Admission requirements: Social work

Please Read – Important information

Expectations of students on the programme 

This is a full-time programme.  Whilst some of this will be spent in independent study, there is an expectation that students will be available to make a full-time commitment to this course. 

All students are required to familiarise themselves with a range of professional expectations as laid down by Social Work England  

Finances and costs associated with the programme

Compared with a non-professional degree programme, there are additional costs to consider on a social work course:

• Placements costs (further details in the Practice Placements section)
• Travel
• Childcare
• Living expenses
• DBS check and associated costs (such as verification of documents)
• You are required to provide copies of your Maths and English qualifications (such as GCSE or equivalent Level 2) to fulfil the condition of any offer given. If you no longer have these, there may be a cost to replace them.

There is information on the financial support available to social work students beginning in September 2023 in our Funding Guide.

Practice Placements 

As part of your social work degree and training you are required to undertake a minimum of 170 days practice-based learning. This is completed via two Practice Learning Placements on the programme, the first lasting 70 days and the second 100 days. First and final placements will provide contrasting experiences for students and at least one placement will take place within a statutory setting.

The University works with a variety of social work and social care agencies that cover a wide geographical area across the West Midlands region. While it is accepted that practice learning opportunities need to be reasonably accessible, travel is an implicit part of the programme.

Social Work England expects that a placement day should be the equivalent to a working day for a full time member of staff in the placement setting and is usually no less than 7 hours. If you have caring or other responsibilities, you must ensure that adequate arrangements are made to enable you to meet these and the travel requirements.

For students in receipt of an NHS social work bursary an amount per year is included in the bursary payment and is a contribution towards travelling costs to and from the placement agency. Most, but not all, agencies have agreed to pay the travel costs a student incurs whilst carrying out their placement duties.

Please note that for those students who have declared a previous caution, reprimand, conviction etc. some placement opportunities may not be available. Nevertheless, the University of Birmingham will do what we can to support your application to a suitable placement agency. We are committed to ensuring you receive an excellent practice placement opportunity.

This programme offers professional training that will enable you to apply to register with Social Work England as a professional social worker. Social Work England will require you to complete an application for professional registration form upon graduating and it is this regulatory body who will determine your professional status. As such, successful completion of this programme is not a guarantee that you will be able to register with Social Work England.

Vaccinations 

As part of your course, you will be undertaking placements with Social Care providers. Staff employed within certain sectors are at higher risk of exposure to infectious disease and are offered vaccination to protect them from these infections.  In some Social care settings, the clients themselves may be particularly susceptible to the effects of contracting an infectious disease and staff employed within those sectors receive vaccinations to work in those areas.  As students on placement you may (depending on your placement) be working with staff and clients within these higher risk sectors.  The University therefore strongly recommends that you should receive vaccinations prior to attending placements; this is not however compulsory and the cost of vaccination will be borne by yourself.  You may choose to receive these vaccinations regardless of placement settings in line with your future career choices, but the following is recommended as a minimum: 

• NHS setting: MMR, BCG, confirmation of chicken pox immunity, Hepatitis B
• Drug dependence setting: BCG, Hepatitis B
• Prisons/Homeless projects:BCG, Hepatitis B 

Declaration of Suitability for Social Work and DBS Check

Social Work England requires that our admissions processes assess the suitability of applicants, including in relation to their conduct, health, and character (Social Work England Education and Training Standards 1.4). One of the ways we do that is by requiring that our offer holders complete a Declaration of Suitability for Social Work. We need to be satisfied that you will be able to undertake your training safely and effectively, and we need to ensure the safety of those that you work with during your training.

Please note that the University of Birmingham does not automatically exclude students who have a criminal or disciplinary record, have previously experienced poor health, or have had contact with courts or social service departments. Indeed, it is recognised that the programme benefits from admitting applicants from wide and diverse backgrounds and, consequently, each case will be assessed individually. You will be informed if your declaration is thought to require further consideration, or if you need to provide additional information. We may need to consult with former colleges, employers or our own placement providers in considering the information.

We also require candidates to complete a DBS check upon receiving a firm offer of a place. Further information about the DBS process can be found on our website, and will be provided to candidates when a check is required. Please note that the cost of this is borne by the candidate.

Social Care Reference 

It is a requirement of entry onto our BA Social Work and MA Social Work that you have at least 30 days of relevant work experience. This can include anything where you have worked with children, young people, or vulnerable adults in a caring, befriending, or mentoring capacity. It can include educational settings where you have worked with students with disabilities, learning difficulties or challenging behaviour. It can be in either a paid or voluntary capacity. This is not an exhaustive list and other work experience may also be relevant.

One of the conditions of any offer given will be to provide a satisfactory reference. This will need to be provided by the organisation(s) where you completed your relevant work experience. A template will be provided to you as part of the offer letter if you are successful. The reference will need to be on headed paper or sent by an organisational email address and needs to have details of the work you have undertaken, the skills you have gained and whether they recommend you for the course.

Whilst we do not expect a reference to necessarily evidence all the required days experience, because applicants may have gained this experience across more than one setting, it is advisable to provide references from where you have undertaken the most experience.

If you have any questions about your experience, please get in touch.