BA (Hons) Social Work Bachelor's degree at the University of Leeds

You'll understand the role of the social worker, while learning how to gather and analyse information and solve problems. You'll gain the confidence to work in a team properly, better grasp the link between academic learning and social practice and learn how professional values and ethics work are applied in the real world. You'll also make plans for your personal development in the future.

You'll gain a broader understanding of social work's context. You'll learn about the development of the British Welfare State, the social policy system in England and Wales and how each of these connect to social work. You'll also learn about social work's broader social and political role, models of anti-discriminatory practice and why certain groups of people experience disadvantage and social exclusion.

This module connects social work practice with ideas around human growth, behaviour and development. It explores how different communities are impacted by structural and environmental issues, as well as how drugs and alcohol affect the lives of children and adults. It'll equip you to discuss things like culture, race, gender and class in relation to our development, and understand how current laws connect to alcohol and drug use.

We draw a connection between social work practices and the English and Welsh legal systems, helping you understand the legal framework surrounding social work practice. You'll learn about the impact of Human Rights Legislation on our lives, as well as issues of authority and accountability within social work itself. You'll understand how discrimination can be challenged with legislation, and the codes of practice and regulations social workers must follow.

You'll embark on a practice placement lasting 70 days, learning how best to actively contribute to a social care agency. You'll apply the theories you've learned to address conflict resolution, motivational interviewing and other areas. You'll also reflect upon your activities, developing the ability to analyse and reflect on various practice issues.

You'll develop your research skills – a key component of modern social work. You'll explore how social work and research are connected, the ethics of research in social work, how to carry out quantitative and qualitative research, and the strengths and weaknesses of each of these approaches. You'll learn how to appraise research publications, boosting your skills in statistical and textual analysis.

You'll take a closer look at Adult Social Care, getting to grips with the system and its structure. You'll develop your understanding of ill health, how to manage long-term conditions and broader health inequalities. The module will also demonstrate how social work assesses and empowers those who access social care services.

This module will help you to work confidently and safely with children and families. It explores how the way we work with these groups has evolved, as well as the changing nature of childhood and family life. You'll learn how to best appreciate the perspectives of children, understand how social workers carry out assessments and evaluate how challenging situations have an impact on you as an individual.

Social workers have many different decisions to make on a daily basis, and this module helps you understand the skills needed to make them. You'll evaluate how and where we make decisions, various models of decision making, and what each one has to offer. You'll even understand how your judgement can be affected, and how to prevent mistakes from being made during your work.

A 100-day practice placement will give you more practical experience of social care, helping you demonstrate your professional competence. You'll develop professional assessment skills, learn how to better reflect on practice issues, and improve your contributions to the work of a social work agency. You'll also further consider how you'll develop professionally going forward.

This module will teach you how to find and communicate evidence, before putting it to practical use in social work. You'll work more independently than usual, developing a research question, locating research evidence, critically analysing it and understanding the complexity of the task. You'll also highlight possible areas of research in the future.

You'll learn about the guidance that inform today's safeguarding procedures. You'll understand the ethical dilemmas that arise when you work with adults, children and families, the issues of working with children in care, and how to use evidence-based perspectives throughout your work. You'll also consider the impact of complex organisations and situations on your wellbeing, and understand the importance of supervision and support.

This module examines how assistive technology can help improve our quality of life, with a particular focus on choice, independence and wellbeing. It also looks at the practical, ethical and legal issues surrounding its use. You'll gain a deeper understanding of what technology is available, the issues that might arise, and how to keep up to date with the use of assistive technology in this context.