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HomeSchool for Business and SocietyStudyUndergraduate degree in social work

Undergraduate degree in social work

Start your journey to becoming a qualified social worker. Uncover how decisions from governments and organisations affect our daily lives, and become a leader of positive change.

Why study social work at York?

At York we partner with the Service User and Carer Participation and Advisory (SUPA) Group and Yorkshire Urban and Rural Social Work Teaching Partnership to provide first-hand knowledge and experience of service users, carers and practitioners to enhance your learning.

Our approach combines the theoretical study of social issues and how they affect society with a practical focus, enriching your skills and confidence. You'll learn from experienced social workers who bring their real-world experiences into the classroom, and researchers analysing some of today’s biggest social issues including child welfare, health and social care, mental health, housing policy and crime.

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Course options

This four-year course, which includes two years of postgraduate study, provides an advanced alternative to standard three-year BA Social Work degrees.

There are opportunities for you to undertake placements or spend a year abroad as part of your course.

Scholarships and funding

Find out about scholarships and studentships that are available to students in the School for Business and Society.

9th in the UK for Social Work
We are delighted to be a leading centre for Social Work education and research, according to the latest rankings by the Complete University Guide (2026).
Committed to equality
We are proud to hold an Athena Swan Bronze award in recognition of the work we do to support gender equality.
New, fantastic facilities
Study with us in our state-of-the-art Church Lane building, which is a hub for work across the social science disciplines.

Social Work facilities

During your degree, you'll have opportunities to study in our state-of-the-art Church Lane Building, which offers bespoke learning spaces. With multiple teaching facilities and dedicated social spaces, Church Lane is an interdisciplinary hub for the leaders of tomorrow.

Video

Take a look at our new Church Lane Building

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkKgNJJeLMA

Careers

  • The SUPA Group provides dedicated support for our students with lectures and workshops, and arrange a volunteering open day at the start of the academic year. You'll also have the chance to practise your interviewing techniques with our team of experienced social workers.
  • Our graduates are passionate change-makers who enter the workplace confident in the skills and knowledge they have gained with us at York.
  • We are part of the Yorkshire Urban and Rural Social Work Teaching Partnership, working closely with local councils and the University of Huddersfield. This partnership collaborates to develop and inspire skilled and confident social workers to improve outcomes for children, adults, families and communities.

Discover our careers support

Student and graduate stories

Hear what our students and graduates have to say about studying with us.

The thing that has surprised me the most about the course is how much of my past life experiences help me to understand social work practice. You don’t need to have had previous experiences or interactions with social work. So much of social work is about helping others navigate through struggles in their lives.
Kashi, MSocW Social Work. Read Kashi's blog post.
Moving to university is a big step for a lot of people. One of the things that I was thinking about was meeting people for the first time, including those on my course. However, I have since made so many friends and become quite close with most of the social work students, as typically there aren’t very many of us. We now all speak quite often and have study sessions on campus.
Mary, MSocW Social Work. Read Mary's blog post.

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Next steps

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