“The lecturers showed us how to navigate the reality of social work with patience, resilience and curiosity.”
BA (Hons)Social Work
Apply on UCASWhy study a social work degree at Solent University
Make a positive change and pursue a fulfilling career in social work: on this degree you will gain the knowledge and practical experience key to making a difference to the lives of vulnerable people.
- 0%positivity score for teaching on the course (NSS 2024)
- 0%positivity score for learning resources (NSS 2024)
- Top0%for teaching quality, out of 131 institutions (Times Good University Guide, 2025)
- 88% of employed graduates who responded to the HESA Graduate Outcomes survey (from 2021 to 2024) were in high-skilled employment.
- Solent ranked in the UK's top 10 for career prospects in social work (out of 69 institutions) (The Guardian University Guide 2025).
- The course is led and taught by qualified and registered social workers.
- The course is designed in partnership with social work practitioners, service users and carers, ensuring you’re up to date with the latest developments in the field.
- You will complete two significant periods of work experience thanks to our partnerships with local authorities, as well as many other social care organisations.
- We offer extra-curricular, part-funded International Placements opportunities through the Turing Scheme.
- You’ll be assigned a personal tutor who can assist you with pastoral support to help you make the most of your learning.
Course overview
The first two years of this degree concentrate on learning the basis of social work theory as well as looking at subjects such as law and sociology. For their final year, students can choose to specialise in adults or children and families to help focus their career path upon graduation.
You’ll complete two significant periods of work experience in either local authorities or voluntary, private and independent organisations in the region. We have partnership arrangements for practice learning placements with four local authorities (Southampton City, Hampshire, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight), as well as many other social care organisations.
The course team’s strong links with local employers, service users and carers within the industry have allowed previous students the opportunity to practice the theory they’ve learnt in work placements, enabling them to build their skills and confidence as a social worker and develop their professional network.
These established links with the industry have also allowed past students to attend regular guest lectures where they have benefitted from talks delivered by social work professionals such as Chief Social Worker for Adults, Lyn Romeo, giving valuable insight into the industry and the career opportunities available. The culmination of your degree will be at our annual wellbeing conference where you can showcase your final major project to industry practitioners.
We have partnership arrangements for practice learning placements with four local authorities (Southampton City, Hampshire, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight), as well as many other social care organisations." Add: These include social care settings for children and families, social care settings for adults, residential care for people with disabilities, community mental health teams, hospital social work departments, voluntary organisations working with both children and adults, advocacy agencies, drug and alcohol treatment centres, homelessness projects.
The course also provides opportunities for optional international placement experience.
Both an academic qualification and, importantly, a professional qualification, this course is approved by Social Work England – this means that you’ll be eligible to apply for registration as a social worker on successful completion of your degree.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Approved by:
Course features
Foundation year available
If you're not quite ready for a full undergraduate degree, there's alternative entry through one of our foundation years
Professional membership
You have the opportunity to obtain a professional membership as part of this degree
Who is this course for?
This BA (Hons) Social Work programme prepares students for a wide range of social work and community care roles. You’ll need a non-judgemental attitude, an appreciation of diversity, self-awareness, flexibility and openness to new ideas. In addition, you’ll be able to demonstrate relevant skills such as empathy, active listening, negotiating and advocacy. Ideal candidates should aspire to work with vulnerable members of the community. Applicants typically come from a wide range of academic backgrounds.
What does this course lead to?
Social workers have opportunities to work with other professionals such as the police and doctors, to plan support and offer services to those in need of care and support.
If a social worker is successful in enabling change, it can mean that a child or vulnerable adult may achieve a new lease of life and positive possibilities for the future.
Our graduates have gone on to roles such as:
- social worker
- care manager
- missing children and child exploitation coordinator
- family support worker
- housing adviser
- domestic abuse adviser
- adult wellbeing manager
- primary mental health worker
- learning disability practitioner.
Graduate stories
Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.
Read more storiesMeet the team
On this course you will usually be taught by a team of qualified and registered social workers, with knowledge and expertise relevant to the content of the module. This includes academic staff and qualified professional practitioners, whose specialisms include children and families, relationships, reflective practice and supervision, diversity and ethnicity, as well as law and social work methods. You will also benefit from 'Skills Days' which includes regular guest sessions with experts in the sector. The course team ensure they are up to date with the latest research and theory and are committed to preparing students to have the knowledge and skills to be confident post degree, and to enable them to act effectively and professionally.
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces.
Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
International opportunities
Broaden your horizons by adding an international dimension to your CV – essential to achieving success in today’s fast-changing, global environment.
Studying, working or volunteering in another country could be the experience of a lifetime. Enhance your degree by developing important global skills such as knowledge of other countries, language skills, intercultural awareness, adaptability and confidence.
For more information, please email international.mobility@solent.ac.uk.
