Social Work BSc(Hons)

Course structure

The course consists of university-based teaching and 200 days of practice learning. In your first year you’ll be introduced to foundational social work knowledge, including contributions from the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, social policy and politics, something which develops in greater depth as you progress through the course. During your second and third years, you’ll complete two placements lasting 70 and 100 days respectively – take a look at the placement tab to find out more about these experiences and what to expect.

Knowledge from professional areas such as counselling, education and health is also incorporated into teaching and learning across the three year programme and, as part of this, there are opportunities to work in larger interprofessional groups during your time on with us. In previous years this has included working with students from other vocational courses, such as medicine, midwifery, occupational therapy and education.

Teaching typically takes the form of workshop style lectures, offering you opportunities to work closely with other students, qualified Social Workers and other professionals who may work closely with them. In this sense, the course benefits from contributions from a number of external partners and you’ll also get to meet different people who’ve either been in contact with services themselves, or care for someone who has. Use of actual and simulated case material is widely used within these sessions, helping you to apply your learning to real-world scenarios when on placement. 

We’re especially keen to enable you to become a curious, critical and compassionate practitioner and across the three years of study you'll be supported by regular tutorials to help meet your developmental needs. These will be facilitated by your Personal Academic Tutor, all of whom are social work qualified and registered with Social Work England.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up-to-date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you will be told about any new developments through Student View.

Placements

Practice learning placements are a core part of your training. Of the 200 days allocated for this, 30 take the form of skills for practice days delivered within the university. The focus of these, as their name suggests, in on skills development as set against specific social work tasks and interventions (like assessment and decision making) and/or different areas of practice. These take place at intervals throughout the course.

The first placement, which runs in parallel for second year undergraduates and first year postgraduates, lasts for 70 days. Within this placement the emphasis will be on developing generic skills and underpinned by relevant theories and research. This setting is predominantly based in the private, voluntary or independent sector.

In your final year you’ll spend 100 days on placement. This placement will take place in a statutory setting, usually a Local Authority, or an organisation fulfilling statutory functions, such as a private fostering agency. During this placement you’ll have opportunities to:

• Undertake formal assessment processes.
• Apply legal frameworks in practice.
• Make decisions (with guidance) in relation to situations involving risk and complexity.
• Experience the demands of a high-pressure environment.
• Work with other professions as part of a multi-agency team.

For both of your placements, your practice will be assessed according to the Professional Capabilities Framework and you’ll be assigned a Practice Educator who’ll oversee your assessment. Supervisory and case management support for your work with service users will also be provided by the placement.

The university works with a large number of placement providers along the south-east coast and some upwards into Surrey, this enables us to draw on a wide range of learning opportunities for our students and ensures we meet the regulatory requirement to provide students with two distinct placements. These are our core providers and you will be offered both your first and second placements within these geographical parameters.

In terms of professional requirements, by the end of the course you must also demonstrate that your practice meets the Professional Standards for Social Workers from Social Work England.

Year 1

Year 1 will introduce social work practice and begin your professional training. You will also learn about how the social sciences inform social work and about the role of social policy.

Modules

• Introduction to Social Work Practice

  In this module you'll be introduced to core and basic knowledge of professional social work practice, including the central importance of professionalism and ethical and anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice.

  The module outlines the nature, purpose, remit and knowledge base of professional social work; introduces key social work skills and outlines the component parts involved in professional social work tasks.

  You'll explore professionalism - the professional identity, role and responsibility of social workers and how this relates to, and differs from, the personal self. The statutory regulation of social work profession and the professional body for social work are introduced. You'll also be introduced to the range of different settings for professional practice.

• Contemporary Social Inequalities

  This module will provide you with the theoretical and conceptual tools to confront normative/normalising explanations of difference and inequality. You will examine the ways that ‘differences’ and inequalities are formed and their consequences for everyday lived realities.

• Human Growth and Development

  This module will introduce you to theories and knowledge on human development across the lifespan, by examining a range of bio-psychosocial theories, applying understanding to how human growth and development is shaped as we grow and travel through the life-course.

