Why choose the School of Society, Community and Health
In the Complete University Guide 2026, our social work course ranks in the UK top 10 in its subject field for graduate prospects.
It ranks in the UK top 15 in its subject field for teaching quality and UK top 20 for student experience (Times, 2026).
The course scored over 90% student satisfaction rates for academic support, learning resources, teaching, assessment and feedback, and learning opportunities, which includes developing knowledge and skills for the future (NSS, 2025).
About the course
This degree prepares you to work in a rapidly changing, complex and unpredictable sector, offering the most up-to-the-minute knowledge, skills and practice. With a focus on applying theory to practice, it combines work-placement experience, practical skills development and academic study. You explore every aspect of the professional social work role; how it relates to other areas; and the ethical challenges of balancing initiative with accountability.
Course accreditation
This course is approved by Social Work England. Upon graduation, you are eligible to register as a qualified social worker, able to work in the sector across the UK.
Facilities and specialist equipment
- Four-storey library with an extensive range of physical and digital resources
- Specialist labs, lecture theatres and bespoke group study spaces
- State-of-the-art simulation suites, mirroring real-life settings you may experience
- Access to the University's moot court to practise for court appearances; also there are sessions alongside allied professions such as policing and criminal investigations, using the mock custody suite and police interview room
Industry links
Benefit from the University of Bedfordshire’s partnerships with councils and NHS trusts across our region, working together to train the next generation of health and social care workers.
Student experience
Progress with the support of academic staff who have all been practising social workers, some of whom continue to practise alongside their academic work.
Learn from academics involved in current research and practice, ensuring their teaching includes the latest developments while preparing you for the realities of the field.
Put your theoretical knowledge into action with our work-based approach to learning, from hands-on simulations and real-world case studies to industry placements and a research project of your choosing.
Work alongside service users, social workers and students from related degrees, learning from their broad range of backgrounds and knowledge bases.
Develop key transferable skills that will boost your career prospects.
Fulfil your potential with teaching in small cohorts and guidance from your personal academic tutor.
with Professional Practice Year
This course has the option to be taken over four years which includes a year placement in industry. Undertaking a year in industry has many benefits. You gain practical experience and build your CV, as well as being a great opportunity to sample a profession and network with potential future employers.
There is no tuition fee for the placement year enabling you to gain an extra year of experience for free.
*Only available to UK/EU students.
with Foundation Year
A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.
Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an Undergraduate course, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.
With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.
The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.
This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.
Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?
- Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
- Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
- Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
- Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees
The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.
During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.
Course Leader - Kirsten Warren
I have recently joined the teaching team after 10 years of practice as a social worker and more latterly a Team Manager in Hertfordshire County Council’s Children and Families Department.
Course Leader - Emma Murati
In 2007 I obtained my dual qualification in social work and nursing (learning disability). I have worked in various teams across Children's services - Family Support, Assessment teams, the Emergency Duty Team and MASH (Multi-agency safeguarding hub).
Year 1
Developing academic skills – Gain key academic skills in areas such as assessment planning, sourcing research and referencing. Human growth across the lifespan – Know how people grow and change and use that insight to better support people at any stage of life. Working with people – Learn methods and skills to predict, explain and assess situations and behaviours, recognising needs and responding effectively. Readiness for social work practice – Understand the professional frameworks for social workers and show your ‘readiness’ to practice in a work setting. The legislative framework for professional practice – Gain a foundation in the legal system and how it influences and guides social work practice. Sociology and social policy in practice – Explore how society is structured and how the welfare system responds to social issues such as poverty and social exclusion.
Year 2
First 70-day placement – Demonstrate your professional capability through a practice placement. Issues and contexts: engagement and partnership – Use skills-development workshops to explore key issues faced by people needing social work support. Evidence-based social work practice – Learn to identify, assess and apply relevant research to support your professional practice. Issues and contexts: authority and control – Use skills-development workshops to understand the issues that trigger statutory duties to safeguard adults and children. Social work in multi-agency and inter-professional teams – Build the skills to work across different social care settings, with professionals from other fields.
Year 3
Final 100-day placement – Demonstrate your skills and ability through direct practice, showing you meet the requirements of the Professional Capabilities Framework. Social work issues and interventions – Develop intervention skills that support you to work effectively with people of all ages, creating specialist strategies for specific needs. Critical, ethical, reflective practice – Draw on what you have learnt throughout the course to make complex professional decisions in your daily practice. Consolidation for social work practice – Reflect on your practice as you make the transition from student to qualified social worker. Research project for professional social work practice – Conduct an in-depth investigation in an area of personal interest, relevant to your professional practice.
Your academic learning will be assessed using a range of methods including reflective assignments case studies presentations research tasks examinations and evidence drawn from learning in the work place. Assessments are designed to integrate theory and practice throughout the course and the variety of assessment methods used develops academic and professional skills in writing concisely and drawing on your knowledge with confidence for different purposes and audiences. A summative assignment towards the beginning of the course complements input on expectations of study at M level and personal and unit tutors provide a range of assessment support including tutorials seminars and workshops.
Your practice learning will be supported by practice educators and on-site supervisors and assessed at each stage by the submission of a portfolio at the applicable level of the Professional Capabilities Framework (BASW 2018). Your personal tutor will support your learning in each of your placements and facilitate learning needs identified at the end of the first placement being incorporated in planning your learning in the next.
As you progress through the course the assessments will become incrementally more challenging reflecting your increasing knowledge and skills of professional practice culminating with a viva which is designed to evidence your ability to critically reflect and make practice decisions informed by knowledge and best practice under pressure. This reflects tasks given at interview and therefore gives you the opportunity to rehearse your employability skills.
Overall assessments throughout the course are designed to provide a range of varied opportunities for you to develop increasing confidence and autonomy and ultimately demonstrate your knowledge and skills in all areas necessary for competent practice as a newly qualified social worker. You will be assessed on practice by a suitably experienced Practice Educator who is a qualified Social worker.
Careers
You will be undertaking a professional qualification that will enable you to practise as a qualified and registered social worker in England. Most social workers are employed by local authority children's or adult social services.
Opportunities are available in other settings such as primary care trusts, local education authorities, prisons, private fostering agencies, voluntary organisations or charities.
You could be working in the following areas: child safeguarding, education, welfare, healthcare, mental health, addiction, youth justice, asylum and refugees.
Entry Requirements
- A minimum of 1 year of recent, relevant, experience
- Safeguarding checks, including an Enhanced DBS, and Occupational Health check are required
Entry Requirements
- A minimum of 1 year of recent, relevant, experience
- Safeguarding checks, including an Enhanced DBS, and Occupational Health check are required
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2026/27 is £9,790 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2026/27 is £9,790 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
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