Social Work
Social work involves engaging with service users, as well as their families and friends. You will also work closely with organisations like the police, local authority departments, schools and the probation service.
A career in social work will appeal to you if you’re interested in subjects such as sociology, psychology, health and social care, politics and counselling.
We are one of the largest, most well-established and highly regarded providers of social work and social care education and training in the UK. You will be able to draw upon our vast pool of expertise and practice experience whilst benefitting from bespoke training, research, consultancy and evaluation.
Our programmes have been endorsed Social Work England and on successful completion you will be eligible to apply to go on the Social Work Register.
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Saresh Mohammad, Usman Ahmed, Nicola Harris, & Saana Mohammed - MA Social Work
My experience has been amazing, allowing me to do many new things and meet people and memories I will cherish forever.
United Kingdom
The tutors are really supportive – they tell you what your development areas are, helping you progress to your full calibre.
The opportunity to guest speak was a highlight for me. This developed my practice and confidence towards obtaining my role as Social Worker within the multi-agency safeguarding hub.
Why choose us?
- Our Social Work provision is ranked 1st in the UK for graduate prospects (on track) and 2nd in the North West for research quality, (Complete University Guide 2024).
- As a student on our BA (Hons) Social Work degree you will benefit from 170 days of practice placements and 30 skills delivery days.
- Recently, BA (Hons) Social Work students have travelled to Amsterdam, Cyprus, Toronto and Krakow, visiting other social work institutions.
Start university this September
Clearing officially opens on July 5 2024, but you can sign up for priority Clearing early and we'll help you find a place on a course that's right for you.
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What can I do with a degree in social work?
After graduating, you can register as a social worker with Social Work England. Find out more about how to become a social worker.
Recent graduates have been employed in social work teams across a variety of settings. They have worked with parenting and family support teams, youth justice, community drug and mental health teams. Some graduates return to us to undertake post-qualifying courses. Experienced practitioners also continue their academic study with us.
Studying social work could lead to a future career as a:
- Family support worker
- Social worker
- Advice worker
- Chaplain
- Education mental health practitioner
- Counsellor
- Equality, diversity and inclusion office
- Special educational needs coordinator (SENCO)
- Housing manager/officer
- Detective
- Mediator
- Volunteer coordinator
- Youth worker
- Community development worker
- High-intensity therapist
- Education consultant
- Life coach
- Adult guidance worker
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Meet the team
Zoe teaches across child-related undergraduate and postgraduate courses within the School of Social Work Care and Community. Her teaching focuses on theories of childhood and inclusion, reflecting her research interests. Zoe's research to date has focused the transitional experi…
Fiona is a Lecturer in in Children, Schools and Families and joined the School in January 2020. She previously worked for 7 years as an Associate for us within the Further Education sector. Fiona has experience in working within the Children, Schools and Families sector, having w…
Joanne is a qualified social worker and her practice focussed on work with communities, families and with children. In 2007 Joanne became a Senior Lecturer and delivered social work education on qualifying and post qualifying programmes. Joanne also undertook doctoral studies on …
With a particular expertise in Social Policy, Housing and Homelessness, Mary teaches across a range of subjects within the School.
Lowis is the Course Leader for the MA in Social Pedagogy Leadership within the School od Social Work Care and Community. She teaches on a range of course within the department. Her previous employment background has mainly been located within working with children and young peopl…
Jonathan teaches across a range of subjects and courses within our School, with specialist expertise in the history, politics and theory of social welfare development, comparative social welfare, and the impact of ideology on the organisation and delivery of welfare services. He…
Jez has a background in law and social work. Jez is Deputy Head for Business Development and Partnerships. He qualified as a social worker in 1991. He has practised in the fields of substance misuse, mental health, homelessness and learning disability. Since coming to the Univers…
Jill is Course Leader for UCLan’s Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) programme and post-qualifying AMHP CPD. Both are delivered nationally as standard or bespoke (accelerated or on-site) delivery. Jill’s doctoral research and training is around the independent role of t…
Katie is the Senior Lecturer in Social Care and Social Policy. She is module lead for core modules within this course and teaches across a range of subjects related to social work and social care. Katie is a Teaching Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and also a member of the…
Ridwanah - known as Riz - is Academic Lead for subjects in Community Leadership and Children, Schools and Families. Riz also leads the International activities within the school and has developed her specialism of peer mentoring, globally, with UCLan Students and young people fr…
Stuart teaches on the Social Work, Social Policy and Sociology, and Community and Social Care programmes from Year 1 to Masters level. His specific areas of interest are education policy, undergraduate employment, welfare history, social theory, and the sociology of childhood. …
Matt is a qualified and registered social worker who has been an academic in social work since 2007. Matt has extensive experience of working in local authority mental health services and academia. He has a passion for teaching, writing, and researching on the subjects of mental …
I teach across a range of subjects related to Social Work and working with children and families generally. With particular expertise in social work methods and approaches, child care law, practice education and direct work with children and families. I have an interest in the a…
Jenny is course leader for the BA (Hons) in Youth Work and Community Practice and teaches students on the community leadership programme and the community and social care foundation entry routes. Jenny is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a member of The Professional Asso…
John teaches on the Social Work, Social Policy and post graduate research student programmes. His research expertise is in race, ethnicity, youth justice, children and young people in the care system, adoption and fostering. He is a research degree tutor and the Youth Justice…
Nicky Stanley is Professor of Social Work. She researches in the areas of domestic violence and abuse, child welfare and child protection, young people’s and mothers’ mental health and interagency work. She is Co-Director of the Connect Centre for International Research on Inter…
Wajid Khan currently works as a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for the MA in Community Leadership programme. Wajid co-authored both the undergraduate and post graduate degree programmes in Community Leadership. Wajid is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Sarah is a Senior Lecturer, lecturing predominantly on the BA (Hons) Children, Schools and Families for which she is Course Leader. Her expertise is in early childhood and education, with a particular research interest in vulnerable children and families associated with SEND and…
Mike joined UCLan in October 2006 and within his remit provides regular contributions to teaching across several programmes within the School. Mike’s particular teaching areas include substance misuse, youth justice, social policy and sociology. Mike is currently the academic cou…
Kay teaches a wide range of subjects at the University of Central Lancashire, within the School of Social Work with a particular interest and expertise within Asset Based Community Development and integration in diverse communities. She has achieved her Masters in Community lead…
Ismail lectures on community development, community practice and service design. Research interests include race, the British Muslim experience, community governance and community development.
Patrick’s research embraces child welfare, children’s rights and theories of childhood, with a particular focus on children and young people’s participation. He has researched with children in care, young carers, school pupils and members of youth councils, using a range of innov…
Saima teaches across the BA (Hon) Children Schools and Families (CSF), her teaching expertise is in the domains of developmental psychology, trauma and approaches to understanding trauma and researching with children and families. Saima also supervises undergraduate and postgrad…
Susan teaches across a range of subjects on the professional social work programmes. Her particular areas of interest and expertise are working with adolescents; interpersonal skills and relationship based practice.