BA (Hons) Social Work (Integrated Degree Apprenticeship)

Study for an undergraduate degree in social work while gaining hands-on experience in the workplace. Graduate with highly valuable skills to boost your career prospects and help you improve the lives of some of society’s most vulnerable people.

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A group of Social Work students sitting around a table talking in the Communication Skills Room

Start date/study mode:

Course codeCID1386

Duration3 years

Course summary

The BA (Hons) Social Work (Integrated Degree Apprenticeship) combines academic study with valuable 'on the job' experience, preparing you to make a real difference in people’s lives.

You’ll study while working full-time, supported by your employer, a workplace mentor, and our experienced teaching staff. Government funding through the apprenticeship levy means there’s no cost to you.

Throughout your studies, you’ll link classroom learning to practice, developing the knowledge, skills, and behaviours you’ll need to thrive in your role. Service users, carers, and practitioners are actively involved in teaching, giving you insight into real world perspectives, while guest speakers and lived experience sessions bring the realities of practice into the classroom.

After graduation, you could work in local authorities, NHS Trusts, schools, residential care, the voluntary sector, or private organisations. Alongside professional registration, you’ll build highly transferable skills in communication, teamwork, critical analysis, and problem solving, ensuring you’re well prepared for the diverse challenges of social work and for any future career path you choose.

We also offer a postgraduate social work route – the PgDip Social Work (Integrated Degree Apprenticeship).

Accreditations and approvals

What you'll study

Undergraduate module credits should total 120 credits per academic year. If optional modules are available alongside core modules on your course, you should choose an amount that totals 120 credits.

How you'll learn

You'll complete at least an additional 30 days of skills development both on the job (recorded as part of the 10-12 week progress review) and within the University (for example, in communication skills sessions).

Your progress will be assessed with group projects/presentations, written assignments, portfolios, and exams. Throughout the degree, you'll have one-to-one support from academic staff, as well as regular meetings with your tutor and workplace mentor to review your progress.

Each year of the course starts with a block of university-based teaching, followed by attendance at university one day per fortnight, with one day of independent study in the alternating weeks. The taught sessions are generally workshop style and also include small group work, computer-based learning, and presentations.

You'll also complete two assessed practice placements – a 70-day placement in Year 2 and a 100-day placement in Year 3 – during which you'll have the opportunity to gain specific experience so that you can demonstrate the appropriate knowledge and skills.

Entry requirements

To apply for an apprenticeship, you must be supported by your employer and work in a setting where you have:

Day to day contact with service users and/or carers
A breadth of opportunities across the full range of knowledge, skills, and behaviours in the Social Worker Apprenticeship Standard.

You must also have previous experience (voluntary or paid) in a social care setting. This can include placements which you've undertaken as part of a college course, but we do expect more experience than this. This could include volunteering during weekends, evenings, or holidays. We may also consider any personal experience you might have. You should clearly describe this in the personal statement section of your application and show how this relates to a career in social work.

We also require:

A minimum of 120 UCAS Tariff points or equivalent, or
A minimum of 80 UCAS Tariff points (or equivalent) plus exceptional practice experience, evidenced by a written task of 1,500 words which is assessed as part of the application.

You must also have a minimum grade C/4 in GCSE English language, or equivalent.

You'll need to complete a University-standard application form, which requires details of qualifications, employment history, a personal statement, and two references. One reference must be from your current employer.

In addition, you must complete a Professional Suitability Self-Declaration form giving details of any previous criminal convictions or cautions, disciplinary issues, and any investigations by Local Authority Children’s or Adult Services. The University completes a funding eligibility check at this stage.

If English isn't your first language, you'll need International English Language Testing System (IELTS) at a score of 7.0 in all components.

If you meet the entry criteria, you'll be invited to a selection day, which includes a written test, group exercise, and individual interview.

Fees and finance support

Larger organisations can use their apprenticeship levy and government top-up to pay tuition and professional fees of higher apprenticeships. For smaller employers, the government pays 95%, with the remainder co-invested by the business.

For a discussion around your specific requirements please call 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

Apply now

Start date/study mode:

To apply for a higher or degree apprenticeship, you must have an employer in place to support you on the course. If you're interested in applying and have an employer in place, please email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab) and we'll send you the relevant application link.

To search for apprenticeships offered by employers in your area go to: gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship(opens in new tab).

For a discussion around your specific requirements, or if you're an employer interested in creating a vacancy, please call us on 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

Disclaimer

We want to make sure you have clear and accurate information about our courses. Our website always shows the latest updates. If you’ve applied and been offered a place, we’ll contact you in writing if anything important changes.

View our programme specifications(opens in new tab) for further information about what the course covers, learning outcomes and the skills you'll gain when you graduate.