About the Department of Social Work and Social Care

Learn more about our Department of Social Work and Social Care.

Department of Social Work and Social Care

Social work is a rapidly changing profession and we strive to be at the forefront of innovation and development. We offer attractive opportunities in a department noted for its strength in professional education as well as its contribution to professional knowledge and practice.

We constantly build on our strong track record of interdisciplinarity to develop new approaches to inter-professional learning and research. Throughout the department we champion the distinctiveness and interconnected nature of social work as a discipline and a profession.

Social Work at Sussex is currently ranked in joint first place nationally for graduate prospects, and 30th out of 75 UK institutions overall, according to The Complete University Guide 2024. 

Meet the academics and professional services staff in the Department of Social Work and Social Care.

Courses in Social Work

We offer two undergraduate (BA) degrees:

  • the Social Work BA is a qualifying course enabling graduates to register as a social worker
  • the multi-disciplinary Childhood and Youth: Theory and Practice BA straddles not only the Departments of Education and Social Work and Social Care, but includes modules from the Department of Anthropology, the School of Psychology and the Department of Sociology and Criminology.

We offer two Masters (MA) courses:

We also offer PhD courses:

Continuing professional development

We offer various continuing professional development (CPD) modules and 'pathways' to give qualified social workers and social care professionals the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills for specialist roles. 

Our partnerships

Since 2018, the Department of Social Work and Social Care at Sussex has been part of a flagship teaching partnership with East Sussex County Council, Brighton and Hove City Council and the University of Brighton.

The South Coast Regional Centre for Education (SCRC) focuses on delivering excellent social work education on the frontline with funding from the Government's Department for Education. Consisting of three hubs – the Student Learning Hub, the Professional Development Hub and the Practice Research Hub – the SCRC provides an enhanced teaching and placement experience for students, a defined career pathway for social work practitioners and research which is driven by issues experienced by adults and children’s social workers.

Research in the Department of Social Work and Social Care

Our research engages with challenges faced by local and global communities, bringing conceptual and methodological rigour and imagination to our core research areas:

  • professional practice, innovation and effectiveness
  • wellbeing
  • childhood and youth.

Learn more about our Social Work research.

Contact

The School of Education and Social Work is based in Essex House at the University of Sussex campus. Find out how to get here.

Contact the School office: esw@sussex.ac.uk

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