  You will explore a range of bio-psychosocial theories: (eg. attachment; psychodynamic; bio-psychosocial, cognitive, behavioural, humanistic) and related theories (eg. systems theory and complexity theory). You'll examine the individual’s development in different contexts across the lifespan from childhood and adolescence, through adulthood to end of life, with consideration of the various transitions. You'll also take account of different cultural contexts; disability; mental health; harm and abuse; inequalities, exclusion and discrimination.

  Application of understanding the life course to social work practice is embedded throughout the module learning. Thus, bio-psychosocial theories of development are applied to specific practice issues ranging from child abuse and parenting through to offending behaviour and care for older people and those with mental health difficulties. Key concepts in the lifespan are explored also: for example, identity, vulnerability, risk, protective factors, resilience and the promotion of strengths.

  Learning and teaching on this module contributes to learning and assessment in relation to the College of Social Work’s Professional Capabilities Framework and the Health and Care Professions Councils’ Standards of Proficiency for Social Workers in England and Wales.

• Preparing for Social Work Practice

  This module includes ten 'developing skills for practice' days and will enable you to develop core skills in engaging with service users/carers and undertaking assessments and interventions. You'll have the opportunity to shadow the practice of a Social Worker during your development days.

  The module will also examine a number of social work methods and you'll gain an understanding of the place of theory and evidence in social work in guiding and evaluating assessments and interventions.

• Law for Social Workers

  On this module you'll be introduced to the use of law in social work - you will learn about the English legal system, frameworks and concepts, before going on to consider the core legislation and practice guidance underpinning social work with children and families, adult service users and carers and those with mental health needs.

  Attention will also be paid to the inter-professional context in which social workers operate and the need for partnership working when seeking to meet needs and safeguard and protect service users and carers. Throughout, a key focus will be upon the implications of statutory intervention for anti-oppressive, rights-based practice, the challenging of discrimination and the perspectives of service users and carers on use of law in social work practice.

• Experts by Experience: Lived Experience, Needs and Resources

  This module will introduce you to the concept of need, what need might look like, how it might be defined by different groups and what resources may or may not be available to meet the needs of people with lived experience of receiving social work services or carers. You'll also develop knowledge of research methods and skills of inquiry, as well as skills in evaluation when considering how resources might meet identified needs.

Year 2

Year 2 will develop your specialist knowledge and practical skills. You will also complete your first professional placement.

Modules

• Social Work Practice with Adults

  This module develops specialist knowledge and skills – including increased engagement with theory and research evidence – needed for working with adults in different areas and contexts of social work. It aims to promote critical understanding of how issues of human rights and social justice impact the lives of adult service users and carers and how such understanding underpins professional social work practice.

• Social Work Practice with Children and Families

  You will focus on the specialist areas and contexts in which social workers intervene with children and families during this module. You will explore and reflect on how a critical understanding of equality and diversity, values, ethics and anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice may inform social work in relation to children, young people and families.

• Critical Social Work Practice

  During this module you will develop key abilities such as critical thinking, research mindedness, systemic appraisal and decision-making to support your ability to critically engage with situations involving competing demands, rights and values as applicable to social work practice and research. You will develop the skills required for the appraisal, analysis, assessment and management of situations involving risk and the need for protection.

• Practice Learning 1

  A combination of university-based tutorials, skill days and placement learning, this module will see you undertake a 70-day placement working directly with service users and carers alongside other practitioners and professionals. This will give you the chance to apply knowledge and theory to practice and develop further social work skills, such as communication, engagement, assessment and decision-making.

Final year

In year 3, the second placement will enable further development and the consolidation of more complex social work practice. You will also use your research skills to complete a social work project of your choice.

Modules

• Practice Learning 2

  Forming the second part of the placement requirement, this module will expand the learning and experience you gained during Practice Learning 1. Learning takes place within skills days, group tutorials and a 100-day placement. You will gain more advanced knowledge and specific methods of social work intervention, for example, communication skills required for working with children, service users with dementia and those experiencing acute mental distress; managing risk in cases of complex needs; and judgement and decision-making in a statutory setting.