What you'll study
Core modules
The Professional Social Worker
This module will provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your readiness for direct practice and progression to the level 5 placement (second year) of the social work programme.
Interpersonal Skills in Social Work
In this module you will learn about the place of interpersonal skills in social work and their key building blocks. These include reflective practice, professional boundaries, anti-oppressive practice and emotional intelligence.
Sociological Perspectives in Contemporary Society
In this module you will journey through the historical changes in society which have led to the formation of social work and how it developed as a profession. This module will introduce you to a critical understanding of the historical context of social work and the changing role of politics and the State in relation to social work.
Legislative Frameworks for Social Work Practice
This module introduces the general legal context and framework for social work practice in respect to working with vulnerable children, young people and adults. You will gain an understanding of key legislation and determine the associated social work duties and responsibilities.
Psychological Perspectives across the Life Span
You will learn about the stages of human development throughout the lifespan with a focus on cognitive psychological development, psycho-social and emotional theories, mental health and the interaction between the environment and a person’s psychology.
Community and Culture
This module builds on the knowledge acquired while studying ‘Sociological Perspectives in Contemporary Society’ in the first semester and explores the origins of community social work.
How you will learn and be assessed
You will learn by:
You may be assessed by a combination of:
- Essays
- Individual presentations
- Group presentations
- Case studies
- Project work
- Portfolios
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out moreStudy support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
The disability advice team provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose a career as a social worker?
Social workers are becoming more sought after and the industry is looking for committed individuals who can enable change in a child or vulnerable adult which will help them achieve a new lease of life and positive possibilities for the future.
Many social workers work with children and their families, but you may also work with the elderly, people with learning difficulties, young offenders, people with mental health conditions, drug and alcohol abusers, and the homeless.
This course provides up-to-the-minute training that incorporates the latest developments in social care and teaches students the underpinning values and ethics needed to become a qualified social worker capable of working in a variety of settings.
You could work in areas such as social care settings, rehabilitation services, criminal justice, voluntary organisations, advocacy agencies, housing advice, and education settings, such as schools and colleges.
Our graduates have gone on to work for organisations including:
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- Mind
- Southampton City Council
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
- Dorset County Council
- Hampshire County Council
- Southern Advocacy Services
- The Armed Forces
You could earn:
Social worker
Starting salary: £33,000
for newly-qualified social workers, rising to approximately £37,000. Salaries are determined by individual local authorities. In the NHS, you would typically start on AfC Band 6 with a salary scale of £35,392 to £42,618.
The stated salaries are published on prospects.ac.uk.
Graduate stories
Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.
Read more stories“The lecturers showed us how to navigate the reality of social work with patience, resilience and curiosity.”
Solent Careers
The Solent Careers team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
6th
UK uni for sustained employment
Longitudinal Educational Outcomes, 2022
Approvals
Approved by:
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year are:
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
- International full-time fees: £17,750 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2025/26 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, the 2024/25 other costs were:
Compulsory costs
- Year one
Travel costs to the 18-hour volunteering opportunity. - Year two
Travel to and from your placement. - Year three
Travel to and from your placement.
Printing of an academic poster: approx £5-£7
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Solent EU Welcome Scholarship (Fee Discount)
This scholarship is available to students from an EU country, with EU nationality, who are applying for an undergraduate course starting in September 2025. The scholarship will reduce your tuition fees to £10,500.
Find out more about the scholarship
Cost of living support
At Solent, we understand that the cost of living crisis may be of some concern. To help, we've put together some detailed information to show what support is available and how to make your money go further.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Student finance videos
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
104-120 UCAS tariff points
- A minimum of two completed A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at DMM or BTEC Diploma at D*D*, a T-Level Merit, or equivalent qualification, or a combination of qualifications which comply with the minimum entry requirement of 104 UCAS points.
- Grade 4 or above in English (previously grade C)
- If you would like to be considered for Social Sciences Foundation Year entry, please contact Admissions either by telephone: 023 8201 5066, or email for further information.
- Applicants are required to apply for an enhanced disclosure DBS as part of enrolment and confirmation on the course. This must be a new DBS disclosure and if paid for by the University. If you need to apply for a DBS during your study on the course, you will be liable for the renewal cost.
- All applicants will be invited to attend an interview.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
Applicants from outside the UK will be required to attend an interview over Teams or Zoom.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
Applicants from outside the UK will be required to attend an interview over Teams or Zoom.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
Note to all international students requiring a visa
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:How to apply
Full-time
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 31 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Find out what happens after you apply
Contextual offers
Solent endeavours to offer learning opportunities to students from all backgrounds. When we receive and review an application, we take into consideration the context and personal circumstances of applicants when making a decision, which means our advertised entry tariff could be reduced.
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in each individual component
- TOEFL IBT minimum 94 with a minimum of 19 in each individual component
- or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Make your application
- 3 years