This social work degree has four stages, each comprising 120 credits.
- You’ll begin Stage 1 with two introductory modules – one with a focus on health and social care and one with a focus on the social sciences.
- Next, in Stage 2, you’ll study a module on children and young people followed by a practice-based module.
- Stage 3 consists of a module on the law and social work followed by a practice-based module where you’ll undertake a 90-day placement.
- Finally, in Stage 4, you’ll study either a module with a focus on investigating health and social care or mental health and complete your degree with another 90-day social work practice placement.
Stage 1 develops essential underpinning knowledge and study skills – including digital and information literacy – and offers perspectives on contemporary society and how we organise social care. It’s the ideal start to your journey towards registration as a professional social worker, and as you progress, you’ll draw on your learning time and again.
If you already have the knowledge and skills equivalent to Stage 1, and have equivalent vocational qualifications, you may be able to enter the programme at Stage 2 after successfully applying for credit transfer.
At Stage 2, you’ll continue a learning journey through the foundations of good social work practice – picking up crucial skills and knowledge along the way. Key concepts around communication will open up your thinking about how theory informs and underpins professional ‘practice’, and you’ll develop your understanding of children and young people.
Stage 3 study will help you understand the key roles that social workers undertake and the relevant knowledge, values, and skills of the social work process. You’ll also cover a range of legal issues related to social care and social work practice, including children and family services, justice, community care and mental health.
At Stage 4, you'll become an increasingly confident, critical, analytical, and reflective practitioner and an independent learner. You'll start by studying either the mental health or the investigative skills module and will complete your degree with a practice-based module. After successfully completing your studies, you can apply to register with the professional body in Scotland and begin your career as a qualified social worker.
We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 18 March 2025.
Accessibility
Our qualifications are as accessible as possible, and we have a comprehensive range of support services. Our BA (Honours) Social Work (Scotland) uses a variety of study materials and includes the following elements:
- Online study – most modules are online; some have a mix of printed and online material. Online learning resources could include websites, audio/video, and interactive activities
- Online and face-to-face tutorials
- Group-work
- Using and producing diagrams and screenshots
- Practical work
- Finding external/third-party material online
- Accessing online catalogues and databases
- Assessment in the form of short-answer questions and essays
- Feedback – continuous assessment includes feedback from your tutor and using this to improve your performance
- Pre-determined schedules – we’ll help you to develop your time-management skills
In addition to the above, the regulatory body for the BA (Honours) in Social Work (Scotland) – the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) – has
guidance on health and disability relating to fitness for professional practice.
Every module has its own Accessibility Statement with more detailed accessibility information – you’ll find these on individual module descriptions.
Visit our
Disability support page to learn about our services.
Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment
This qualification develops your learning in four main areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
The level and depth of your learning gradually increases as you work through the qualification. You’ll be supported throughout by the OU’s unique style of teaching and assessment – which includes a personal tutor to guide and comment on your work; top quality course texts; elearning resources like podcasts, interactive media and online materials; tutorial groups and community forums.
Read the detailed learning outcomes here
Credit transfer
If you have already studied at university level, you may be able to count it towards your Open University qualification – which could save you time and money by reducing the number of modules you need to study. At the OU we call this credit transfer.
It’s not just university study that can be considered, you can also transfer study from a wide range of professional or vocational qualifications such as HNCs and HNDs.
You should apply for credit transfer before you register, at least 4 weeks before the registration closing date. We will need to know what you studied, where and when and you will need to provide evidence of your previous study.
For more details of when you will need to apply by and to download an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.
Classification of your degree
On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our BA (Honours) Social Work (Scotland).
The class of honours (first, upper-second, lower-second or third) will depend on the grades you achieve in 240 credits from graded OU modules above SCQF Level 7, of which at least 120 credits must be from modules at SCQF Level 10.
You'll have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony and to apply to the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) for formal registration as a social worker.
