Social Work, BA (Hons)

Course summary

This course encompasses contemporary issues in social work practice, and gives you the knowledge, skills and attributes required to be an effective social worker and make a positive difference to children, young people, adults, and their carers. This course is designed to develop your professional knowledge and skills so that you may achieve a recognised social work qualification enabling you to apply for registration with Social Work England.Upon successful completion of this course, you will:

• Have developed the knowledge, cognitive skills, ethical understanding and interpersonal skills necessary for qualified social work practice.

• Be able to recognise and work with people from a diverse range of backgrounds in ways that balances the need to be sensitive to difference, cultural and otherwise, whilst remaining committed to upholding universal social work values.

• Have developed the self-efficacy, autonomy, self-awareness, reflective ability, emotional intelligence and the organisational skills to work as an effective and empathic social worker.

Why you should study this courseThere aren’t many careers that make you feel like you are giving back to society in the way that social work can. Social work is much more than ‘helping people’. At its best, it helps save lives, protect vulnerable people from harm and enhances the life chances of those in social need. Approved by Social Work England, on successful completion of this course you will be eligible to apply to Social Work England to register as a social worker (additional costs apply).

• The course facilitates transformative learning through practice-led and research-inspired teaching. You will be taught by a dedicated team of experienced social work academics which currently includes academics with substantial practice and research experience across a range of social work practice settings, including children and families and adult practice (staff subject to change). The course is designed around the applicability of learning to practice through the use of real-life case studies, serious case review findings, and the involvement of social work practitioners and experts by experience, to enhance the student learning experience.

• The teaching curriculum reflects the changing demographics of society and emerging social issues. The decolonisation of the curriculum is integrated so that graduates have the required skills and capabilities to practice with diverse groups of people presenting with the complexities of modern-day social problems. Social work by nature is embedded in making a contribution to the betterment of communities and promoting social justice, responsibility, sustainability and social responsibility. Many of the modules throughout the course are aimed at equipping you with the awareness of the nature, causation and impact on people of current social problems and how you may constructively and creatively respond to these.

• You will be provided with a comprehensive induction programme to support the transition into a new learning environment. The course also emphasises the development of your emotional literacy and intelligence capacity in order to promote resilience and psychological wellbeing to practice effectively as a social worker.

• You will put theory into practice as you undertake a 70-day placement in year two and a 100-day placement in year three. Practice placements are sourced by the university and are in a range of social work and care settings. On placement you will learn from complex situations and be supported by experienced social work practitioners.

• The course has embedded the employability of graduates. We will support you in your final year as you transition to employment through a range of initiatives with local employers.

*For further information please check the course page on the Coventry University website.

Modules

Year OneIn the first year, the curriculum allows you to gain a broad grounding in the discipline where you will develop knowledge and skills to do with human growth and development, communication, legal and policy frameworks as well as theories, methods and models for social work practice, among others.ModulesIntroduction to Social Work - 20 creditsCommunication in Social Work - 20 creditsLegal and Policy Frameworks for Practice - 20 creditsHuman Growth and Development: Psychological Perspectives - 20 creditsTheories and Methods in Social Work Practice - 20 creditsReadiness for Practice - 20 creditsYear TwoIn year two, the 70-day placement*, forms an important part of the course as you move on to apply your knowledge and skills in real-life situations. Academic modules presenting knowledge and understanding support practice-based learning. There are modules in sociological theory, and its application to social work practice, and modules very much rooted in the practice environment, in which the current key themes in social work practice with children and families, and adults are examined.ModulesCritical Reflective Practice 1 - 40 creditsSocial Work Practice 1 - 20 creditsContemporary Society: Sociological Perspectives - 20 creditsSocial Work Practice with Children, Young People and Families - 20 creditsSocial Work Practice with Adults - 20 creditsFinal YearIn year three, you will complete your final 100-day practice placement*, which is complimented by modules in which the organisational context of social work, research findings and the evidence-base for social work practice are critically examined. A key aspect of the final year is to prepare you for employment as a Newly Qualified Social Worker.ModulesCritical Reflective Practice 2 - 60 creditsSocial Work Practice 2 - 20 creditsOrganisational Context of Social Work - 20 creditsResearch-mindedness in Social Work - 20 creditsWe regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated. For full module details please check the course page on the Coventry University website. *For further information please check the course page on the Coventry University website

Assessment method

The course adopts a variety of assessment methods, both formative and summative, which will vary depending on the module.Assessment methods include:

• Coursework assignments

• Case study analysis

• Reflective writing

• Test

• Presentations

• Practical interviewing

• Portfolios

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Professional bodies

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Social Work England

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