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Getting Started Social Work

If you're interested in exploring a career in social work or volunteering (which is often required for acceptance onto degree courses), use this section to discover the next steps available to you.

Choose and click the area you are interested in exploring from below:

-Social Work
-Volunteering

Social Work

Social work requires a professional qualification. To become a social worker you will need a university degree in social work. This is usually a three year undergraduate (Bachelors) degree course although faster postgraduate (Masters) routes are available. Some universities offer part time courses.

Entry to the degree course is open to people of all ages, from school-leavers onwards. However, universities will look for previous experience of work or volunteering in social care. There are more than 80 universities and colleges in England offering a variety of programme options including employment based routes as well as full time college based courses.
 
Social work students come from all age groups, with a wide range of academic qualifications and previous life and work experience.  The course has a strong practical bias. You will spend at least 200 days learning in practice placements with social work  organisations in different aspects of social work.

Click on the course finder tab for links to universities offering social work courses.

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