Social Work
The Degree in Social Work was introduced in 2004 to meet the requirements of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, which, along with other Councils, agreed that all social work training would be offered at Honours degree level. One of the main features is the introduction of a pre-registration year . This means that when you complete the degree, you will then have to successfully undertake an assessed year in employment before being eligible for full registration as a Social Worker with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor at UK Level 6 |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | |
| Awarding Body | Ulster University |
| NFQ Level |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor at UK Level 6 | Ulster University |
Duration
Attendance
Three years full-time at Magee campus.
Belfast Metropolitan College /South West College (Dungannon) also provide the first two years of the degree, with students transferring to the Magee campus to complete their final year.
Entry Requirements
Irish Leaving Certificate
120 UCAS tariff points to include a minimum of five subjects (four of which must be at higher level) to include English and Maths at H6 if studied at Higher level or O4 if studied at Ordinary Level.
Careers / Further progression
Graduate employers
Graduates from this course are now working for:
5 Health & Social Care Trusts
Action Mental Health New Horizons
Barnardos
Women's Aid
Extern
Bryson Charitable Group
First Housing
Job roles
With this degree you could become:
Older People Social Worker
Children's Service Social Worker
Hospital Social Worker
Residential Support Worker
Education Welfare Officer
Family Support Worker
Intensive Family Support Worker
Career options
A social work career can lead to employment in a range of diverse settings, such as;
• family and childcare
• physical disability and learning disability
• drug and alcohol abuse
• mental health
• homelessness
• Older people
Some social workers follow careers in the criminal justice system, education welfare or in adoption and fostering.
Further information
Start date: September 2024
Deadlines for on-time applications
2024 entry application deadlines
For courses starting in 2024 (and for deferred applications), your application should be with us at UCAS by one of these dates – depending on what courses you apply for. If your completed application – including all your personal details and your academic reference – is submitted by the deadline, it is guaranteed to be considered.
16 October 2023 for 2024 entry at 18:00 (UK time) – any course at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, or for most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry. You can add choices with a different deadline later, but don’t forget you can only have five choices in total.
31 January 2024 for 2024 entry at 18:00 (UK time) – for the majority of courses.
Some course providers require additional admissions tests to be taken alongside the UCAS application, and these may have a deadline. Find out more about these tests at https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/admissions-tests
Check course information in the search tool to see which deadline applies to you at the application weblink below.
Apply as soon as possible: Student funding arrangements mean that as offers are made and places fill up, some courses may only have vacancies for students from certain locations. It’s therefore really important that you apply for your chosen courses by the appropriate deadlines mentioned above, as not all courses will have places for all students.
All applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing - find out more about Clearing at https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/clearing-and-results-day/what-clearing
Overview
To provide students with a high quality learning experience to acquire the knowledge, skills and values to obtain gainful employment in social work.
Summary
The Degree in Social Work was introduced in 2004 to meet the requirements of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, which, along with other Councils, agreed that all social work training would be offered at Honours degree level. One of the main features is the introduction of a pre-registration year . This means that when you complete the degree, you will then have to successfully undertake an assessed year in employment before being eligible for full registration as a Social Worker with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council.
Successful applicants found the information in the Northern Ireland Social Care Council learning zone, helped them prepare and conduct a good interview.
About
The programme is for those who intend to work as professional social workers, and includes a substantial element of practice learning. You will undertake two contrasting practice placements - one of 85 days duration in Year 2, and one of 100 days duration in Year 3. The programme is recognised by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council for purposes of registration as a social worker.
Although the programme includes underpinning learning in the social sciences, such as social policy, psychology, sociology and law, the focus of the programme is on the development of skills, values and knowledge required for practice. You must successfully complete a preparation for practice module (Year 1,Semester II) prior to undertaking supervised practice learning on placement.
Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
Year 1
Social Work Law 1
Research and Academic Skills for Social Work
Introduction to Lifecourse Psychology
Introduction to Social Work Practice
Preparation for Practice Learning
Sociology & Social Policy for Social Work
Building and Maintaining a Professional Identity
Social Work Law 1
Theories and Methods of Intervention
Experts by Experience, Citizen Educators and Communities
Preparation for Practice Learning
Theories and Methods for Assessment
Year 2
Assessment and Risk Assessment in Practice Settings
Assessed Practice 1
Reflection on Practice 1
Case Study
Working in Organisations
Critical Perspectives and Skills for Contemporary Practice
Assessed Study and Practice Abroad 2 - Optional
Year 3
Social work law 2
Family and Child Care
Interventions in Practice
Assessed Practice II
Reflection on Practice 2
Evidence Based Case Project
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
Associate awards
Diploma in International Academic Studies DIAS
Professional recognition
Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC)
Accredited by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC).
Work placement / study abroad
There is an opportunity to participate in Erasmus+ which offers the exciting opportunity of studying in Germany during your course. There are also opportunities to complete a 3-week Summer School in Oslo during the course.
The Diploma in International Academic Studies (module code SWK302). This is a separate and additional award to the degree. Students will be provided with opportunities to reflect upon and assimilate their knowledge learned in the earlier parts of the programme through their work with service users in another country.
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