Study with usSocial Work
Social work is a demanding and rewarding profession where you work with people who have faced major difficulties in their lives.
Undergraduate and postgraduate Social Work qualifications available at the University of Strathclyde prepare you to become a qualified social worker.
The application process at the University of Strathclyde has been designed to ensure that we recruit students who meet the intellectual and personal qualities demanded by the profession.
How to become a social worker
What are the paths to becoming a social worker? What do you need to consider when choosing a path. Our guide offers a comprehensive look at the process of study, training, accreditation and registration as a social worker in the Scottish context.
Learn moreRead over this page and the programme pages at BA Social Work and MSW Social Work. This gives an overview of the application process from preparation to submission, to interview.
The undergraduate BA is available for application via UCAS for all students. The programme is subject to the Equal Consideration Deadline of 31 January. Applications made after this date may not be considered. In addition, international students may apply all year round via the Strathclyde Direct Undergraduate Application System. Applicants are advised to provide sufficient time to organise a tier four visa if applicable.
The Masters in Social Work is available for application via the Strathclyde postgraduate direct application system. The programme commences in September each year and we advise applicants to apply in plenty of time to be considered for a place.
All relevant links are available on the programme page under the apply tab.
Visit the programme page for the level of study you are applying for and review the entry requirements tab. Do you meet these or are you studying towards the required qualifications? If yes, continue to apply for the current cycle. If no, sign up to be notified of any upcoming events as you work towards meeting the entry requirements for the next cycle.
Each programme page provides information on what exactly is required as a minimum requirement for entry. Our admissions enquiry team can offer advice on your current and pending qualifications and their suitability. The contact details can be found on the individual programme pages.
Entry requirements consist of three main elements:
• Educational qualifications
• Suitable motivation (preferably enhanced by relevant experience)
• Professional suitability
Educational qualifications are assessed via your information on the application form.
Suitable motivation is conveyed via your personal statement and the interview stage. Professional suitability is assessed via your response the to the ethical dilemma essay and interview stage.
Prepare your personal statement, see UCAS personal statement guidance and top tips . Make sure to tell us about any relevant experience you have, what you’ve learned, and why this has inspired you to become a social worker.
Applications made via UCAS require one reference and those made via the University direct systems require two. Please make your first reference an academic reference if you are a current student or a recent graduate (i.e. within the last five years).
Where you can enter a second reference, this should be someone who can testify about your experience. This can relate to voluntary or paid employment or someone who has directly observed and supervised your experience. For UCAS applicants, you will be asked to input your second referee once your initial application form has been assessed as suitable to progress through our application process.
For Masters level applicants this is included in the application form. For undergraduate applicants, following an initial assessment, an electronic form will be emailed to gather this information along with your second referee (see above). This should be submitted within two weeks of receipt and a deadline date will be provided. The essay is no more than 400 words and will be a choice of 3 topical scenarios. You will be required to explain:
• The various ethical issues that the situation depicted would pose to you in this scenario
• The action you would be inclined to take and your reasons for doing so
• What role do you think the local authority social work department might have in this case
This will be assessed by an academic selector from the programme team. They will be assessing:
• Your ability to convey an understanding of the professional and personal challenges of social work
• The quality of the written material you submit.
The written response should be your work, using your own words. Any indication of plagiarism would lead to an automatic rejection of your application. You are welcome to use appropriate academic essay referencing in your essay.
It’s now time to apply. Hit the apply button on the programme page and submit your application.
You should:
• Apply via UCAS for the undergraduate BA if you are applying from Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, the European Union, or an international student. Here’s a “how-to guide” for applying to UCAS.
• Apply via the Direct Undergraduate Application System if you are an international student applying out of the UCAS deadlines.
• Apply via our postgraduate application system if you are a postgraduate student applying for master’s level study.
Congratulations, you have submitted your application! Find out what happens after you hit submit on your social work application.
After you apply
Wait to hear
On submitting your application, you should wait to hear from us. Our selectors will assess your suitability alongside the entry criteria and personal characteristics required. Success at this stage of the process may result in us requesting more information from you and/or inviting you to interview. This will be sent via email, so please check regularly.
Send additional information
If successful at the first stage of application, undergraduate applicants will be sent an electronic form requesting additional information including the additional written activity and essay (see above). Please read the section above thoroughly regarding the requirements.
Interview
If successful, you may be invited to interview. This is an opportunity for you to showcase your passion for social work and to meet the tutors for the programme. Please check your junk folder to ensure an email from us regarding your interview has not been missed.
The kinds of personal qualities that are looked for include:
- ability to convey genuine warmth and interest in people.
- ability to see strengths and potential in even the most difficult circumstances and people
- a genuine interest in difference and diversity and a demonstrable ability to adapt and change.
- a willingness to question conformity and risk discomfort in challenging attitudes that foster discrimination and complacency.
- the capacity to support people to live with difficult, sometimes worsening circumstances.
- being able to help people set and follow their own agendas, yet being capable of asserting authority where the client’s welfare requires it.
- being level-headed and helpful in the face of people’s distress, pain, and anger – even when it’s turned on you.
- quiet confidence and the capacity to argue and defend views in a constructive way.
- satisfaction in helping manage and, where possible, resolve conflict, but never at the expense of sacrificing the interests of vulnerable people.
- taking enjoyment from both using initiative and working accountably as part of a team.
- ability to accept reasonable criticism and learn from mistakes
The skills which we would expect all applicants to demonstrate would include the capacity to:
- engage appropriately with a wide range of people.
- communicate expressively, fluently, and convincingly in verbal and written form.
- understand, calculate, and present accurately basic numerical and financial information.
