Social work selection interview
Due to requirements set by the regulator for social work, all our BSc (Hons) Social Work and Applied Social Studies applicants who are suitable at application stage will be invited to a selection interview day. If successful, you will be made an offer to study at the University.
We know interviews are nerve-wracking and hope this guide will help. While this is an official interview, we want you to be yourself and at ease; some previous students have even said that they enjoyed the experience.
Interviews for 2024 undergraduate applicants
Whilst we expect to conduct interviews in person at our Bath campus, we are able to make reasonable adjustments based on individual needs.
In such cases, when you receive your invitation to attend an interview, please let your departmental contact know as soon as possible so that we may discuss your requirements with you prior to your interview.
Interview selection day
Most interviews are held between late November and mid-March. If we invite you to attend an interview, we will email you details of the time and date around two weeks before.
During the interview selection day, you will:
- attend a live session with the Social Work Admissions Tutor to receive an overview of the course and the university
- complete a timed written exercise
- meet with our Student Ambassadors and explore the campus
- have an individual interview with a member of staff, and either a social work practitioner or a service user
If you have a disability, Specific Learning Difficulty, long-term health condition, or require any additional support, please let us know as soon as possible so that we may discuss your requirements with you prior to your interview.
Before your interview
Before the interview selection day, you must complete the Declaration of Suitability form. This is a requirement for students being admitted to the BSc Social Work and Applied Social Studies course at the University of Bath.
When you receive an interview offer, you will get a link to this form via email with instructions to help you complete it.
You will use this form to declare any criminal convictions or cautions, as well as any health conditions that could adversely or negatively affect your social work practice. This enables us to assess the suitability of applicants to train as social workers, which we are required to do by our regulator, Social Work England.
Preparing for your selection interview
We want the process to be a positive experience for you. We will only invite you to attend a selection interview if we are interested in your application and want to find out more about you.
Typically you will be interviewed by two people; usually one member of staff and one other professional or service user.
There are two assessments you will be asked to complete during the day; a written exercise and an individual interview.
Written exercise
The written exercise will be based on an academic journal or article focused on a contemporary social work topic. We will provide you with access to this text one week before your interview.
You should read and consider this before your interview. We will ask you to write your response using a set of questions provided on the day of your interview.
Individual interview
This is not an academic interview. We want to learn more about:
- who you are
- your motivation for becoming a social worker
- what you can contribute to the profession
We are looking for you to demonstrate that you have the best academic and practice potential and chance to succeed and flourish by studying a degree at Bath.
We will also ask you to answer some social work specific questions. Try not to get anxious if you are unsure of the answer straight away; you will be given time to work through the question and the interviewer will support you and want to see how you can apply your logic to work out the answer.
At the end of the interview you will be invited to ask any questions you have about the course and we will also provide you with some information about what will happen next.
Good ways to prepare for the interview
- Think about what has motivated you to study social work and why you would like to study with us
- Consider what has interested you during your current study/life experience and prepare some well thought out examples that evidence your passion for social work
- Familiarise yourself with social work related articles and topics (particularly the British Association for Social Work (BASW), The Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF), Social Work England and Community Care)
- Be prepared to discuss anything you have included in your personal statement and expand on this during your interview
What to wear
We would like you to feel comfortable during your interview and we do not have a dress code. Lots of candidates choose something smart but casual.
Interview outcome
You will be notified through UCAS Hub whether or not you have been successful. We aim to notify you within two weeks from the date of your interview.
Ways to experience the university
We are able to offer in-person guided campus tours, led by a Student Ambassador. This is a great opportunity to see our facilities and get a sense of what it will be like to live and study at Bath.
Alternatively, if you would like to explore our beautiful campus when it suits you, please take a look at our self-guided tour information. There are also other ways to connect virtually with us and find out more about our courses, campus and students. You can find more information about our virtual tours and campus videos here.