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An image to illustrate the BA (Honours) Social Work
Want to make a real difference in people’s lives? Social work is both challenging and deeply rewarding, supporting some of the most vulnerable individuals and communities. It requires high levels of motivation and commitment, along with a qualifying degree. Our Social Work degree is approved by Social Work England (SWE), and successful completion entitles you to apply for registration as a social worker with the regulatory body. To study, you'll need to be working in a social care agency and supported by your employer. The course equips you with the practical knowledge and experience to succeed in frontline social work.
This social work degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.
Our modular study approach gives you the flexibility to complete your qualification at a pace that fits around your life. Whether you prefer a fast track or want to work at a slower rate, you can tailor your study plan to suit your needs.
You’ll study two 60-credit modules, developing essential underpinning knowledge and study skills, including digital and information literacy, while exploring contemporary perspectives on how we organise social care. This stage is 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.
ModulesCreditsStart month
You'll study both of the following:
Introducing health and social care (K102)60Oct | Feb
Foundations for social care and social work practice (K123)60Feb

You’ll study two 60-credit modules: a social work law module followed by a practice module, which includes a 70-day placement. You’ll cover legal issues across children and family services, youth justice, community care and mental health. You will then start to apply your learning to your own practice, gaining an understanding of the key roles social workers undertake alongside the knowledge, values and skills essential to the social work process.
ModulesCreditsStart month
You'll study both of the following:
Social work law (K271)60Oct
Applied social work practice (K216)60Feb

You’ll study two 60-credit modules, beginning with a choice from four specialist options to deepen your knowledge in a specific area of interest. You will then complete your degree with a practice-based module featuring a 100-day placement. You’ll become an increasingly confident, critical, analytical and reflective practitioner and an independent learner. After successfully completing your studies, you can apply to register with the social work regulator in England and begin your career as a qualified social worker.
ModulesCreditsStart month
You'll choose one from:
Exploring mental health (K347)60Oct
Investigating health and social care (K323)60Oct
Leading, managing, caring (K318)60Oct
Young lives, parenting and families (KE322)60Oct
You'll study the following:
Critical thinking in social work practice (K355)60Feb

You can complete this degree in as little as three years by studying at a pace equivalent to full-time. That’s 120 credits per year. To complete in three years, you’ll need to start your degree in October.
Don't worry if your circumstances change. You don’t have to stick to a full-time study pace. You can change the pace of your learning each year depending on what's right for you.

ModulesCreditsStart month
Stage 1 | Year 1
You'll study the following:
Introducing health and social care (K102)60Oct | Feb
Foundations for social care and social work practice (K123)60Feb
Stage 2 | Year 2
You'll study the following:
Social work law (K271)60Oct
Applied social work practice (K216)60Feb
Stage 3 | Year 3
You’ll choose one from:
Exploring mental health (K347)60Oct
Investigating health and social care (K323)60Oct
Leading, managing, caring (K318)60Oct
Young lives, parenting and families (KE322)60Oct
You'll study the following:
Critical thinking in social work practice (K355)60Feb

You can complete this degree in six years by studying part-time. That's one 60-credit module each year.

ModulesCreditsStart month
Stage 1 | Year 1
You'll start your degree with the following:
Introducing health and social care (K102)60Oct | Feb
Stage 1 | Year 2
You'll study the following:
Foundations for social care and social work practice (K123)60Feb
Stage 2 | Year 3
You'll study the following:
Social work law (K271)60Oct
Stage 2 | Year 4
You'll study the following:
Applied social work practice (K216)60Feb
Stage 3 | Year 5
You’ll choose one from:
Exploring mental health (K347)60Oct
Investigating health and social care (K323)60Oct
Leading, managing, caring (K318)60Oct
Young lives, parenting and families (KE322)60Oct
Stage 3 | Year 6
You'll complete your degree with:
Critical thinking in social work practice (K355)60Feb

