Social Work interviews
Find out everything you need to know about your Social Work interview.
If you have applied for the undergraduate or postgraduate route, you're in the right place.
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Find out everything you need to know about your Social Work interview.
If you have applied for the undergraduate or postgraduate route, you're in the right place.
Congratulations on being shortlisted for an interview, we are really looking forward to meeting you.
Our Social Work interviews give you the chance to come in and meet the team you’ll be taught by, as well as others who’ve also applied for the same course.
This is your opportunity to get familiar with the surroundings on campus, to understand how your course is structured, and to show us your passion for the subject. There are often current students present too, so you can ask them any questions you may have on the day.
As social work is a regulated profession and successful completion of the course gives you basis to apply for registration with the English regulator, Social Work England, it would be a good idea to familiarise yourself with Social Work England's website.
We would advise applicants to research some current key issues or recent discussions surrounding the social work sector in advance of your interview.
You'll be required to complete an assessed group discussion with other applicants as well as an individual interview. During the interview, it’s important that you show some understanding of social work and can demonstrate your motivation and commitment to becoming a social worker.
You’ll meet a member of the interview team and a Student Ambassador in the Wearside View foyer. From here, we'll escort you to your interview where you'll meet a member of the social work team and have a course overview.
You'll then take part in a group task with the other candidates, where you'll be asked to discuss a specific topic in relation to social work practice, and you'll be assessed on your individual participation. The group task will last approximately 45 minutes. Following this, you'll be allocated an individual interview slot.
During the individual interview, you'll be asked a range of straightforward and open questions giving you an opportunity, based on your experience, to demonstrate your attributes and values. This is your opportunity to tell us more about yourself and why you would be a great candidate for the course.
Please be aware that your individual interview slot may be a significant amount of time after the group task (this will depend on the group size of applicants), but it will take place the same day. During this time, you'll have the opportunity to chat with staff and Student Ambassadors. You'll also be given the option to take a campus tour.
Please note that any individual requests for specific interview timeslots should be made prior to the day of interview. We'll try to accommodate such requests, but cannot guarantee this.
Both your group discussion and individual interview will be scored by staff and co-educators and offers will be made based on these scores.
Please have a form of photographic identification for your interview (e.g. passport, student card or driving licence). Please note marriage certificates do not count as identification.
Please dress smartly to your interview, but ensure that you are comfortable.
Registration is in the foyer area of Wearside View, which is part of our Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's. If you are driving, we recommend you park in the car park just off Charles Street, SR6 0AN. In your confirmation email, you'll receive a free parking permit. Please note a parking space is not guaranteed.
If you are travelling by Metro, the nearest stations are St Peter's or Stadium of Light for the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's. If you have travelled by train and arrived at Sunderland station, you can take the Metro, or it is approximately a 10-15 minute walk.
Did you know that we offer a travel bursary to support you with travel expenses? If you are based in the UK and live more than 20 miles away from the University, you could claim back up to £100 depending on your location. For further details including eligibility read our Terms and Conditions or contact us on travel.bursary@sunderland.ac.uk.
View our AccessAble accessibility guides for support with planning your journey.
If you have any questions about your Social Work interview, please contact us at applicant.interviews@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3374.