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BA (Honours) Social Work (England)

Social workers support and protect some of society’s most deprived and vulnerable people; it’s immensely challenging and rewarding work. It requires a high level of motivation and commitment, and you'll also need a qualifying degree. Our BA (Honours) Social Work (England) is approved by Social Work England (SWE), and successful completion entitles you to apply to the regulatory body for registration as a social worker. You'll also need to be working in a social care agency, and be registered and supported by your employer, to take this course.

Course Summary

Degree

Course code: Q32

Credits

360

How long it takes

Part time – 6 years

Full time – 3 years

Time limit – 8 years

Study method

Distance learning
& Practice-based learning

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Course details Entry requirements Fees and funding Careers

Course details

This degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

You’ll start Stage 1 with a module introducing health and social care followed by a module which introduces social work standards and codes of practice.
Stage 2 starts with a module covering the law and social work and is followed by a practice module, which includes a 70-day placement.
At Stage 3, you’ll choose one module from a choice of four and conclude your degree with a practice module where you will undertake a 100-day placement.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

Stage 1 develops essential underpinning knowledge and study skills – including digital and information literacy – and offers fascinating 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.


Modules	Credits
You'll start your degree with:
Introducing health and social care (K102)	60
You'll also study:
Foundations for social care and social work practice (K123) - planned for February 2023	60
K102 has two presentations per year, in February and October. Students who wish to complete their qualification in the shortest possible timeframe of three years will need to choose the October start.

Stage 2 (120 credits)

Stage 2 covers a range of legal issues related to social care and social work practice including children and family services, youth justice, community care and mental health. You’ll start to apply your learning to your own practice and understand the key roles that social workers undertake and the relevant knowledge, values and skills of the social work process.


Modules	Credits
You'll study both of the following:
Social work law (K271)	60
Applied social work practice (K216)	60

Stage 3 (120 credits)

At Stage 3 you’ll choose one area of interest to study from four options, then finish your degree with a practice-based module. 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.


Modules	Credits
You'll choose one from:
Approaches to mental health (K314)	60
Investigating health and social care (K323)	60
Leading, managing, caring (K318)	60
Young lives, parenting and families (KE322)	60
You'll complete your degree with:
Critical social work practice (K315)	60

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 17 March 2021.

Accessibility

We make all our qualifications as accessible as possible and have a comprehensive range of services to support all our students. The BA (Honours) Social Work (England) uses a variety of study materials and has the following elements:

studying a mixture of printed and online material – online learning resources may include websites, audio/video media clips, and interactive activities such as online quizzes
working in a group with other students
using and producing diagrams and screenshots
undertaking practical work
finding external/third party material online

In addition to the above, there may be entry requirements for this qualification which include medical criteria; Social Work England (SWE), the regulatory body for the BA (Honours) Social Work. has guidance on health and disability relating to fitness for professional practice.

For more detailed information, see the Accessibility Statements on individual module descriptions. If you feel you may need additional support, visit Disability support to find more about what we offer.

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.

To check the eligibility of your previous study for credit transfer into this qualification, deadlines and details of how to apply, visit our Credit Transfer website.

Classification of your degree

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our BA (Honours) Social Work (England).

The class of honours (first, upper-second, lower-second or third) will depend on your grades at Stages 2 and 3.

You’ll have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.

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.

BA (Honours) Social Work (England)

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Entry requirements

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:

have GCSE at grades A*-C in English and mathematics or certified equivalent
meet the UCAS tariff threshold of 96 points or equivalent
show that you can communicate clearly in spoken and written English
demonstrate that you have the appropriate personal and intellectual qualities to be a social worker
obtain an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) with barred lists (children and adults) check
undertake a written test
take part in an interview.

Entry to the degree must be through your employing agency; you cannot apply direct to the OU. Students who get a place on the degree course can pay their own fees or be funded by their employer.

Agencies and individuals interested in taking part in the programme are invited to contact us at wels-sw-enquiries@open.ac.uk or +44 (0)300 303 0529.

Please ask your employer to complete an Expression of interest form located on our Social work website.

Start dates

February 2022

How much time do I need?

Most of our students study part time, completing 60 credits a year.
This will usually mean studying for 16–18 hours a week, plus work-based learning.

Find out if you have enough time to study with our time planner

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:

People, work and society 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 childhood and youth studies, social science, psychology, health, business and law.

View full details of People, work and society Access module

Y032

How much will it cost in England?

We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to achieving your potential. That’s why we work hard to keep the cost of study as low as possible and have a wide range of flexible ways to pay to help spread the cost.

Fees are paid on a module-by-module basis – you won't have to pay for the whole of your qualification up front.
A qualification comprises a series of modules, each with an individual fee. Added together, they give you the total cost.
Our current fee for a 60-credit practice-based module for this qualification is £3,582.
Our current fee for a 60-credit theory-based module for this qualification is £3,168.
At current prices, the total cost of your qualification would be £19,836*.

*The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2022. Fees normally increase annually in line with inflation and the University’s strategic approach to fees.

Additional costs

Study costs

There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as a computer, travel to tutorials, set books and internet access. If your income is not more than £25,000 or you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after you register.

Ways to pay for your qualification and other support

We know there’s a lot to think about when choosing to study, not least how you can pay. That’s why we offer a wide range of flexible payment and funding options to help make study more affordable. Options include Part-Time Tuition Fee Loans (also known as student loans), monthly payment plans and employer sponsorship.

Employer Sponsorship

It may be possible for you to secure sponsorship from your employer who will cover your tuition fees.

Part-Time Tuition Fee Loans

As a student on the BA (Honours) Social Work (England) you may be able to apply for a Part-time Tuition Fee Loan. You’ll pay nothing up front and only start repayments when you’re earning over the income threshold, currently £27,295. Repayments are linked to your income to ensure they’re affordable and are deducted automatically by your employer through the UK tax system. On a salary of £29,000, for example, repayments would be £12.79 a month.

Open University Student Budget Account

The Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA) offers a convenient 'pay as you go' option to pay your OU fees, which is a secure, quick and easy way to pay. Please note that The Open University works exclusively with OUSBA and is not able to offer you credit facilities from any other provider. All credit is subject to status and proof that you can afford the repayments. You pay the OU through OUSBA in one of the following ways:

Register now, pay later – OUSBA pays your module fee direct to the OU. You then repay OUSBA interest-free and in full just before your module starts. 0% APR representative. This option could give you the extra time you may need to secure the funding to repay OUSBA.
Pay by instalments – OUSBA calculates your monthly fee and number of instalments based on the cost of the module you are studying.

Credit/debit card

You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module. We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.

Mixed payments

We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card, and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).

Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and therefore the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you.

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 minimum professional qualification required for all social workers in the UK.

Accreditation

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.

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
Care home manager
Probation officer
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
Youth worker.

Register for this course

Please see Entry requirements to register for this course as online registration is not available.

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