than:

• Reading: 17;
• Listening: 17;
• Speaking: 17;
• Writing: 17

* Please note that TOEFL is still acceptable for admission to this programme for both home/EU and international students.
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use TOEFL to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level courses. We therefore still accept TOEFL tests taken in the last two years for admission to this programme.

West African Senior School Certificate of Education (WASSCE)

West African Senior School Certificate of Education (WASSCE) including acceptance of WAEC Scratchcard*

• C6 or above in English

*UWS will accept a WAEC scratchcard confirming that an applicant has achieved C6 or above as evidence of meeting English language requirement from Nigeria if the student graduated within the last 5 years. After 5 years applicants would be required to provide the WAEC Certificate.

Pre-sessional courses

Applicants who do not meet the minimum English language requirements have the option to study one of our preparatory and pre-sessional English courses. The UWS courses available are:

• 10 week pre-sessional - entry criteria UKVI IELTS 5.0 with no element below 4.5.
• 5 week pre-sessional - entry criteria UKVI IELTS 5.5 with no element below 5.5.
• English Language for University Study - entry criteria UKVI IELTS with score of 4.0 in all elements (10 month course), or 4.5 with no score below 4.0 (7 month course).