BA (Hons) Social Work Bachelor's degree at the University of Chester
BA (Hons) Social Work at University of Chester. The University of Chester, founded in 1839, is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, meaning your qualification will be nationally recognised.
About this course
BA (Hons) Social Work is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the University of Chester, based in University Centre Warrington. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Social work graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 95% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £33,000. (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: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (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.
Foundation Year 3 modules
- Exploring Professional PracticeCore40 credits
Module details
This module is designed to enable you to explore your future career and provide an environment where you can begin to focus on the professional values, skills and knowledge needed to succeed in your field. We will explore the history of your chosen profession, the changing nature of the role, and the social and political context surrounding this. You will have the opportunity to consider the professional codes, values and expectations that relate to your career as well as the various roles you c
- Social Issues and ContextsCore40 credits
Module details
The module introduces students to a range of social issues that are of concern across the social sciences, including for sociological, psychological, criminological and legal studies, as well as for people-focussed professional courses. It also encourages students to analyse the wider social and historical contexts for various public policy, legal and criminal justice scenarios, cases and debates. Additionally, the module provides students with support to advance their academic communication and
- Leadership, Coaching and Change ManagementCore40 credits
Module details
This module explores the principles and practices of leadership, coaching, and change management within diverse professional contexts, including education, social work, sports management, policing, and business. Students will build self-awareness, develop coaching and leadership skills, and learn how to manage individual, team, and organizational change effectively. By combining theory with practical application, the module prepares students to navigate real-world challenges in their chosen fiel
Year 1 5 modules
- Readiness for Direct PracticeCore40 credits
Module details
This module aims to enable students to develop an understanding of the professional social work role and its responsibilities, conflict, boundaries, ethics, and the impact on practice and delivery. Enable students to develop a range of skills to function effectively in their communication with service user and colleagues in an organisational setting. Provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their readiness for direct practice as outlined in the PCF Readiness for Practice Capabilities.
- Social Work Law and PolicyCore20 credits
Module details
This module aims to consider the legal structure and framework in England and how it relates to social work. Understand how law and policy can support anti-discriminatory practice and support the rights of service users. Develop an understanding of key pieces of legislation that social workers work within, the powers and duties of the local authority, and how they are applied in the professional role. Develop an understanding of the key policies that social workers apply in their professional ro
- Human Growth and DevelopmentCore20 credits
Module details
This module aims to provide students with a wide ranging overview of human growth and development perspectives across the life course. It will enable students to understand how each individual person's growth, behaviour and development is shaped and influenced by their family, culture, friends and environment. Students will examine and gain a greater understanding of how the range of perspectives can enable them to build and develop their professional understanding and responses in relation to s
- Sociology and Social PolicyCore20 credits
Module details
This module aims to provide students with a basic underpinning knowledge of a range of sociological perspectives as a starting point to understanding how individuals, communities and the 'state' play their part in the functioning of UK society. It will also aim to aid students' understanding of the ways in which sociological theory and research has contributed to political ideology and thinking in relation to social welfare, social policy and social work. It will promote a critical awareness of
- Social Work Values and EthicsCore20 credits
Module details
This module aims to prepare and enable students to understand the nature of social work values (choice, respect, rights, risks, self-determination) and ethics (utilitarianism, Kantian) needed for competent professional practice. It also aims to aid students' understanding of the historical development of social work values and how these have influenced contemporary ethics and value frameworks. The module will also consider the impact of social work values on professional practice, and prepare st
Year 2 5 modules
- Social Work Practice with AdultsCore20 credits
Module details
Social work practice with adults is a complex activity involving a range of competing priorities. Practitioners are required to promote self-determination and autonomy whilst managing risk and protecting service users from harm. The aim of the module is to develop the students' understanding of the different needs of adult service users and to consider the knowledge and interventions that can lead to positive outcomes. The focus of the module is to understand key current issues, complexities, an
- Social Work Practice with Children and FamiliesCore20 credits
Module details
The aim of this module is to enable students to develop knowledge and a critical understanding of social work practice in a children and families setting and within a multi-agency context, and understanding of the social work role from provision of support services to dealing with significant harm. The module aims to enable students to understand the assessment process, to develop the ability to critically analyse information effectively, and to utilise the data to inform intervention, planning
- Social Work Theory and MethodsCore20 credits
Module details
This module aims to enable students to understand the importance of applying social work theories to social work practice, understand how different theories and methods have evolved over time in changing contexts, understand broad paradigms and how they relate to practice, enabling students to understand a variety of methods and apply them to day-to-day practice.
- Social Care Organisations and Inter-Professional WorkingCore20 credits
Module details
This module aims to enable students to gain an understanding and critical awareness of issues impacting on the social work role within a range of organisational and professional contexts, prepare students for inter-professional working and inter-agency collaboration particularly in relation to safeguarding issues, develop students' collaborative skills, knowledge and values that are relevant to good social work practice within an inter-professional and inter-agency context.
- Placement 1Core40 credits
Module details
This module aims to enable the student to demonstrate capacity to work with people and in situations where there may not be simple clear-cut solutions, enable the student with support from supervision to apply the theoretical knowledge, skills and values from previous module learning and teaching to their practice, provide an opportunity for the student to experience the responsibility of meeting service users' and carers' needs and to demonstrate social work values and anti-oppressive practice,
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.
Who it's for
This course suits graduates and mature students seeking entry into social work practice. Most recent entrants held an Access course qualification (40% of accepted students), and the typical UCAS tariff among accepted students ranged from 160–175 points. You'll study full-time in English, so fluency in the language is essential.
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. National Graduate Outcomes data shows starting salaries (at 15 months) typically fall between £27,000 and £30,500, rising to £23,800–£33,600 after three years and £27,200–£38,400 after five years. These figures reflect national patterns for the field, not a guarantee for individual graduates.
University & format
This BA (Hons) Social Work is delivered full-time over 3 years at University Centre Warrington, part of the University of Chester. The course is taught in English and leads to a nationally recognised degree from a UK degree-awarding body. The University of Chester received a Silver award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. The university also offers bursaries and scholarships, see its funding pages for details.
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.
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 |
|---|---|
| an Access course | 40% |
| A-levels or equivalent | 30% |
| another higher-education qualification | 20% |
| a previous degree | 5% |
| Other | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
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 L505). 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
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Chester →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 | £33,000 | £30,000 – £34,000 | 20 |
| 3 years after | £25,000 | £20,500 – £28,500 | 30 |
| 5 years after | £27,500 | £17,000 – £34,000 | 30 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
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: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. 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 · 80% of published destinations · ASHE median £39,047
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: 50; response rate: 60%. 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.
Is 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 £33,000. 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 8.3 out of 10: NSS 64.9% · in work or study 95% · continued 90%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Chester
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 University Centre Warrington
226 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-05 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 University of Chester from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £14,950 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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 University of Chester’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 University of Chester and gov.uk before you apply.
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