Bradford College offers a wide range of courses relating to Social Work and Social Care, however they have two specific courses purely for Social Work, one full-time and one part-time. Key course features Bradford College offers a B.A. Hons Social Work full time over 3 years & 4 years part time. The course seeks to attract students from a wide range of social, geographical and cultural backgrounds and from a variety of academic experiences. The teaching and learning strategy is organised around a learner-focused approach that is congruent with the principles of social work. The learning environment is organised around nurturing ‘the empowered learner’ through a process of supporting and challenging the learner. We recognise that training to be a social worker is a rewarding and life changing experience which is enhanced by good pastoral support which we provide through a personal tutor. The assessment strategy enables students to demonstrate their achievements through a broad range of activities; these include essays, case studies, presentations, reflective portfolios & placements. Throughout the strong commitment to equal opportunities and anti-oppressive practice informs the delivery, content and assessment of all students. Key features and how the course compares in the region

• We provide excellent student to staff ratio: the course is designed to accept a cohort of 37 candidates and this makes the learning experience an individual one.
• Over the 3 years weekly seminar sessions are delivered in groups of 10, allowing for personal progress to be facilitated and developed.
• We provide high student contact hours for pastoral care and operate an ‘open door’ tutorial system, which our students consistently tell us they find both helpful and informative.
• Our learners are very diverse individuals, in particular more mature students study with us and this variety in life perspectives enriches the learning atmosphere.
• We have a designated full time placement coordinator who has excellent links with a wide range of placement providers, including 3 Local authorities / statutory services and numerous Independent / voluntary sector services. We have specialist links with extended schools and have developed partnerships using our Teacher education provision to secure social work placements in schools.
• The placement experience begins in the 2nd year (70 days) and in the 3rd year (100 days), following a pattern of 3 – 4 days per week in practice. The placement is identified by the coordinator who works with the student to match their learning needs.
• Our retention and success of students through the course is very good, specifically our partners / examiners state that learners are prepared thoroughly for readiness to practice and the working environment.
• We have excellent engagement with people who use services throughout the course and this experience contributes to the assessment of students and the quality assurance of the standard of the course.
• The destination of learners at Graduation has been excellent and the majority have gained employment in the statutory setting.

Members of the staff team are involved in the following Research & practice collaborations:

• Working with Welcome Foster Care to deliver behaviour management guidance to carers and to conduct assessments.
• Panel and Trustee member of Barnardos Futures Leeds and the Brunswick Centre in Huddersfield.
• Conducting research into the service user involvement in the social work curriculum

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Leeds Beckett University provides social work education and training for motivated individuals who are interested in a career in social work and for experienced social workers who want to refine their specialist knowledge and skills. The School of Health and Community Studies offers a number of courses:

• BA (Hons) Social Work
• BSc (Hons) Social Care, Justice and Recovery
• PG Cert Mental Health
• MA Social Work

  Our courses have been developed in partnership with employers, service users and carers, ensuring the education and training they provide is up to date with developments in practice and promotes the wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. On successful completion of our accredited BA (Hons) Social Work course, you will be able to apply for registration with the Health & Care Professions Council to work as a qualified Social Worker. During the course you will learn how to work with children and adult social service users to improve their wellbeing and quality of life through study and practise placements. You will integrate practical solutions into protecting the vulnerable, and demonstrate best practice as both a local and global social work practitioner.     The BSc (Hons) Social Care, Justice and Recovery course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to help and safeguard vulnerable people, families and communities. Mixing practice with academic study, you will hone your communication and therapeutic skills and will explore and analyse child development, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence and mental health issues. You will further enhance your expertise and bolster your career networks and prospects on placements developed in partnership with local service providers.     Aimed at aimed at qualified social workers, mental health nurses, learning disability nurses, occupational therapists and psychologists, the PG Cert Mental Health Qualification will give you the skills to become an approved mental health professional (AMHP). Accredited by the Health & Care Professions Council, your course will give you the skills to be an effective practitioner with a comprehensive understanding of current legislation.     Our MA Social Work is a full-time, two year postgraduate course, and on successful completion it will also allow you to apply for registration as a Social Worker with the Health & Care Professions Council. The course will equip you with the knowledge, skills and values that sit at the core of this rewarding career. Our course has an emphasis on practice learning and you will undertake two placements over the duration of the course, as well as study legal frameworks, policies and theories and complete a dissertation.

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Sheffield has 13 courses relating to Social Work, with one undergraduate course and one Masters Postgraduate course specifically in Social Work.

