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BSc (Hons) Social Work

Discover how, on this social work course, you can empower individuals to overcome challenges and thrive in their communities. Explores essential skills in law, partnership working, and mental health, and be prepared to make a real difference.

The Janice Ann McNaughton Bursary.

£3,000 (paid in the first year of study) is awarded every year to two first year students studying on this course. Students are eligible to apply if they are care-leavers or care-experienced students aged 18-24. If the cohort does not include two students who meet the above criteria, students under the age of 25 who are the first in their family to attend university may be considered. Applicants must fill in a short application form.

Find out more about scholarships, grants and bursaries

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2nd in the East of England for social work (Complete University Guide, 2025)

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7th in the UK for social work (Guardian University Guide, 2025)

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91% satisfaction for learning opportunities (NSS, 2024, based on the average of Q5-9)

Course overview

On this social work course, you will learn to collaborate effectively with service users, their families, and various organisations, including the police, NHS, and schools, to create comprehensive support networks that facilitate positive change and promote well-being. This course covers subjects such as law, partnership working, assessment and interventions, social science, mental health, disabilities, and families and children.

You will engage in diverse placements, developing practical skills in assessment, intervention, and advocacy to effectively address social issues and improve well-being. Plus, you will have the opportunity gain valuable hands-on experience through work placements, preparing you for a successful career in social work.

Why choose this course?

Studying BSc (Hons) Social Work at Herts will provide you with the skills, insights, and confidence required to succeed in social work.

Industry regulation: social work is a regulated profession and completing a BSc (Hons) Social Work degree leads to eligibility to apply to the Social Work England Register and practise as a social worker in England.

Benefit from group projects: throughout the social work course you will have the opportunity to work in group setting that encourages collaboration and growth. An emphasis on small group practice prepares you for practice in a modern multi-professional workforce.

Interactive learning in and out of the classroom: academic teaching is supported by social work practitioners from the newly constituted Teaching Partnership with Hertfordshire County Council and the Tavistock and Portman Foundation Trust, service users, and carers enabling you to link theory to practice throughout the programme.

Strong employment prospects: 98% of Herts Health and social care graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes, 2021/22).

Professional accreditations

Social work England Register

Social work is a regulated profession. The BSc (Hons) Social Work degree leads to eligibility to apply to the Social Work England Register and practise as a social worker in England.

Your future career

An impressive 98% of Herts health and social care graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes, 2021/22).

Typical areas of work for social work graduates include:

  • social worker
  • education mental health practitioner
  • family support worker
  • social worker
  • carer
  • community development worker

After successful completion of your studies, you will be eligible to register as a social worker with Social Work England. You will also be qualified to work in the wide range of statutory, private and voluntary agencies that employ social workers.

See what recent graduates are up to

Therapeutic Radiographer at NHS and Private Sector

Her ideal university

Elise had wanted to work in healthcare since childhood and discovered radiotherapy whilst supporting a family member receiving treatment for breast cancer. Elise says, ‘I visited a radiotherapy department and saw how therapeutic radiotherapy worked. It combines the best patient care with the latest science, and the treatment is unique in the fact that you treat patients for up to seven weeks. You get to know their situation and families very well, as you’re there for a large part of their cancer journey.’

For Elise, Herts was her ideal university. She says, ‘Herts is close to London, with good transport links that are great for going on placement and visiting home. It’s also a campus-based institution, with all the amenities you need on-site such as shops, pharmacies, and places to socialise.’

Elise was the first person in her immediate family to go to university and admitted that she was nervous when she started her course at Herts, but she met two of her best friends on her first day here. She says, ‘When we discovered that we all shared a birthday in the same week, we knew it was meant to be. We are still close, and we are looking forward to our first holiday together soon.’

Feeling supported

Elise wanted a course that combined in-class theory with a placement, which in her words, ‘gave me the opportunity to apply what I had learned in a work environment.’ She adds, ‘Our tutors were also very supportive, particularly when you went on placement. You still felt connected to the University and its support system throughout.’

At Herts, Elise was encouraged to take on extracurricular activities that complimented her learning. She was a Student Representative, she completed a student leadership programme, and she took part in a specialist proton beam therapy placement where she was invited to share her learning with peers once she returned to campus. Elise adds, ‘Throughout my course, you were encouraged to study and work with students from other healthcare professions, which prepared me well for interdisciplinary working once I qualified.’

At graduation, Elise received a Silver Go Herts Award in recognition of her engagement with extracurricular activities outside her course.

Her career and advice

Elise is now a Health and Care Professions Council registered Therapeutic Radiographer, who has worked in both the NHS and private sector. She says, ‘I love my job. It’s rewarding to be able to make a difference to patients every day. My degree at Herts gave me the knowledge and skills I needed to be a safe healthcare worker, and it opened my eyes to possible career paths I could take.’ She is now hoping to complete a postgraduate course and find her ideal specialism within cancer care.

Her advice to current and future Herts students is to make use of the support available here. She says, ‘Herts has an excellent careers support service, so it’s worth speaking to them if you need help with your CV or an application.’

What you'll study

Throughout this social work degree, you will benefit from a combination of theoretical and practical experience.

In your first year of your BSc Social Work degree, you will undertake modules which provide core knowledge and skills, including human development across the lifespan, working with diverse communities and service users, key methods and interventions and the policy and legislation which underpins practice. You will develop the fundamentals critical thinking and research skills, enabling you to reflect on practice and enhance your understanding of social work.

