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PgDip Social Work (Step Up to Social Work)
Professional Accreditations
On successful completion of the course you will be able to to register as a qualified social worker.
About the course
- Immersive 14-month programme which qualifies you as a social worker enabling you to start working in your dream career
- 170 days on placement in one of eight London boroughs, along with course-long links to a host team, allowing you to enter employment prepared
- Real-world experience to ensure you are prepared with the knowledge, skills and experience to equip you for practice
- Classroom and skills based learning, facilitated by social work academics and practitioners with expertise in practice and research
- Opportunities to join the University's research community. Strong MSc research projects are published across West London Local Authorities, with the opportunity to work towards journal publication.
Step Up to Social Work is a national programme supported by a Department for Education bursary, offering a fast-track route into social work with children and families.
As part of this programme, the University of Hertfordshire has partnered with the West London Alliance, supporting committed, resilient graduates to train in one of eight West London Local Authorities to qualify as social workers. Academic study is integrated with hands on learning, preparing you for the challenges and rewards of a career in social work with children and their families.
Find out more information about the alliance please visit the West London Alliance Step Up to Social Work website.
Why choose this course?
- No tuition fees
- £21,995 bursary
- Eligible for registration with Social Work England as a professional social worker
- 100% employment rate of our graduates within West London
- 2nd in the East of England for Social Work (2023 Complete University Guide)
- 2nd for health and social care in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES, Advance HE, 2023)
- 4th in the UK for social work (Guardian University Guide, 2025)
What will I study?
You’ll be taught in central London by experienced academics in collaboration with practitioners in the field and those with a lived experience.
Teaching and tuition are facilitated by a core team of social work academics, meaning you’ll benefit from academic, pastoral and placement support from a small team who know you. Yet, you’ll also benefit from multiple perspectives, as we routinely invite social workers, health professionals, lawyers, young people and carers to bring their expertise to the classroom.
You’ll also complete 170 days on placement in one of eight West London boroughs, where a number of innovative practice models are embedded across the region. These include, systemic practice, signs of safety and trauma informed approaches.
Upon completion of the programme, you’ll have the opportunity to complete a dissertation and gain a master’s qualification over the course of your first year in practice.
Further course information
| Course fact sheets | |
|---|---|
| PgDip Social Work (Step Up to Social Work) | Download |
| Programme specifications | |
|---|---|
| PgDip Social Work (Step Up to Social Work) | Download |
| Additional information | |
|---|---|
Sandwich placement or study abroad year |
n/a |
Applications open to international and EU students |
No |