Social Work
BA (Hons)
Key facts
UCAS code
L500
Start dates
September 2025 / September 2026
Location
Course length
Full time: 3 years
Part time: 6 years
Accreditation(s)
Approved by Social Work England (SWE)
UCAS Tariff Points
104
Overview
If you're interested in becoming a social worker, our Social Work BA leads to the qualification you need. As a graduate you can apply for social work registration in England with Social Work England.
Our degree consistently delivers high quality social work education. We have been approved by and teach to Social Work England (SWE) Standards of Proficiency for Social Workers in England, and the British Association of Social Workers’ (BASW) Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF).
Your practice-based learning includes two work placements. You'll work with your practice educator to develop your capabilities as part of the PCF.
Our lecturing staff base their teaching on evidence-based practice, promoting the most current social work research.
You can study full-time over three years. Or choose part-time or mixed-mode study.
We have links with Local Authority employers, local private voluntary and independent sector organisations. So it's likely you will secure a job before qualifying.
How to apply
Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.
Standard offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 104
A Level: BCC
IB Points: 29
BTEC: DMM
Contextual offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 88
A Level: CCD
IB Points: 27
BTEC: MMM
Further offer details
Additionally, for applicants aged over 21 years:
- Applicants who do not meet all of the academic entry criteria can still be considered if they have significant and relevant life or work experience with vulnerable people. However, we would expect to see all applicants with a GCSE at grade 4 (C) or above in Mathematics and English Language plus further studies at level 3 - for example, an A-level or Open University course in a relevant subject.
-
Please note: all grades where stated are minimum requirements.
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
GCSE: Grade 4 (C) in English and Maths. For English and Maths, Level 2 Functional Skills are accepted as alternatives to GCSEs.
Relevant experience (e.g. paid or voluntary work with vulnerable people) or a suitable indication of your interest in, and understanding of, the social work profession.
Entry to the course through the accreditation by Oxford Brookes University of prior certificated learning will be considered.
We welcome applications from people who already have a degree in another subject. Alternatively, you may be eligible for study at MA or PGDip level.
We also welcome applications from individuals sponsored or supported by their employer.
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
Screening
All applicants will be screened for fitness to practise and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be made.
Selection process
If you are short-listed you will be invited to an interview day where you will be assessed by an individual interview and a written test.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, you need an IELTS score of 7.0 overall, with no category scoring below 6.5.
Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.
English requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
Credit transfer
Many of our courses consider applications for entry part-way through the course for students who have credit from previous learning or relevant professional experience.
Find out more about transferring to Brookes. If you'd like to talk through your options, please contact our Admissions team.
Application process
Full time Home (UK) applicants
Apply through UCASPart time Home (UK) applicants
Apply direct to the UniversityInternational applicants
Apply direct to the UniversityFull time international applicants can also apply through UCAS
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.
Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page
Financial support and scholarships
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
Extra Costs
- DBS – Fees for Post Office ID Document checking fee & Update Service Registration
- Travel & parking – including those for placements
- Inter-Library Loans and Articles
- Books
- Printing & Photocopying
Learning and assessment
Our curriculum meets the requirement for social work registration, as defined by SWE, BASW and QAA Benchmark Statements.
Year 1 provides a common academic and skills foundation for all social work practice.
In Year 2 you will study specialist modules on social work with children and families, and adults and mental health. You will also take modules on research methods and interprofessional practice.
In both Years 2 and 3 you will take part in unpaid work-based placements (70 days in Year 2 and 100 days in Year 3).
Placements could involve working with:
- children
- older people
- people with disabilities
- people who may have mental health issues.
Placements offer opportunities to engage with service users in a real and meaningful way. You could work with statutory, voluntary, private or independent organisations. Placement settings include:
- hospitals
- agency teams
- family centres
- day centres
- residential care settings.
Study modules
Teaching for this course takes place
Face to Face and you can expect around 8 hours of contact time per week. In addition to this, you should also anticipate a workload of 1,200 hours per year. Teaching usually takes place Monday to Friday, between 9.00am and 6.00pm.
Contact hours involve activities such as lectures, seminars, practicals, assessments, and academic advising sessions. These hours differ by year of study and typically increase significantly during placements or other types of work-based learning.
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Learning and teaching
Our teaching includes a blend of:
- lectures
- seminars
- group work
- role play / simulated interviews
- guest speakers
- service user Input
- online learning.
We encourage active student participation. You will have opportunities to contribute your own knowledge.
IT plays an important role in our courses. An extensive range of learning resources are available through Moodle, our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
There will be opportunities to share your learning with other health care students. This is essential to developing teamwork skills and an understanding of the other roles you will encounter in practice.
The majority of teaching and assessment activities take place between Mondays and Fridays 9am to 4pm. There may be occasions when activities fall outside of these hours.
After you graduate
Career prospects
There are a wide range of job opportunities for social workers in a variety of settings, with the possibility of employment in the statutory, private, voluntary or independent sectors. Our careers service will support you.
Recent data indicates that approximately 90% of students are in employment six months after finishing the course. Local authority and private, voluntary and independent partners employ many graduates who go on to undertake the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (AYSE).
Professional accreditation
On successful completion of the BA (Hons) Social Work degree, you are eligible to apply for professional registration with Social Work England (SWE).
International Students should note that completion of the Oxford Brookes Social Work programme allows you to apply for registration with the UK regulator of Social Work. Any practice overseas is likely to require you to meet the country's requirement for regulation. The responsibility for identifying and working towards the requirements for registration overseas is with the student. You may wish to check the compatibility of the Oxford Brookes award prior to application.
Further study
Oxford Brookes offers a variety of programmes suitable for studying at post-qualifying level, including our Social Work MA.
Our Staff
Ms Jill Childs
Programme Lead/ Principal Lecturer for BA and MA/ PG Dip Social Work, Jill Childs has a background in working with homeless people, particularly those who are disenfranchised and excluded from service provision.
Read more about JillFree language courses
Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.
Information from Discover Uni
Full-time study
Part-time study
Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been
published on the website. For more information, please visit our
changes to programmes page.