What studying social work at Bath is like

Find out what it's like to study BSc (Hons) Social Work and Applied Social Studies at Bath, and get information about placements and potential future careers.

Experience Bath at an Open Day

Join us on campus to find out what it's like to study at Bath.

Open Days are the perfect way to see the places that you’ll live and study in during your time with us.

You can join talks about our BSc (Hons) Social Work and Applied Social Studies course to find out more about the topics you'll cover, the skills you'll gain, and what to expect during your practice placements.

Open Days are also a great way to:

explore our campus and accommodation
visit facilities like our Sports Training Village and Library
meet current students and teaching staff
talk to staff about accommodation, admissions, funding, and placements
find out more about life as a student at Bath

Our next Open Day is 10 October 2026.

Approved by Social Work England and highly ranked

Our course is approved by Social Work England (SWE). This means that it will prepare you to meet the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) for newly qualified social workers and SWE Professional Standards. We also rank well in major UK league tables.

Our BSc (Hons) Social Work and Applied Social Studies course is approved by Social Work England (SWE)

Top 5 for Social Work in The Times & The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026

Top 10 for research quality in Social Work in the Complete University Guide 2027

Bath is in the top 10 in the Complete University Guide 2027, The Guardian University Guide 2026 & The Times & The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026*

Prepare for a career in social work

Through a mixture of SWE-approval, units that cover key aspects of contemporary social work and real-world practice placements, our course is designed to prepare you for a range of careers.

Upon graduation, you’ll be able to apply to register as a professional social worker. Our graduates have gone on to work for organisations such as the NHS, Bath & North East Somerset Council and Virgin Care.

Boost your experience with practice placements

You’ll be able to put your classroom learning into practice with two practice placements. During these, you can work alongside social work professionals and gain first-hand work experience.

We have established partnerships with local agencies to provide you with a wide range of opportunities and experiences. All placements will be based within a 50-mile radius of Bath.

Previous students have worked in settings such as adult and children’s safeguarding, youth offending teams, adoption and fostering, and community mental health.

Find out more about studying social work at Bath

A social worker working with a young person.

‘One of the best things about Bath was the quality of the lecturers. They're still actively producing research; some are still actively working in social work.’

— Gabriel Alves BSc Social Work and Applied Social Sciences (graduated in 2020)

Study in a safe, student-friendly city

Bath is the 2nd safest university town/city in England and Wales (Complete University Guide, 2025), and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its Roman heritage and Georgian architecture.

But there’s much more to Bath than its iconic buildings and history. A vibrant range of shops, bars and restaurants, music venues, museums, and festivals make it a great place to live as a student.

A well-connected campus

Our campus is on the edge of the city. You can travel between the city and the campus easily by foot, bike, car, or bus. Local transport links mean you’ll be:

90 minutes from London and its international airports
15 minutes from Bristol
2 hours from Birmingham

A group of young people stood looking into the distance in front of some historic Georgian houses.

Are you interested in studying social work about Bath?

Find out more about studying social work at Bath

* The University of Bath ranked 7th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, 8th in The Guardian University Guide 2026, and 9th in the Complete University Guide 2027.