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PGDip Step Up to Social Work

  • Study Mode: Full Time
  • Location: High Wycombe
  • Duration: 14 Months
  • Start Date: January 2024

Step Up to Social Work is a 14 month post graduate intensive full-time qualifying programme. The course will start in January 2024 and is funded by the Department for Education.

Once you’ve successfully completed the course, you’ll be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work enabling you to register and practice as a social worker.

Why study this subject?

Social work is both a challenging and rewarding career through which you can make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable children and families. You will need to build relationships with families facing difficult times, show a lot of patience and be a good listener. You will also need good observational skills, analytical thinking and sound judgement to make the right decisions and protect children. Social work regularly tests resilience, stamina, and resolve - all of which you will need to succeed, and social work can be life changing for those you support. 

The Step Up to Social Work programme is a unique opportunity to receive support while you begin to start a new career in social work. On the 14-month training programme, you will receive hands-on experience of working in a real-life social work role through placements in a local authority while undertaking your qualification. Once you’ve successfully completed the course, you’ll be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work enabling you to apply to register and practice as a social worker.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

This is an employer-led course delivered by the Berkshire Regional Social Work Partnership on behalf of the Department for Education together with BNU. The programme only runs once every two years, dependent on government funding, so make sure you don’t miss out on your chance to apply.

It’s fully funded: you can receive a tax-free bursary of £19,833. This will allow you to change or start a new career in social work and be able to continue to pay your bills and cover your living costs while you are studying. It’s also a fast-track course, meaning after 14 months you can qualify as a social worker, register with Social Work England and be able to seek employment.

It’s employer-led: you are hosted by one of the Local Authorities in the partnership, undertaking 170 days on placement and gaining real social work experience, knowledge and skills in combination with academic study.

The campus is close to home: within 35 minutes from London and located within High Wycombe, we are easy to get to and fit around your schedule. We also aim to support you in achieving employment in the local area.

What facilities can I use?

Our library is packed with all the information you need for your assignments – you’ll have access to hundreds of specialist books, articles, industry publications and specialist online resources. All resources you require for completion of this course will be provided on our High Wycombe campus such as access to our 24/7 library, which is open all day and night and has computers with all the relevant software.

We also provide laptops on loan, and you can access our AppsAnywhere service, which allows you to use software from a personal computer at home or loaned from the University.

What will I study?

Step Up to Social Work is an intensive full-time, fully funded, Postgraduate Social Work training programme with the objective of helping you to become a qualified social worker in just 14 months.

We are looking for people who are committed to making a difference for disadvantaged children and families. You need to have a willingness to learn, be emotionally resilient and be able to undertake this challenging yet hugely rewarding academic degree programme.

This course aids you in changing or starting a new career in social work and provides support so you can continue to pay your bills and fund your living costs while you are studying. The programme runs once every two years, dependent on government funding, so if you are interested, make sure you don’t miss out on your chance to apply.

We will have a total of 24 places across our region partnership which includes, Slough children first, Reading Brighter children for future, Bracknell Forest council and West Bucks Council. The closing date for applications is the 24 March 2023.

Successful applicants will start the Step Up to Social Work programme in January 2024 and finish in March 2025. This is a unique opportunity to earn while you learn, as the Department for Education provides funding via a tax-free bursary payment of £19,833, over the duration of the programme, and payment of your fees for successful applicants.

Further information

For more information please visit:

Apply for Step Up to Social Work – GOV.UK (gov.uk)

Application is through the Department of Education website (and not the Buckinghamshire New University website). The application window is now closed. We’ll update this page with details about the next programme, when it’s available. Use Explore Careers for information on how to become a social worker.

Related documents

PGDip Social Work Programme Specification

What are the course entry requirements?

You will need to have a copy of your degree qualification certificate and your GCSE in Maths and English grades A-C or equivalent at the time of applying. These documents will be needed by us should you be offered a place.

To apply to the programme, you’ll need to apply on the Berkshire Regional partnership site. You will need to have a minimum of:

  • 2:2 undergraduate degree qualification in any subject (level 6)
  • 6 months’ full-time (or equivalent) direct experience, either in a paid or voluntary capacity, of working with vulnerable children, young people and/or families, carers or vulnerable adults
  • GCSEs in English or English language and mathematics at grade 4 (C) or above (or an approved equivalent)
  • Attendance of an assessment day or interview may be required
  • ID proof such as a driving licence may also be required

For more information please visit the government website.

Modules

This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.

What are the tuition fees

Students will receive a bursary from DFE of £19,833 for the duration of the course. This may be subject to change.

Contact our partner at Bracknell Forest Council: annie.duffin@bracknell-forest.gov.uk Most courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. You could benefit from financial support through a bursary or scholarship during your time as a student. For more details visit our financial support, bursaries and scholarships section.

Questions about fees?

If you have any questions about the fees above, contact our Enquiries team by calling 0330 123 2023 or emailing advice@bnu.ac.uk.

What are my career prospects? 

This training programme allows you to become a qualified social worker in just 14 months. Once you’ve successfully completed the course, you’ll be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work enabling you to register and practice as a social worker.

This course will also allow you to apply to register with Social Work England as a qualified social worker. Once you have achieved the qualified status, you could look at jobs with a starting salary of around 33k per annum, although BNU does not guarantee you a job after graduation, or a salary, this course could help you increase your chances of securing employment locally and nationally.

Throughout your time with us we’ll support you on the route to your chosen career. We’ll help you to develop crucial skills, encouraging you to become enterprising, employable and good leaders. We also help you find employment in the local area after graduation with our career success service.

 

Course leader

Headshot of a smiling Daisy D'Silva Toscano who is a lecturer at BNU.
Daisy D’Silva Toscano
  • Senior Lecturer
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Chris Sallans
  • Senior Lecturer
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Thomas Toscano
  • Associate Head of School
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