Navigate complex, contemporary practice environments while maintaining the trust of individuals, families, and communities
Step Up to Social Work is a 14-month programme, which awards a post-graduate diploma in social work to qualify graduates for professional registration with Social Work England (SWE). It addresses issues with the recruitment and retention of high performing social work graduates in children and family settings.
Driven by our commitment to social justice and a more inclusive and democratic society, the programme is built on six core pedagogical imperatives: Compassion, Reflection, Resilience, Knowledge, Anti-Oppression, and Criticality. These principles guide our teaching and learning culture, shaping students into thoughtful, ethical, and capable practitioners.
We aim to develop “thinking performers”— social workers who are not only skilled and knowledgeable but also reflective, resilient, and committed to upholding the values of the profession.
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Benefit from a truly unique, practice-led experience that puts lived experience and real-world impact at the heart of your studies. You’ll learn from leading academics, work directly with service users, carers, and practitioners, and complete two placements that bring your knowledge to life. Ranked among the UK’s top social work courses, our programme leverages Birmingham’s vibrant, diverse community connections to offer hands-on experience, and its global recognition means you’ll graduate ready to make a difference—locally and worldwide.
We're consistently one of the top UK universities targeted by leading graduate employers
'The Graduate Market in 2026' High Fliers report
The content of the course incorporate the key skills, expertise and values for contemporary social work practice.
It is an intense, “fast-track” programme in which work-experienced candidates from up to 14 local authority locations across the West Midlands receive a bursary to complete 6 modules at the University’s Edgbaston campus and 2 placements totalling no less than 170 days in their allocated, West Midlands Local Authority area.
The Step Up to Social work programme ensures that students understand the demands of social work in children and family’s statutory settings.
Several core modules will be undertaken through which students will learn the skills, values, approaches, theories, models and methods relevant to professional social work practice and develop knowledge in key areas such as law for practice and human growth across the life course. Throughout, students will be encouraged to take a research-informed approach.
Students should expect to learn in a range of ways. For example, we offer guided study tasks to encourage personal reflection, traditional lectures for knowledge acquisition, practical workshops for theory to practice applications, and video laboratories for skills developments
and 6 months’ full-time (or equivalent) direct experience
The Department for Education covers the cost of university tuition fees and provides a tax-free bursary of £21,995 paid in 15 monthly instalments of £1,466.33. The bursary amount reflects the fact that Step Up to Social Work students will need to give up any current, full-time post to meet the attendance and engagement requirements.
Candidates should note that it is highly unlikely that they will be able to take any paid employment at any point in the 14-month programme. In addition, they should consider how receiving the bursary might affect their current benefit arrangements, including Universal Credit and childcare support. All candidates are encouraged to plan-ahead and consider financial contingencies if for any reason their programme is extended beyond 14 months e.g. repeating failed assessments including practice placements.
To apply for a postgraduate programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online.
The initial stages of recruitment to the Step Up to Social Work Programme are managed by the Department for Education and Regional Partnerships. Applications were open from February 2025 via the Department for Education’s website and are now closed.
If you were unsuccessful in your application, missed the opportunity to apply and or are unable to wait for the next possible programme, you could consider alternative routes into social work, such as the University of Birmingham's MA in Social Work. If you have any questions, please contact us at socialwork-ma@contacts.bham.ac.uk.
Application deadline for international students requiring a visa. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full. Early applications are encouraged.
Find out how to apply to our postgraduate taught programmes. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.
If you have a question about our admissions process, including how to apply, your offer and how to track your application, please visit our admissions portal.
Whilst graduates of social work are equipped to work in any setting, the programme is intended specifically for those seeking to work with children and families in statutory, Local Authority contexts.
The teaching and learning activities on the Step Up to Social Work programme is carefully linked to Social Work England’s professional standards and the British Association of Social Worker’s capabilities framework, to ensure that graduates of these qualifying courses meet the professional requirements for a social work qualification.
Once you have successfully completed all modules, 2 practice learning placements of 170 days and 30 skills days, you will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work and eligible to apply to register with Social Work England and practice as a social worker.
Students should be aware that their allocated host Local Authority does not guarantee a job at the end of the programme but will guarantee an interview for formal recruitment into a children, young people and families setting.
Upon graduation, our students take up positions such as:
by leading graduate employers (High Fliers Research 2025)
Gain skills, confidence and experiences ready for the world of work with your dedicated careers toolkit. With Careers Network, your dedicated careers service, and the variety of opportunities available at Birmingham, you can build your own toolkit of skills and experiences to get you ready for an ever-changing world after graduation.
Your careers toolkit connects you with the opportunities, support and experiences across the university, including:
We are one of the most consistently targeted UK universities by top graduate employers (High Fliers report, The Graduate Market 2026). Read more about the achievements of our alumni and the way their university experience shaped their journey.
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