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The UWS BA (Hons) Social Work provides a transformational student-centred learning experience, to meet the demands of contemporary social work practice.
The degree is rich in practice authenticity and seeks to develop essential applied knowledge and skills to thrive in a challenging yet hugely rewarding social work career. The BA (Hons) Social Work has been accredited by the Scottish Social Services Council. The degree content, assessments, readings and discussions aid the development of a professional identity to ensure graduates flourish in practice.
If you have the drive and personal qualities to thrive in a profession that requires professional relationship building, informed decision-making and critical thinking in often complex and emotive circumstances, we would love to hear from you.
Successful candidates will demonstrate passion for the profession, be IT competent and must register with the Scottish Social Services Council as a social work student.
We welcome Scottish, UK and international students and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
Don’t worry if your qualifications are not listed here, we take a range of factors into account when assessing your application and are happy to consider other alternative combinations of qualifications and experience.
If you are applying with an EU or non-EU qualification, please check our Undergraduate Entry Requirements page which gives more information about country-specific entry requirements.
We would welcome candidates who share a commitment to social justice and have the necessary personal qualities to flourish in such a challenging yet rewarding profession.
Candidates need to be eligible to register with the Scottish Services Council (SSSC) as a social work student and be IT competent.
It would be advantageous for candidates to have some voluntary or paid experience in a social work/care setting such as a charity or voluntary organisation working with people, prior to applying.
In addition to the above Scottish Higher requirements, applicants from Scotland will also need Maths and English at SQA National 5 (Grade C, or above), SQA Intermediate 2 (Grade C, or above), SQA Standard Grade (Credit). Note: SQA Lifeskills Maths (SCQF Level 5) and SQA Communications 3 (SCQF Level 5) are accepted as equivalents
All HNC holders must also hold awards in Maths and English at SQA National 5 (Grade C, or above), SQA Intermediate 2 (Grade C, or above) or SQA Standard Grade (1 or 2), or equivalent*
* The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) requires all applicants to demonstrate that they have literacy and numeracy skills equivalent to the Scottish National 5 (previously Standard Grade 2) in English and Mathematics.
** for more information on standard and minimum entry requirements, see our Undgergraduate Entry Requirements webpage
Successful applicants who gain a place on this course will need to register on the PVG Scheme, managed and delivered by Disclosure Scotland. An application form will be sent from the University once you have accepted your offer. The fee for joining the scheme is £59.
Visit the Disclosure Scotland website for more information on the PVG scheme.
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)
Exceptions to this level of IELTS scoring exist for some accredited or professionally-recognised courses (see section below for more details).
SOCIAL WORK DEGREES
For our BA (Hons) Social Work and MSc Social Work programmes, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
All stated English tests are acceptable for admission for both home/EU and international students for this programme:
For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf) applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
For Health, Nursing & Midwifery courses that lead to, or require professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council, applicants are required to have an IELTS or Occupational English Test (OET)*.
For such courses, the IELTS score is as follows:
* Note that the Occupational English Test (OET) will now be accepted in addition to IELTS as proof of a Nurse's English Language Competence (Nursing & Midwifery Council, 2019).
For our BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science and MSc Advanced Biomedical Science programmes, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
For our Certificate of Higher Education courses, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
TOEFL IBT*: 78; no sub-test less than:
* 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) including acceptance of WAEC Scratchcard*
*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.
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:
Designed in collaboration with stakeholders, this programme meets the requirements of the Scottish Government and has been approved by the Scottish Social Services Council. Lecturers are registered social workers with wide-ranging expertise and students are addressed by guest lecturers and service users.
The first two years of the course cover the theoretical base for social work. The final two years concentrate on applying that theory and knowledge into practice on two practice learning placements.
Placements are varied and have taken place in organisations, including:
Programme content and learning is focused on developing essential foundational knowledge relevant to the social work profession.
Programme content and learning is designed to enhance applied knowledge and specialist skills relevant to practising social work.
Programme content and learning develops abilities to apply learning to professional practice.
Programme content and learning is designed to increase confidence and competence with critical practice.
The programme prides itself on developing a learning community amongst social work students. Teaching uses a variety of methods to stimulate, engage and develop knowledge and skills. Students are expected to consolidate learning with regular reading and discussion.
Programme assessment is practice relevant and varied. Assessment feedback commentary is identified as a strength on programme and will always seek to consolidate student strengths and identify areas for future development.
Graduates from the UWS BA (Hons) Social Work programme have an established record in securing related employment promptly upon graduation. The applied knowledge and specialist skills developed throughout the programme are key attributes sought by external social work employers.
The programme prepares students well for further study in related disciplines, should they choose to. Previous graduates have chosen further study in Social Policy, Psychology, Sociology and Criminology.
£1,820 cost per year of study (usually paid by the Scottish Government via SAAS*)
£9,250 Cost per year of study, but not more than £27,750
£9,250 Cost per year of study, but not more than £27,750
£15,500 per year of study
All UK and EU applicants for undergraduate study, not applying through an agent or partner, should apply through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)
The on-time application deadline for 2024/25 entry is 31 January 2024, 18:00 (UK time). For some courses it may still be possible to apply beyond this period, subject to suitable vacancies remaining. The final deadline for late applications via UCAS is 30 June 2024. Beyond this deadline, you may be able to apply via ‘UCAS Clearing’ if the course you are interested in has remaining places.
Please refer to our Undergraduate Application Guide for domestic & EU/EEA to find more information on when and how to apply to study at UWS.
Students from non-EU/non-EEA countries can apply directly to UWS via our dedicated online application system. The latest we can process your application is 6 weeks before the course start date to allow for visa processing times. For more information on when and how to apply to study at UWS please refer to our International Undergraduate Application Guide.
For part-time & online study, you should apply directly to the University through our online application system, not through UCAS. Please select the part-time mode of study when submitting your application. Before you begin your application, it is important to read the part-time application step-by-step guide for a smooth process.
To come to UWS as a visiting student on a study abroad or exchange programme, you must apply entirely through our online system.
An ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.
Do you have a question about applying for this course? Get in touch. We are here to help!
Going to university is about much more than getting a qualification, it’s also the chance to enjoy an exciting social life, gain some independence and make the most of the new opportunities available.
DiscoverWe will always try to make sure that we publish accurate course information but we do not accept responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. We will also try to make sure that we deliver our courses in line with our published information. However, we may not always be able to do so and you can find further information about this in our enrolment terms and conditions.