BA (Hons) Social Work with Foundation Year Bachelor's degree at Keele University
BA (Hons) Social Work with Foundation Year at Keele University has been developed to prepare you for professional social work practice. Keele holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is.
About this course
Begin your journey to support diverse groups on the Social Work BA at Keele University and prepare for a rewarding, varied careers. Learn more. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Social Work with Foundation Year is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Keele University. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Social work graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 80% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £34,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Nursing & Health, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 85% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
- Introduction to Professional Learning and Development
Module details
Semester one of this module will support your transition into professional learning at university. Whilst exploring concepts that are core to social work practice, such as 'identity' and 'othering', you will also develop confidence in academic writing and referencing expectations. In the second semester, the module introduces you to core skills required within social work, from initial communication and engagement skills through assessments, interventions and endings. You will work with members
- Social Justice, Ethics and Values
Module details
Within this module, you will examine issues of inequalities within contemporary society and how these are relevant for understanding social work values and ethics. You will explore different philosophical traditions within ethics, as they apply to social work. In the second semester, you will build upon this by considering different forms of social action and change and its relevance within social work and will design a small scale project with the support of staff, aligned to an issue that matt
- Life Course Development
Module details
Within this module, you will consider a range of different approaches to understanding human development. This will include psychological and sociological approaches alongside more biological approaches and the inter-connections between these. In addition, you will consider how socio-economic contexts and adverse experiences can impact upon individual and community experiences of the life course.
- Introduction to Law, Policy and Safeguarding
Module details
This module introduces you to some of the key principles and concepts that underpin the legal framework and systems within which social work is practised. You will consider the nature of the English legal system and the various roles social workers may have within this. You will also learn about specific areas of law for different social work specialisms, including child protection, children in need of support, adult safeguarding, mental health and mental capacity work.
- Social work Practice Placement One: Practice, Theory and Methods
Module details
Within this module, you will complete a 70-day placement in a social work organisation. With supervision and support, you will work directly with service users providing a range of interventions and learning about the placement organisation and broader context of social work services. Before and during placement, you will have academic learning about different theories and methods used in social work practice.
- Children and Families Social Work
Module details
This module builds upon your first year modules to explore in more depth the nature of social work with children and families. You will learn about some of the approaches, policy frameworks and practice dilemmas associated with this area of practice, and will develop your skills in relation to these through engagement with carefully planned immersive learning sessions, as well as more theoretical taught sessions.
- Social Work with Adults
Module details
In this module, you will learn about the key policy and practice issues and priorities in relation to social work in a range of adult services contexts. Learning from academic staff, service users and carers and also from practitioners, you will develop your understanding and confidence in relation to this area of specialism within social work.
- Understanding Contemporary Society: Key Concepts
Module details
This module runs after your first placement and will support you to understand some of the key issues that are relevant for a broad understanding of contemporary society and therefore the contexts of social work practice. You may be exploring knife or gang crime and exploitation, or other current issues, but always with the aim being to understand the significance of these for informed and effective social work practice.
- Research Mindedness
Module details
Introducing you to research methods and approaches, and the importance of being 'research minded' within professional practice. You will consider the main forms of research and their strengths and weaknesses as well as the philosophical underpinnings of these. You will then examine one approach in more depth in relation to a chosen area of focus for your assignment. This module prepares you for your final year research project as well as for a career-long focus upon research informed social work
- Authority, Leadership and Partnership in Social Work
Module details
Running at the start of the final year of your degree, this module will introduce you to theories and models of leadership and to the notion of professional authority.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This four-year degree includes a foundation year to prepare you for university study, then progresses through the core social work curriculum. You'll usually begin with foundations in social work practice, communication and person-centred values, alongside study of human development and social policy. Placements run throughout, allowing you to apply learning in real settings. As you progress, you'll typically move into specialist areas such as adult services, mental health, children and families, and community work. Later years deepen your knowledge of assessment, intervention and leadership, with an emphasis on research-informed practice and your final consolidation towards professional registration. The course integrates academic study with sustained practice experience to prepare you for direct work with individuals and communities.
Who it's for
This course suits students seeking to qualify in social work and make a direct contribution to people's wellbeing and social care. You'll need to meet entry requirements; most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent, with a typical UCAS tariff of 64–79 points. The foundation year provides additional support if your prior qualifications don't quite meet standard entry criteria. The course is taught in English and delivered full-time over four years.
Careers & job market
Across Nursing & Health courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 87% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. Graduate earnings data (national figures) show starting salaries of £27,000–£30,500 at 15 months; after three years, £23,800–£33,600; and after five years, £27,200–£38,400. These are national labour-market figures, not university-specific guarantees. Keele's student retention stands at 85%.
University & format
This BA (Hons) is studied full-time over four years at Keele University, a university founded in 1949, located at Keele. The course is taught in English. Keele is a recognised UK degree-awarding body; your degree is nationally recognised. The university holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. The course code is L500. Most recent entrants held A-levels or equivalent; the typical UCAS tariff range among accepted students was 64–79 points.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Contextual Offer Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 80% |
| Other | 10% |
| another higher-education qualification | 5% |
| an Access course | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code L500). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at Keele University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
National funding for this subject
- NHS Learning Support Fund: Eligible nursing, midwifery and allied-health students can receive a non-repayable training grant. Official guidance
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Nursing & Health graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £34,500 | £33,000 – £35,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £30,500 | £25,000 – £33,500 | 20 |
| 5 years after | £35,500 | £31,000 – £42,500 | 25 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Newly Qualified PractitionerPreceptorship / first post · 0–2 yrs
- 2Registered PractitionerAutonomous practice · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / SpecialistSpecialist or team lead · 5–10 yrs
- 4Advanced / Consultant PractitionerAdvanced practice or management · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Nursing & Health nationally
National figures for Nursing & Health graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Nursing & Health courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,506 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Welfare ProfessionalsSOC 2020 246 · 65% of published destinations · ASHE median £39,047
- Welfare and housing associate professionalsSOC 2020 322 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,937
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 20; response rate: 75%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Nursing & Health graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine documentation and triage support
- Scheduling and records admin
- First-pass risk flags from data
- Standard reference look-ups
More human than ever
- Hands-on, compassionate care
- Clinical judgement and accountability
- Communicating with patients and families
- Ethics and safeguarding decisions
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Nursing & Health graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- NHS trusts
- Private healthcare
- Care providers
- Community & mental-health services
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Nursing & Health graduates.
Nursing Home ManagerJarrodean Healthcare RecruitmentSenior Charge Nurse Uist Community Nursing teamNHS National Services ScotlandCare Assistant - Nursing Home | Flexible Hours, Weekly PayMpa RecruitmentCare Assistant (Nursing) - Nightshift - RatheaneMacklin Care Homes LimitedSenior Support Worker: Meaningful Care & Flexible ShiftsPotens GroupDental NurseBupa Dental CareIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £34,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.2 out of 10: NSS 94.6% · in work or study 95% · continued 85%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Keele University
Subjects allied to medicine across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Keele University
88 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Nursing & Health right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Keele University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Keele University; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Keele University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Keele University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Keele University
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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