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University of Bradford runs an undergraduate course in Social Work and a Masters course for Postgraduates.   The Division of Social Work and Social Care at the University of Bradford offers several courses, including:

• BA (Hons) Social Work and MA Social Work both of which provide a social work qualifications recognised by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• BA Working with Children, Young People and Families
• MA (part-time) Mental Health Practice
• MA Mental Health Studies

Please see http://www.brad.ac.uk/ssis/social-work/ for details We work in partnership with colleagues in local authorities and other HEIs to provide training for Practice Educators, assessment of newly qualified social workers and a variety of other post qualifying training such as the MA/PGDip in Child Welfare and Safeguarding. Our approach is based in our view that social work must be committed:

• To the provision of services which bring positive change in the lives of individuals and communities, and especially those facing trauma, disadvantage and oppression;
• To the ongoing development and active promotion of policies and practice which provide positive benefits for vulnerable people;
• To working alongside others and in partnership with vulnerable people to create a more socially just society which endeavours to meet the needs of all communities and groups, and
• To working alongside others and in partnership with vulnerable people to challenge agencies and institutions whose policies and practices have negative consequences for vulnerable people.

We believe that social work education must be informed by: Critical reflection and analysis; Relevant underpinning knowledge and research; Service users’ needs and views; Social work values and ethics; The practice experiences of colleagues and partners in social work and other agencies in both the statutory and voluntary sectors; Recognition that the problems faced by most service users are aggravated by, or have their origins in, the inequitable nature of social structures. Our teaching is informed by our individual experiences as social work practitioners and by our ongoing involvement in social work research. Between them the teaching team has experience of all major service user groups and of practice in statutory and voluntary agencies across the United Kingdom and beyond. Research in the Division focuses on four strands: Religion, Belief and Social Work; Understanding Policy and Practice with children and families; Experiences of Service Users; and the Organisation and Management of Social Work (please see http://www.brad.ac.uk/ssis/social-work/research/ for further details).

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University of Huddersfield runs a 3-year undergraduate course in Social Work, as well as joint degrees with Social Policy and a specific course in Advanced Safeguarding. Certain courses are available for part-time study.

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University of Hull Social Work Degrees

Hull ranks among the top providers of social work education in the UK – we came second in England for course satisfaction with this subject in The Guardian University Guide 2015. Our choice of optional modules is among the broadest in the country including a number that reflect local issues of national significance, such as substance misuse, child protection and working with asylum seekers and refugees. Placements in inner-city, rural and coastal settings offer you diverse and valuable team-working skills. You can also participate in our International Social Work Student Conference, which offers marketable skills sought by employers and the opportunity to undertake placements in Kenya, Peru, France, Sweden and Germany. Social Work is taught by an experienced team of academic and practice staff, supported by other members of the University and by practitioners and managers from local agencies. The city of Hull is a microcosm reflecting the issues facing social workers on a national level and the work you will undertake at the University offers valuable insights into subjects such as education, health, housing, social security and social care, youth work and disability. Courses offered: BA Hons Social Work, MA Social Work

Course summary

The BA in Social Work at the University of Hull is a three year full-time programme. Students spend Year 1 in the University studying modules, and in Years 2 and 3 they alternate University-based study with community-based placements. Year 1 modules are designed to provide the knowledge, skills and values essential to all areas of social work practice. They include Human Development across the Life-Course; Social Work and Society; Social Work and the Law; Theoretical Foundations of Practice; and Practice Skills Development. Modules in Years 2 and 3 focus upon specific areas of statutory social work practice, including Mental Health, Children and Families, Safeguarding Adults, Child Protection and Court Work. In Year 3 students will have optional modules available to them in Youth Justice, Substance Misuse, Asylum Seekers and Refugees, and Loss and Bereavement. Please click here for details. There is also a two-year MA in Social Work.

Key Course Features

The University of Hull is ranked among the top fifteen providers of social work education in the UK according to The Complete University Guide, and satisfaction rates among our students are over 90% according to surveys by the National Union of Students. The team of social work academics is supported in delivering the curriculum by a large pool of practice educators, as well as a group of 40 service users and carers who participate in all our activities around teaching, assessment and research to evaluate practice. We have our own practice education unit called the Family Assessment and Support Unit (FASU) staffed by people who have specialised in dealing with young people with disabilities and their parents, children at risk of neglect and abuse, young people in the care system and families affected by domestic violence. FASU specialises in offering therapeutic services to children and parents, including individual, dyadic and whole family work. We organise a Careers Fair every Easter so that students can meet employers in the statutory and independent sectors from Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and beyond. Social work at Hull is linked to social work programmes in Austria and Sweden, and we convene annual international conferences for students.