By studying this degree, you’ll:
You’ll be supported by academic and practice tutors, flexible online materials, workshops, and workplace coaching.
You’ll be awarded a BA (Honours) Social Work (England) upon successful completion.
Your honours classification (first, upper second, lower second or third class honours) will depend on the grades you gain at Stages 2 and 3. 
You'll also have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.
If you plan to work or study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether this qualification meets local requirements. Find out more about the international recognition of Open University qualifications.
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.
We regularly review our curriculum to keep it up to date. This means the structure, availability, and content of the course or modules may change. We’ll update this page as soon as possible if there are any changes. If you have already registered for this qualification, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes where practicable. For more details, see our Academic Regulations or contact us.
You can achieve this degree in as little as three years and have a maximum of 8 years to complete it. Our module-by-module approach gives you the flexibility to complete your qualification at a pace that works best for you.
You can complete this degree in three years by studying at a pace equivalent to full-time. That’s similar to a student at a campus-based university.
You can complete this degree in six years by studying part-time. That’s roughly half the rate of a student on a full-time course at a campus-based university.
Your online study hub brings all your learning together. You’ll find week-by-week study planners, readings, videos, and interactive activities, as well as discussion forums where you can share experiences and ideas with other students.
Learning is built on enquiry-based and reflective approaches, encouraging you to think critically and apply theory directly to practice. You’ll study online modules that explore social work theory and values, which you can integrate into your practice placements in contrasting supervised contexts. The placement modules have an element of workshops in person to support skills development. This balance ensures you develop both the knowledge and the practical skills needed for professional social work.
Your academic tutor will guide your academic progress through online tutorials, feedback on assignments, and one-to-one support. Many modules also include face-to-face workshops linked to practice learning, which require you to work with peers and develop essential professional skills such as communication, reflection, and teamwork.
Practice learning is central to this qualification. You’ll complete two substantial placements: 70 days in Stage 2 and 100 days in Stage 3. During these placements, you’ll be supported and assessed by qualified practice educators and workplace supervisors. This structure gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your professional capabilities and gain confidence in different social work settings.
Assessment is designed to reflect both your academic and practice learning. You’ll complete tutor-marked assignments, reflective writing, and end-of-module assessments, while your practice learning is formally assessed through reports and portfolios of evidence. This combination ensures you can show both your theoretical understanding and your professional competence.
Alongside online and printed resources, where required, you’ll benefit from tutor guidance, practice supervision, and support from dedicated student support teams. You’ll also have access to the OU library, IT support services, and the wider OU community to help you succeed.
Although some modules in this degree are available to all students, the full degree programme is at present restricted to students who are being supported in their practice by their employing agency.
You must also:
If you’ve studied at university level before, you may be able to transfer the academic credit you've been awarded towards an OU qualification. This could save you time and money by reducing the modules you need to study.
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 to transfer credit before registering, at least four 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 and to download an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

6 years
£4,088*
A degree is worth 360 credits. The fee per year is based on studying one 60-credit module per year for 6 years.
£24,528*
Our qualifications cost less than equivalent-level qualifications offered at campus-based universities.
Compare the cost of studying at the OU with other campus-based universities in England.
Honours Degree
Honours Degree
Total cost at campus university*
Total cost at campus university*
£29,370
£29,370
Total cost at The Open University**
Total cost at The Open University**
£24,528
£24,528
Saving with The Open University
Saving with The Open University
£4,842
£4,842
Diploma of Higher Education
Diploma of Higher Education
Total cost at campus university*
Total cost at campus university*
£19,580
£19,580
Total cost at The Open University**
Total cost at The Open University**
£16,352
£16,352
Saving with The Open University
Saving with The Open University
£3,228
£3,228
Certificate of Higher Education
Certificate of Higher Education
Total cost at campus university*
Total cost at campus university*
£9,790
£9,790
Total cost at The Open University**
Total cost at The Open University**
£8,176
£8,176
Saving with The Open University
Saving with The Open University
£1,614
£1,614
Qualification
Qualification
Total cost at campus university*
Total cost at campus university*
Total cost at The Open University**
Total cost at The Open University**
Saving with The Open University
Saving with The Open University
Honours Degree
Honours Degree
£29,370
£29,370
£24,528
£24,528
£4,842
£4,842
Diploma of Higher Education
Diploma of Higher Education
£19,580
£19,580
£16,352
£16,352
£3,228
£3,228
Certificate of Higher Education
Certificate of Higher Education
£9,790
£9,790
£8,176
£8,176
£1,614
£1,614
*Based on maximum chargeable fees for the 26/27 academic year.
**The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2027. Fees typically increase annually. In England, fees are subject to the part-time fee limit, as set out in section 5 of the University's Fee Rules.
Your course fees cover your tuition, assessment and study materials, but there are still a few additional costs that can come with studying. For this qualification, you'll need:
*The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2027. Fees typically increase annually. In England, fees are subject to a fee limit, as set out in the University's Fee Rules.

Over 85% of our students in England fund their studies with a Tuition Fee Loan, meaning they pay nothing upfront.
Repay in monthly instalments while you study.
Pay for each module with a debit or credit card in one quick, simple payment.
More than 1 in 10 OU students are sponsored by their employer.
Combine your payment options to fund your studies the way you want.
If you’re a serving member of the British Armed Forces (or you’ve recently left), you may be eligible to use ELCs to cover up to 100% of your course fees.
You may be eligible for:
To apply for the degree, you must do so through your employing agency, as direct applications to the Open University are not accepted. Students who get a place on the degree course can pay their own fees or be funded by their employer. Please ask your employer to contact us on +44 (0)300 303 0529 or [email protected] for more information and to receive an employer information pack.
For comprehensive information about the qualification, including how to apply and the course details, visit the School of Health, Wellbeing, and Social Care website.
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:
An honours degree in social work is now the minimum professional qualification required for all social workers in the UK.
Once you've successfully completed this degree course, you'll be entitled to apply for registration with Social Work England (SWE) and begin your career as a qualified social worker.
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.
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):
Check you meet the Entry requirements, then see How to apply.
Ask a question
Our prospectus will help you explore your course options, get a feel for life as an OU student, and register for study.
Request a prospectus
Check you meet the Entry requirements, then see How to apply.
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