The relevant experience which we would expect all applicants to demonstrate would include the capacity to:
- ‘Relevant’ experience is defined as formal work that involves the direct provision of service in social work, social care, community work (including youth work), or other closely related activity, on a paid or unpaid basis. ‘Formal’ work includes private employment as well as work within the public and voluntary sectors, including small, community-based organisations. ‘Direct service provision’ includes working with people to assess, identify, organise, provide, and monitor services and their impact on service users.
- Experience for School Applicants:- have taken part or provided evidence of involvement in positions of responsibility, for example, prefect, buddy system, peer mentoring system youth work, etc. Additional experience with the school community would be advantageous.
- Personal experience is relevant, but experience should not be limited to only personal experience at the point of application and additional experience would be advantageous.
Course overview
The BA (Hons) course is full-time and four years duration. The MSW is two years. There is no part-time study or distance-learning and attendance at all classes is compulsory. The actual hours on campus vary, both within semesters and between semesters, and depending on whether you are at the university for teaching, or undertaking practice learning out with the university. Apart from practice learning opportunities, University semesters are from:
- Semester 1: end of September till mid-December (exclusive of winter holidays) with students expected to undertake private study out with class contact hours
- Semester 2: mid-January until mid-May (inclusive of spring holidays) with students expected to undertake private study out with class contact hours
Practice learning/formal placements
Practice learning opportunities will be available in three of the four years for the BA (Hons), with the key, formally assessable opportunities, in years three and four. For MSW, practice learning will be in both years one and two. Students will be placed in a variety of social work service agencies and organisations and will be offered formal supervision and support by a qualified and experienced social worker.
Teaching and learning
The course is taught in modules that reflect the nature of the themes and approaches to practice rather than traditional subject disciplines. Problem-based learning is the basis for much of the teaching and learning. Students work on problems drawn from the world of practice and in small groups explore, test out, and develop creative ways of understanding and intervening in the kinds of situations facing practitioners every day.
Students are expected to engage actively in reflecting and drawing on their former and developing experience of practice, to participate in discussion, and to develop confidence and skill in working collaboratively with others to explore and enhance their understanding and knowledge as a developing professional social worker.
Coronavirus information & FAQsStudent support
A personal tutor is allocated to each student and is responsible for supporting study, especially practice learning. Normally, the student retains this tutor throughout the course, but this is not always possible.
Student disability and wellbeing services offer support and information on a range of matters as diverse as finance, accommodation, domestic, assessment, personal and inter-personal issues.
Learn moreProfessional registration
To protect the public, particularly very vulnerable service users, the SSSC is required to establish and maintain a register of social service workers, including student social workers. No student may begin, or continue a Social Work course leading to the degree or masters degree unless they meet the conditions for registration. Moreover, no one may be employed as a social worker unless registered with the Council. Registrants are required to subscribe to a Code of Practice, which can be accessed and downloaded from the SSSC’s website. Please consult http://www.sssc.uk.com/ for further and more comprehensive information about its responsibilities and the Code.
Details on registering with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and completing the Protecting Vulnerable Groups registration (PVG) are issued to successful applicants at the offer stage. Once an acceptance has been received details will be issued before the commencement of the programme.
Failure to successfully register with SSSC before the programme commences will result in any offer on the course being withdrawn. In some cases, it may be unavoidable that final decisions are delayed until sometime after the course has started. If the SSSC decision is to refuse registration, it must be understood that withdrawal from the course is mandatory.
Please note that even if you are registered with the SSSC, e.g. as a social care worker, you must register separately as a student social worker and submit to the usual process of application, including Protecting Vulnerable Groups registration (PVG).
The SSSC will not admit to its register any person whom it believes poses a risk to the public to which social service workers provide services. It makes judgments about risks in accordance with the important factors of ‘reasonableness’ and ‘due process’. Although it does not limit itself to the following factors, these are usually the most significant:
- History of offending behaviour: A PVG is sought which provides not only information on past offences which led to a conviction but also others where guilt was admitted, where prosecution was diverted, discontinued, or otherwise abandoned, or where fixed penalties were imposed; no offences are considered ‘spent’, including those committed as a ‘child’.
- Misconduct at work: Applicants will be asked to declare, concerning any relevant work, actions taken to discipline them, because of behaviour considered to conflict with their professional responsibilities; this would include behaviour out with work.
Department of Social Work & Social Policy's screening responsibilities
Successful applicants will be required to complete a ‘Declaration of Offences & Relevant Disciplinary Record’ form from the University. Where any history is disclosed, the Course Leader will decide whether to interview the applicant, usually with an agency representative and decide if the offer should be confirmed at that stage. If they decide to the contrary, the offer is withdrawn with immediate effect. Ultimate authority as to whether the applicant may or may not begin, or continue the course, rests with the SSSC.
Failure to disclose relevant matters
Where it comes to the attention of the University or SSSC that an applicant (or subsequent student) fails to report any recent development which could have a bearing on their registration, misleads or falsifies any information previously provided to it, the University and the SSSC will take action immediately to suspend any current registration. During the subsequent investigation, it will consider not only the newly disclosed behaviour but also whether withholding this information raises serious enough concerns about the registrant’s honesty and trustworthiness to warrant formal de-registration on these grounds alone.
The Academic Selector would be happy to discuss any concerns regarding past offending behaviour or misconduct with applicants if preferred anonymously. Please email deborah.mccullagh@strath.ac.uk.
Contact us
Prospective student enquiries
Contact a member of our team on LiveChat between 10am and 4pm (GMT)
Telephone: +44 (0) 141 444 8600