Work Experience and Placements

We have partnerships with four local authorities ( Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North-East Lincolnshire) providing inner-city, rural and coastal settings for students on placement. The University's in-house social work agency, the Family Assessment and Support Unit (FASU), aims to provide social workers in training with the opportunity to develop professional skills through placements, while helping children and families in Hull and the surrounding area who are experiencing difficulties. At FASU, students will case manage a small number of interventions with children and families, under the close supervision of a registered social worker/practice educator. In many cases, students will be able to gain experience of the complete life cycle of a case, from initial referral to assessment, planning, intervention, review and case closure. FASU was awarded a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for innovation in practice learning.

Key events

International Social Work Student Conference The annual conference is held in partnership with the University of Applied Sciences Vienna in Austria, Mid-Sweden University, Östersund (Sweden) and CARITAS College of Social Work, Olomouc (Czech Republic). The gathering brings together social work students from across Europe to share knowledge and ideas and promote partnerships. Students explore modern social work models, theories and practice in the UK, Austria, Sweden and the Czech Republic and examine the differences in key areas of social work such as child protection, work with migrants and substance abuse.

Collaborative Working

The Centre for Applied Research and Evaluation (CARE) works in partnership with disabled people, their carers and providers of services in Hull and East Yorkshire. CARE staff have undertaken evaluation research in relation to safeguarding people in residential care, the impacts of the personalisation agenda in community care and the value of creative music and art therapies for disabled people and those with dementia. CARE offers consultancy services to local organisations, and has been doing research about ‘Abuse in Care’ in social and health care organisations across England and Scotland. CARE staff produce practice guides and research briefings to assist practitioners, managers and students. Students in the Family Assessment and Support Unit (FASU) are encouraged to undertake small-scale evaluation research projects in relation to the services that the agency provides to children and their carers. FASU students have undertaken interviews with young people in the care system as part of broader research into the educational experiences and attainments of looked after children in Hull. Students receive additional training and supervision when conducting evaluation research. There is a wide array of research interests among staff. Among child care staff, there is a particular interest in researching children’s experiences using ethnographic and empowering methodologies. For example, one member of staff undertook doctoral research into a pioneering Family and Friends Care team in a local authority, focussing upon the experiences of the carers’ own birth children. Among adult care staff, there is a particular interest in understanding the processes of dying and bereavement, and one member of staff has been seconded to the end-of-life care programme at the Department of Health.

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Social Work at the University of Leeds

Based at the 2017 University of the Year and Teaching Excellence Framework Gold winner, the Social work team at Leeds is one of the most highly respected departments in the UK, developing innovative practitioners and respected professionals at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Leeds is in the top 100 Universities in the world and our research is rated as ‘Internationally excellent’ in the latest REF rankings.  

BA Social work

Our exciting social work degree gives you the opportunity to study the theories and research you’ll need to be a successful professional. You'll complete two placements and a 20 day skills development experience to develop your practical skills in social work and related settings, supported by a qualified practitioner. The University is part of the Leeds & Wakefield Social Work Teaching Partnership so the university teaching fits with the needs of local employers who also guarantee high quality placements. If you want a challenging and varied career with opportunities to work with people at times they most need it, social work may be for you. Bursaries and loans are available and career opportunities are excellent  

About the course

In your first and second years you’ll consider psychological, sociological and social policy perspectives on social work practice. You’ll learn about the legal basis of social work and will demonstrate your competence in IT. You’ll examine the impact of disability and mental health on social service users. In these two years you will complete two social work placements. In your third year you’ll study both child and family and adult social work and undertake a final year project, a 30-credit, 10,000-word dissertation and a 100 day placement. To bring the insight of lived experience, we have an active service user and carer group who participate in all aspects of the course from interviewing candidates through to teaching and mentoring, to add a broader dimension to your knowledge and skills base as a practitioner.    

Employability

As a social worker you can work in a range of different settings in the private, voluntary or statutory sectors. You can also work with a number of different service users; children and families, young people, people with a disability, people with mental health issues or older people. We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers and our employability is ranked at 99%.   For more detail on the course, please visit http://medhealth.leeds.ac.uk/coursefinder/25677/BA_Social_Work  

MA Social work  with registration

The MA programme at Leeds offers a full-time two year, “fast track” programme to professional registration as a social worker. It’s an exciting opportunity for graduates with some experience and knowledge of social care to enter a challenging and rewarding profession that contributes to the well-being of society. The course covers work with Adults, children and families as well as social work law. Loans and support are available from the university to support your social work career. The University is part of the Leeds & Wakefield Social Work Teaching Partnership so the university teaching fits with the needs of local employers who also guarantee high quality placements. Bursaries and loans are available and career opportunities are excellent, 99% of our graduates are in work.  