• Social Work Dissertation

  During this module, you will carry out an in-depth inquiry into an area of practice which is of particular interest to you. This will enable you to develop further understanding of research approaches, methodologies, ethics and skills in literature searching and reviewing. It provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate knowledge of a specific area of social work practice and the relevant abilities and skills in critical thinking, discussion and writing.

• Contemporary Social Work

  In this module you will further develop your professionalism and knowledge about emerging and contemporary issues, law, policy and practice guidance in social work, including that on risk and protection. You will analyse and reflect critically upon your professional development to date and consider areas for future development and also further your skills for direct practice, including building relationships, critical analysis, working systemically and working with others in situations involving complex decision-making.

Lab facilities

Mithras House has a series of lab rooms which can be used for teaching on your course or in your independent research work.

Life lab
A skills-based lab for practice-based teaching, social work, psychotherapy and counselling, and employability. The Life lab is fitted with lounge furniture to provide a comfortable space for conducting qualitative research with larger groups. The lab can be used to conduct research activities with children of all ages and can be used for meetings and events. The room also contains a dedicated space to conduct assessed role play or interviews with children.

City lab
This is a qualitative research methods and creative methods resource for all students, staff and researchers, as well as research participants, including children, community groups and the general public. It can also be used for meetings and events. The City lab contains a kitchen, a teaching/meeting room with enhanced acoustic isolation and two meeting spaces that can be separated with a screen or combined to accommodate larger groups.

Design lab
Housing our extensive collection of historic dress and textiles, which are used in some teaching on our History of Art and Design courses, this has the space and equipment for you to work on textile projects. Displays created by students on these programmes are on view in the social spaces of the building.

Community Lab
A space designed for collaborative student learning, this is used by students and staff involved in the university’s Global Challenges programme – our collective mission to contribute towards solutions to tackle the pressing issues facing our world.

Stats lab
A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab contains eight acoustically treated booths for both recording and transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research and for recording and editing podcasts.

Applied Cognition lab
A dedicated research space for psychological research involving measures such as electrodermal activity (EDA) and electroencephalography (EEG). The space is designed to allow the participant and researcher to sit at separate desks whilst psychophysiological data is being collected. 

VR and eye tracking lab
The VR and Eye-Tracking Lab is used for psychological research using equipment, such as eye-trackers and virtual reality headsets. The space has adjustable lighting and a blackout blind for maintaining consistent lighting conditions during eye-tracking research, as well as sensors set up in the room to allow individuals to move freely around the room during virtual reality research.

Studying social work (video)

Meet the team

Annie Mullin, course leader

I am a Social Work England registered social worker, Fellow of Advance HE, Senior Lecturer and the course leader of the Social Work BSc(Hons) and I have worked at the University of Brighton since 2017.

At present I teach, module coordinate, assess and act as a personal academic tutor and dissertation supervisor primarily on the BSc course. This includes supporting students on their practice placements.

My current teaching, tutoring and course leadership draws on my 20 years of experience working in voluntary sector social care and statutory social work. Before joining the University of Brighton I supported adults and their carers in my social work roles, including people living with dementia, long-term disabilities and short-term health problems.

Having worked in multi-disciplinary teams and in hospital settings in my direct practice, I am enthusiastic about the opportunities for inter-professional education offered to our social work students at the University of Brighton. My additional experience as a practice supervisor and educator for social work students on practice placements developed my interest in enabling student learning and led to my move into an academic social work role. This experience underpins the active learning approaches I use in my teaching to support the deep learning students of social work need to prepare them for practice.

Read Annie's full profile.

Other members of the teaching team include:

• Kelly Alexander
• Lucy Basterra
• Ian Dore
• Paul Teverson
• Emma Inch
• Zara Tighe
• Lucy Evans
• Jo Starzacher
• Kate Simblet 
• Sarah Flagg
• Leah McComb.

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