In your second year, you will deepen your understanding of social work principles and enhance your practical skills through a combination of theoretical and experiential learning. You will start writing a research proposal on a topic area of interest to you. Your learning will be supported by a total of 170 placement days and 30 skills development days that will take place in the second year of study.

In your third year of the social work degree, you will refine your skills and knowledge, preparing you for a successful career in social work through advanced learning and practical application. Your placement and skills development days will continue in the third year of study. Each placement will allow you to learn in a practical setting while receiving support and feedback form experienced practitioners.

What if I need support?

You will have a personal tutor to guide you throughout your course, all the way to graduation. If you need additional support during your time with us, rest assured that we’ve got you covered. For help with study skills, including referencing, essay writing and presentations, you will have access to our academic support services. You can attend workshops, 1-to-1 sessions and online tutorials. Both our LRCs run drop-in study skills sessions. And the best thing is, it’s all free.

Where you'll study

Your main campus is College Lane, this is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you will share the campus with future nurses, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus pub or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.

Who you'll learn from

The programme is taught through face-to-face classroom-based learning and practice-based learning where students have the support of a practice assessor. This is complemented by a virtue learning environment (Canvas on StudyNet) and small group tutorial support. You will be taught by lecturers who constantly develop their own knowledge through research, publications, and other scholarly activities, and crucially by experienced social work practitioners, service users and carers.

You will be taught by our team of highly qualified academics, experienced in the field of pharmacy. Additionally, you have access to an academic support team, a well-being team, and a personal tutor who will help you navigate university learning and living. Working together, your teaching and support team is committed to assisting you in realising and achieving your full potential.

How we support our students

At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible.

We offer a range of support services, from childcare to counselling, ensuring that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying, having fun, and have the support you need.

Entry requirements

The University of Hertfordshire is committed to welcoming students with a wide range of qualifications and levels of experience. The entry requirements listed on the course pages provide a guide to the minimum level of qualifications needed to study each course. However, we have a flexible approach to admissions and each application will be considered on an individual basis.

Typical offer (UCAS points)(enter tariff range)
Typical A Level offer(enter range)
Typical IB offer(enter range)
Typical BTEC offer(enter range)
Typical T Level offer(enter range)
GCSEEG: Grade 4/C in English Language and 4/D Mathematics
Access coursesEG: An overall merit profile in 45 credits at Level 3.
Additional informationFind out more about our standard and contextual Undergraduate Entry Requirements.

English language

All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band.

If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level.

Additional information

Find out more about International Entry Requirements.

Typical offer (UCAS points)112–120
Typical A Level offerBBC–BBB
Typical IB offer112–120
From a minimum of 2 HL subjects at H4 or above (with the remaining points to come from a combination of HL, SL and Core). 
Typical BTEC offerDMM–DDM
Mandatory subjects: National Extended Diploma in a Health or Social Care related subject.
Typical T Level offer112–120 UCAS points
Accepted subjects: Healthcare Science (minimum of merit with grade B required in core component); Health (minimum of merit with grade B required in core component); Science (minimum of merit with grade B required in core component).
GCSEGrade 4/C in English Language and 3/D Mathematics.
Access coursesAccess to Higher Education Diploma with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3. Of the 45 credits at level 3, the combination of pass/merit/distinctions must equate to 112 UCAS points. Candidates without GCSE maths and English at grade 4 (C) or above must complete equivalents contained within the Access course (normally 6 level 2 credits in numeracy and 6 in literacy).
Additional informationAll offers are subject to an interview, written assessment, group discussion, enhanced DBS check and Occupational Health (OH) Screening on commencement of the programme.

Find out more about our standard and contextual Undergraduate Entry Requirements.

English language

All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band.

If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level.

Additional information

Find out more about International Entry Requirements.

Ready to apply?

UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK
Start date Study typeApply
September 2025 Full time Apply via UCAS
Part time Apply with Herts
September 2026 Full time Apply via UCAS
Part time Apply with Herts

International and EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Apply through our international/EU application portal

Fees and funding

At Herts, we’re dedicated to providing world-class teaching supported by industry-level facilities and incredible social spaces. We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to higher education, and we strive to keep both our standard and additional costs as low as possible.

Study typeFees
UK studentsFull time£9,250 for the 2025/2026 academic year
Part time£1,155 per 15 credits for the 2025/2026 academic year
EU studentsFull time£15,965 for the 2025/2026 academic year
Part time£1,995 per 15 credits for the 2025/2026 academic year
International studentsFull time£15,965 for the 2025/2026 academic year
Part time£1,995 per 15 credits for the 2025/2026 academic year

Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University’s Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed “When tuition fees change”), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.

Scholarships, grants  and bursaries

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for a non-repayable scholarship, grant or bursary to support your studies.

Disabled Students' Allowance

The Disabled Students’ Allowance can cover any study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability.

Student loans

Find out about securing a student loan, from how much you could be eligible for to when you need to start making repayments.

Accommodation costs

We offer a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

Additional course fees

Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet.

More about the course

Course fact sheets
BSc (Hons) Social Work (Revised 2024) Download PDF
Programme specifications
BSc (Hons) Social Work Download PDF
Additional information

Applications open to international and EU students

Yes

Course length

Full Time, 3 YearsPart Time, 6 YearsSandwich, 4 Years

Not ready to apply?