Undergraduate Prospectus 2010

Why social work?

Social workers work with people in difficulty, sometimes in crisis. This work requires a three-year degree-level professional qualification. Only those qualified and registered with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) are able to use the title ‘social worker’.

Why social work at Sussex and Brighton?

• Social Work at Sussex is ranked 7th in the UK in The Independent Complete University Guide (2010).
• The BA (Hons) is jointly offered by the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, where social work has been an area of growth and investment, with enthusiastic staff who are committed to enhancing social work teaching and research in the region and to maintaining a national and international reputation.
• The programme is run in collaboration with a range of stakeholders including East Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council and voluntary sector employers, together with representatives from a number of service-user and carer organisations.
• Rated 14th in the UK in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). 95 per cent of our research was rated as recognised internationally or higher, and 60 per cent rated as internationally excellent or higher.
• Our BA (Hons) builds on the best of a long and successful tradition of providing social work education at qualifying and post-qualifying levels.
• The excellent quality of teaching is evident from the number of staff receiving Sussex and national teaching awards over recent years.
• Teaching is informed by research being undertaken by top-rated researchers on the inter-university social work staff team.
• Teaching provides the opportunity for interprofessional education at Sussex and at Brighton. Shared learning workshops are being developed with the Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

What sort of career could I have?

The demand for social workers is large and growing. Employment prospects are excellent both locally and nationally.

The Government’s personalisation agenda is changing the pattern of service provision in relation to social work, health and education, and inter-professional practice is developing fast, bringing new and exciting prospects.

• Social work with local authorities: with children in need, in family centres, or on a youth offenders team.
• Social work with older people, disabled people, or with people with mental health needs.
• Voluntary sector: working with organisations for service users with substance or alcohol misuse problems, or people who are homeless or marginalised in other ways.
• Beyond direct practice, there are opportunities in management, specialist consultancy, training, planning and strategic roles, as well as possibilities for further academic study and research.

How will I learn?

We provide a variety of learning opportunities. These include workshops, seminars and lectures, led by academic staff, researchers, practitioners, service users and carers. With induction and support, you will be encouraged to develop the skills of learning independently and learning in a group, both essential for professional practice.

We are keen to develop innovation in learning and teaching. In year 1, we develop the use of problembased learning and learning from practice-based scenarios, which sets the scene for a continuing emphasis on the integration of theory and practice in years 2 and 3. We also develop the use of IT in learning and its application in supporting learning on and off campus. You will have the opportunity to develop your computer literacy and by the end of the BA will have reached the level of the European Computer Driving Licence or equivalent.

In year 1, you have the opportunity to learn directly from service users and carers and develop a greater understanding of their experience. You will shadow an experienced social worker and reflect on the experience. In years 2 and 3, there is a minimum of 200 days of learning in practice settings, where you will gain experience of providing services to a range of service user groups. Our placements build on our excellent partnerships with local social work agencies and our developing collaboration with groups of users and carers.

You will undertake a range of different kinds of assessment tasks, including reflective journals, essays, report writing, placement portfolios and, in year 3, a short dissertation that focuses on the integration of theory and practice. Academic work is regularly assessed and University staff provide regular and constructive feedback to enable you to develop your practice. Work in placements is assessed by practice assessors supported by University staff. To be awarded the BA, competence must be assessed as satisfactory on both the academic and practice-based parts of the programme.

What will I achieve?

You will achieve the required learning outcomes set out by the General Social Care Council (GSCC) for registration as a qualified social worker. Refer to the General Social Care Council (GSCC) website for details of registration procedures.

Fees and funding

A non-means-tested bursary has been introduced for almost all social work students who are not funded throughout their training by their employer. This will incorporate a contribution towards practice placement travelling costs. Refer to the NHS Bursary Scheme website for details on bursaries and eligibility.

What to do next

You need to apply via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and details on how to do this can be found at How to apply - selection and offers. Although this is a joint university programme between the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, admissions will be handled by the University of Sussex. If you are uncertain about your eligibility, you can contact Social Work Admissions at the address in Essentials, or Undergraduate Admissions (details on back cover). Employees of East Sussex Council, West Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove Council hoping for secondment will need to apply through separate procedures; details are available from the respective training sections. There will be a mix of independent and seconded students within each year group.

Applications from disabled students and students from ethnic minority groups are positively welcomed.