International recognition
If you intend to use your Open University qualifications to seek work or undertake further study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether your intended qualification will meet local requirements for your chosen career. Find out more about international recognition of Open University qualifications.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
This degree course is restricted to students with at least one year experience in social care working alongside service users and carers in Scotland. Applications are welcomed from sponsored and non-sponsored (independent) students who are eligible to apply.
Eligible students currently studying K123 (or have done so in the previous 2 years) are contacted to note their interest in applying and will be sent an application pack.
The deadline for applications for the independent route, 11 April 2025, has now passed. For sponsored students, please discuss with your employing agency for further information regarding entry stage and application deadlines.
Employing agencies and individuals who are interested in this degree should contact the Social Work Co-ordinator at The Open University in Scotland at scotland@open.ac.uk.
All candidates for the degree must:
- have SCQF level 5 grade C in Maths and English, or equivalent1
- show that they can communicate clearly in spoken and written English
- demonstrate that they have the appropriate personal and intellectual qualities to be social workers
- demonstrate key social work values
- take part in an interview/selection process
- register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) as a student social worker – this includes a Disclosure Scotland check.
Many students receive credit transfer for study completed elsewhere, enabling them to start this programme at Stage 2. However, some may need to complete additional modules at Stage 1.
1If you do not have SCQF level 5 grade C in English, you can meet this requirement by successfully completing K102 or DD102 before you register for the degree. If you do not have SCQF level 5 grade C in Maths or equivalent, you can take an OU numeracy test which your employer will administer or the SW team will arrange should you be an independent student.
Independent students
To be considered for admission to the Independent route, you must have successfully completed the modules in Stage 1 and at least be registered on the appropriate module at Stage 2, Foundations for social care and social work (K123). You could meet this requirement by either studying the relevant modules or a combination of study and credit transfer.
You’ll also need to meet the eligibility criteria and undergo a selection process where you must be able to demonstrate an understanding of social care in practice and at least 12 months experience of working directly with service users and carers that can be verified through a reference from your employer. Successful candidates must also meet the SSSC registration conditions.
Start dates
October 2025
February 2026
Preparing for study with an Access module
Students who start their study with an Access module are more likely to be successful when they advance to Stage 1 of their qualification. They’re specially designed to give you a gentle introduction to OU study, boost confidence in your study skills, and help you gain a broad overview of your chosen subject area.
You’ll also benefit from:
- feedback from your tutor through regular one-to-one phone tutorials
- support from a dedicated team throughout your study
- detailed written feedback on your work.
The Access module we’d recommend studying in preparation for this qualification is our:
Psychology, social science and wellbeing Access module
What you will study
This multidisciplinary module provides an excellent introduction to studying with The Open University; you'll get to cover a wide range of subject areas, including psychology, childhood and youth studies, health and social care, wellbeing, sport, education and social sciences.
View full details of Psychology, social science and wellbeing Access module
Y034
Skills for career development
This degree will develop the skills needed to work with individuals, families, carers, groups, communities, and other professionals, and you’ll be able to demonstrate to employers your professional competence in social work practice. Employers sponsoring staff on this degree have commented that:
- OU graduates are enthusiastic social workers who are well-equipped to provide high-quality interventions with service users
- a very high percentage of their OU-qualified staff remain within their organisation and progress to more senior roles.
Career relevance
An honours degree in social work is now the professional qualification required for all social workers in the UK. Once you’ve successfully completed the degree course, you’ll be entitled to apply for registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) as a social worker.
Accreditation
Once you’ve successfully completed this degree course, you’ll be entitled to apply to register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) as a social worker.
Other careers
Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, finance, management consultancy and the public sector. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree.
Exploring your options
Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice. This includes online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.
In the meantime if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree):
- Social worker
- Youth worker.
- Care home manager
- Prison officer
- Lecturer
- Adult guidance worker
- Advice worker
- Careers adviser
- Charity officer
- Community development worker
- Equality and diversity officer
- Counsellor
- Health promotion specialist
- Volunteer coordinator