BA (Hons) in Social Work Wales

The Open University offers an open and work-based learning route to the BA Honours degree in Social Work, and registration with Social Care Wales (SCW) on successful completion. The Programme is approved by SCW.

Stage 1 of the degree is available if you are working in a supervised social care setting and are supported by your employer (including students employed on traineeship contracts), or if you have current paid/voluntary experience in a supervised social care setting, but do not have a sponsor. If you do not have a sponsor your experience needs to be ongoing and should be in place prior to starting Stage 1.

You can progress to Stage 2 of the Degree and join the Social Work Programme if you have been selected by your employer or by The Open University and have successfully completed Stage 1.

For further information view the OU Social Work web pages. 

If you are an employer in Wales interested in sponsoring Social Work students at The Open University, please email us on the link below.

Further information

If you need further advice or information, please contact:

The Social Work Programme
The Open University in Wales
18 Custom House Street
Cardiff
CF10 1AP

Phone: 029 2047 1170
Email: Wales-social-work@open.ac.uk

Powys is the most rural county in Wales and does not have a university; with the exception of The Open University. The OU makes a lot of sense for us because the alternative is staff travelling long distances to attend traditional courses. This is not good for the staff or for the environment. Studying with the OU is more effective and also means that social work training can be accessed by people to whom it might otherwise be denied - for example staff who have caring responsibilities at home. The flexibility that the OU gives has advantages for students, who can study the degree in social work over a shorter or a longer period as it suits them as individuals. It also works well for us as the employer - we can send more staff to the OU without destabilising operational teams by having all the students away at college on the same days of the week. Our students repeatedly comment on the very high quality of the OU learning materials. We also like the focus that the OU gives to practice in Wales in every aspect of the programme.

Evan Kinsey
Powys County Council