Centre for Social Work
Social work education has been delivered at the Centre for Social Work at the University of Nottingham for over 60 years.
Degree programmes
The Centre for Social Work delivers the three-year undergraduate BA Social Work and the two-year postgraduate MA Social Work - both of which meet the standards for registration as a Social Worker in England.
BA Social Work
MA Social Work
We are well-known for the distinctiveness of our approach, which includes:
- involving social work practitioners and service users in our teaching
- working closely with our local partner agencies to ensure you get the best possible learning experience on placement as well as in the classroom
- employing experienced and qualified external social work tutors who support our students and have a strong foundation in social work practice incuding experience in supporting social work students in social work teams.
- often achieving 100% graduate employment rates
Post-qualifying provision
We also provide continuing professional development opportunities for qualified practitioners.
The Social Work programme has allowed me to look at myself and evaluate the background of my values and beliefs and their effect on practice. The lecturers have challenged me to view things critically in every aspect, which has taught me to be more open and accepting of other people's views.
Research-informed teaching
Nottingham is a world-leading research university and social work staff are nationally and internationally renowned for their high-quality research which informs all our teaching.
Social work at the University of Nottingham is also enriched by having a strong community of PhD students. The research, books, journal articles and contributions to the media produced by our staff and graduate students not only produce knowledge that makes the Centre for Social Work an exciting, rich place to study, but impacts directly on social work policy and practice.
Student profile
The Centre for Social Work is run by a group of passionate lectures with real life practical experience in the subject.
Tell us why you chose to study BA Social Work at Nottingham
When I was applying to study BA Social Work the course was rated number one by The Times in 2018, which gave me confidence in the level of teaching. The generous grant system was a huge draw as well. As I came as a mature student, a big worry for me was being able to sustain myself over the three-year period. I studied at University Park Campus, and the green space available helped make my decision when comparing to other universities. The ambiance of the campus remained with me even after attending open days.
What was the teaching and support like on the course?
I felt the teaching was very engaging; it was a mixture of theory and practical examples. The assignments were also varied, which I feel was appropriate given the nature of social work itself. As a mature student, I had a lot of support from the university in general, such as the buddy scheme and dedicated mature social events.
Was there a particular module that you enjoyed the most?
I really enjoyed the Human Growth and Development Across the Life Course module. It was really interesting to see how important early life is to the function of children and in turn adults, and how childhood experiences will directly affect someone's ability to form positive relationships.
Tell us about your placement
As part of my studies, I completed three placements. In year one, I shadowed a social worker and observed their practice, and in years two and three I spent a total of 170 days in practice during my degree. This was a fantastic opportunity to experience different parts of social work and get a better understanding of what is required of me, and areas I wish to look at further following graduation. I was supported on the placement by both the university and by having a practice educator during each of my main placements. Due to the right connections and work ethic, I was able to secure employment directly from my final placement.
What was the best part of your course?
Social work is such a diverse subject that for me, meeting new people was the best part of the course. Hearing other people's opinions and life experiences helped me gain wider knowledge in what makes people tick and the reasons for it.
The Centre for Social Work is run by a group of passionate lectures with real life practical experience in the subject. At any point when I needed help or wanted to ask a question, I was able to find someone who knew the answer or could point me to relevant information.
Connect with the centre