About the course

You will study social work law, professional practice, social work with children & families and social work with adults This respected programme has strong partnership links to the statutory, private, voluntary and independent sectors, and during the 170 practice hours, you'll have excellent placement opportunities across a range of providers. In year two you will broaden your understanding of social work law and continue to develop your understanding of social work practice and complete a dissertation on a subject of your choice related to social work practice. You’ll benefit from the small student number we recruit and will enjoy a high level of support from tutors. Practice and theory have equal value on the programme, and they inform and develop each other. Students have a 20 day skills experience in year 1, plus two assessed placements of 70 and 100 days. Both placements take place within the local authorities who are part of the Teaching Partnership so students get a depth of experience in statutory work  

Employability

The Social Work MA involves service users and carers in all aspects of our programme and supports an inter-professional perspective in both the theory and practice of social work. This approach adds a broader range of experience and expertise to your learning and knowledge base, and wedded with our research intensive approach, has led to a graduate employment rate of 99%. Many of our MA graduates are employed as social workers locally and are highly regarded practitioners. For more detail on the course, please visit http://medhealth.leeds.ac.uk/coursefinder/26034/MA_Social_Work

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The Department of Sociological Studies at the University of Sheffield offers students a distinctly interdisciplinary experience. This brings together sociologists, social policy analysts and social workers under one roof. They offer two social work related postgraduate taught degree courses – the MA in Social Work and the MA in Integrated Practice with Children and their Families. In addition, the Department offers a range of post-qualifying CPD awards for social workers and other related professionals. These are designed to develop your skills and knowledge, and to help support and enable you to deliver first-class service quality to children and their families.  

Relevant courses offered

MA in Social Work Ranked highly in the Times and Independent Good University Guides, the MA in Social Work offered by the University of Sheffield is one of the best in the country. Aimed specifically at those who wish to become registered social workers, successful completion of the course confers eligibility for professional registration as a qualified social worker in the UK. This two-year full-time degree course also follows the professional capabilities framework set out by the College of Social Work, an organisation established by social workers to ensure the high standard is maintained within the profession. This helps you to develop the relevant practices and capabilities required to become a social worker. A particular strength of this programme is that it is taught within a department that includes a range of other social science disciplines; therefore the social work programme is able to draw upon widely informed sociological critiques of social work policy and practice.   MA in Integrated Practice with Children and their Families You will have the opportunity to learn about the latest research, theories and conceptual frameworks, and consider their application to a diverse range of practical settings. This part-time course is aimed at practitioners and frontline managers who are actively involved in working with vulnerable children and their families in both statutory and voluntary settings. University of Sheffield also offer a modular route to their postgraduate CPD activity in Integrated Practice with Children and their Families. This is an alternative option to the MA programme, to provide greater flexibility and choice for study at post-qualifying level.  

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities

CPD awards offered by the Department of Sociological Studies are designed to develop your skills and knowledge. They help support and enable you to deliver first class service quality to children and their families. They can also help you to meet the Health and Care Professions Council’s (HCPC) requirements for re-registration. CPD with the Department of Sociological Studies gives you:

• The opportunity to enhance your specialist expertise and knowledge;
• The opportunity to undertake post-qualifying studies at your own pace and with students from a range of practice backgrounds;
• A range of transferable skills and knowledge that will be of benefit not only to you in career terms, but also to the organisation for whom you work;
• Advanced teaching, supported by experts in the field, that offers the specialised understanding of the particular issues, methods and skills necessary both to understand and undertake work with children and their families;
• The opportunity to think about and critically reflect on your current practice and ways to improve your contribution, whether as a practitioner or a front line manager, to the service you offer.

 

Placement and other opportunities

The MA in Social Work offered at the University of Sheffield aims to develop an understanding of the theories surrounding social work, as well as their practical implications. The programme achieves this through rigorous academic teaching and practice learning opportunities with an individual practice teacher/assessor. Students undertake two work placements based in practice learning environments, one lasting 100 days, the other lasting 70 days. The two placements are in different types of settings. For example, working with different service-user groups or in different sectors of social work provision. This ensures students gain significant experience through practical application of social work skills. The MA in Integrated Practice with Children and their Families is a three-year part-time course, with study taking place alongside students’ careers. The course is flexible enough to enable study throughout the crucial stages of a social work career with options to take breaks between stages. Teaching is conducted through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, small-group work and problem-solving.  

Resources

View our video wall to view videos from University of Sheffield about their social work degree courses.  

Key contacts

If you would like to find out more about either the MA in Social Work, the MA in Integrated Practice with Children and their Families, or the related CPD opportunities at the University of Sheffield, please call 0114 222 6402 or email: socialwork.enquiries@sheffield.ac.uk.

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The University of York runs a 2 year MA or a 4 year Integrated Masters (MSocW) in Social Work.

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