Description
This qualification is only available until 31 December 2017.
To claim this qualification, you must complete the required 360 credits by this date.
If you have any questions about your eligibility for this qualification, please contact the Centre for Qualifications and Ceremonies on +44 (0)1908 653003 or by email.
If you’re already a graduate with a degree in any subject from a UK university, you can enter our BA (Hons) Social Work (Scotland) directly at Stage 2, provided that you meet the entry requirements.
Social workers support and protect some of society’s most deprived and vulnerable people. It’s immensely challenging and rewarding work, requiring a high level of motivation and commitment. You also need a qualifying degree.
The Open University’s BA (Hons) Social Work (Scotland) is approved by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and successful completion of the programme provides eligibility to apply for registration as a qualified social worker. To take this degree course, you need to be working in a social care agency in Scotland whether or not you are sponsored by your employer. You’ll continue with your employment while you study, earning while you learn.
Studying through work-based and distance learning, you’ll develop the knowledge and practical skills that underpin effective practice, and the ability to deal with difficult and sensitive issues while working within a complex professional system. Towards the end of your studies, specialist options will enable you to focus on particular client groups and practice areas.
Planning your studies
Although some modules in the programme are available to all students, the full programme is at present restricted to students working in Scotland who are being supported in their practice by their employing agency. Entry has to be made through the employing agency; you cannot apply direct to the OU. Employing agencies and individuals who are interested in taking part in the programme are invited to contact one of the Faculty Co-ordinators at The Open University in Scotland on 0131 226 3851 or by email.
In order to be accepted onto the degree programme you must:
- have a qualification at the level of Standard Grade Two in English and Maths. As you are a graduate you will be deemed to have met the English requirement by virtue of holding a degree
- show that you can communicate clearly in spoken and written English
- demonstrate that you have the appropriate personal and intellectual qualities to be a social worker
- take part in an interview.
You must also register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) as a student social worker. Registration with the SSSC includes a Protection of Vulnerable Adults, Disclosure Scotland check.
Students normally complete each of the stages in order. However, if you have completed open modules already you may be allowed to count them in up to the end of Stage Three. Counting-in is not permitted at Stage Four. You must complete and pass the practice learning modules in order and the practice learning module must be completed last in each stage.
There is a time limit for studying this degree. You must obtain the required 360 credits within ten years of registration for this qualification and by 31 December 2017. Any credit you have gained from previous OU study or transferred credit prior to registration for the social work degree is not included in this time limit.
Please also note that registration with Scottish Social Service Council as a student social worker is for seven years from the point of registration. Extensions to this are only made in exceptional circumstances.
You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 120 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you (with the exception of an undergraduate-level qualification of less than 120 credits). Before being awarded any intermediate qualifications on the way to your OU honours degree, we advise you to check that you’ll have sufficient new credits to qualify for your degree.
See our faculty website for further information about this degree.
Career relevance and employability
An honours degree in social work is now the professional qualification required for all social workers in the UK. Once you’ve successfully completed the degree course, you’ll be entitled to apply for registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) as a social worker.
The degree will prepare you for practice as you begin your career as a qualified social worker. You’ll have gained the skills needed to work with individuals, families, carers, groups, communities and other professionals, and be able to demonstrate to employers your professional competence in social work practice. Employers sponsoring staff on this degree have commented that:
- OU graduates are enthusiastic social workers who are well equipped to provide high quality interventions with service users
- a very high percentage of their OU qualified staff remain within their organisation and progress to more senior roles.
Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.
Modules
For this 360-credit honours degree you require:
90 credits from the following compulsory modules at Stage 2:
Stage 2 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Foundations for social work practice (K113)
|
60 |
|
- or
-
|
- Foundations for social work practice (KYJ113)
|
60 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, you may be allowed to count the discontinued modules K204, K224 or K229 – please contact the Social Work team in Scotland
And 30 credits from the following optional modules at Stage 2:
Stage 2 optional modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Adult health, social care and wellbeing (K217)
|
60 |
|
- Death and dying (K260)
|
30 |
|
- Dementia care (K235)
|
30 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, you may be allowed to count the discontinued modules K202, K222, K225, K257 and K268, K272 in place of the above options.
And 120 credits from the following compulsory modules at Stage 3:
Stage 3 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Applied social work practice (K216)
|
60 |
|
- The law and social work in Scotland (K207)
|
60 |
|
And 60 credits from the following optional modules at Stage 4:
Stage 4 optional modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Adulthood, ageing and the life course (K319)
|
60 |
|
- Leadership and management in health and social care (K313)
|
60 |
|
- Working together for children (KE312)
|
60 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, you may be allowed to count the discontinued modules K302, K303, K309, KE308 in place of the above options
And 60 credits from the following compulsory module at Stage 4:
Stage 4 compulsory module |
Credits |
Next start |
- Critical social work practice (K315)
|
60 |
|
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
Graduates do not have to apply for credit for entry to Stage Two. You should simply append a copy of your degree certificate to your application, signed on the back by your sponsor to confirm that they have seen the original. If you have a relevant degree, in which the content closely matches the content of Stage Two, you may be able to obtain up to a further 60 credits, for which you should make a claim to the Credit Transfer Centre. Please note that no credit can be given for Foundations for Social Work practice (K113), and no credit is given beyond Stage Two. For further information please visit the Credit transfer site.
Present holders of the Diploma in Social Work (DipSW) can top up their credits to achieve the academic qualification BA (Hons) Social Work Studies (B59) by studying a further 120 credits at Level 3 (SCQF Level 10). For a full description of the top-up route and details of how to apply for it, please look at the description of the BA (Hons) Social Work Studies (B59).
Classification of your degree
On successful completion of the necessary modules, you will be awarded a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Social Work (Scotland) degree. You will be entitled to use the letters BA (Hons) after your name, and to apply to the Scottish Social Services Council for formal registration as a social worker.
Your honours degree will be classified either as first-class, upper second-class, lower second-class or third-class. The class of degree is determined by the grades you achieve in 240 credits from graded OU modules above SCQF Level 7, of which at least 120 credits must be from modules at SCQF Level 10.
You will have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
How to register
If you want to study for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of
our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the
module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.
During the registration procedure you will be asked to declare which qualification you are studying towards.
See a full list of modules available for this qualification