Bachelor's Programme in Social Work

Study programme code BACSOFAG

ECTS credits 180

Admission requirements Completion of general upper-secondary education. Upon admission students must provide a (police) certificate of good conduct.

Recommended previous knowledge It is expected that students are able to work with an English syllabus and have basic computer skills, both for writing assignments and acquiring information from the Internet.

General description and profile of the programme

The programme is in line with the National Framework for Social Work Education. The purpose of the education in social work is to educate reflective professionals who puts the human in the centre. The education integrates various fields of subjects and qualifies the student to plan and organise measures in cooperation with users and other service providers. Through the education the persons problem is collated to both individual and societal factors.

The studies emphasises the meeting with the practice field of social work, through field and practice studies, including an eighteen week practice period in the 5th semester.

Please refer to the course plans, detailed course plans are made available to the students through Classfronter at the start of term.

Specific arrangements for recognition of prior learning (formal, non-formal and informal) Arrangements for the recognition of prior learning are described in the information on the institution under "General arrangements for the recognition of prior learning (formal, informal and non-formal)".

Examination regulations and grading For a description of the examination regulations, see the Examination Regulations of the University of Agder.

For information about the Norwegian grading system, see ECTS credits and grades. Specific information on grading for each course is found in the individual course descriptions.

Graduation requirements The Examination Regulations of the University of Agder regulate the graduation requirements for each programme of study.

Learning outcomes

The bachelor programme in social work is a general education in social work. It aims at educating user-oriented professionals who are qualified to prevent, solve and reduce social problems.

The education promotes the students' ability to critical reflection of the field, ethics, their own professional role and society. A social worker should be competent in various social work methods, with special emphasis on working methods where users are active participants in mobilising their own resources, either as an individual, families, groups and social network

Teaching methods

Proficiency training and fieldwork are an integral part of some courses. There may also be Internet instruction in parts of certain courses. While there is no compulsory attendance at most lectures, there are certain parts of the courses that are mandatory, for example proficiency training and fieldwork instruction. During the third academic year there is a semester-long work placement. Language of instruction is Norwegian.

Assessment methods There is an examination in each course. Assessment forms will vary between individual in-school exams, at-home exams. Group and individual assignments shoul be handed in according to the instructions given by the tutor. Please refer to the individual course description.

Student exchange Student have the possibility to go on exchange programmes in the third and fifth semester. There are exchange agreements available with academic institutions in Australia, Lithuania, UK, USA, Peru, Namibia and South-Africa. Please see the International Education Office web-pages for detailed information.

Requirements for continuing in the study programme Students must have completed all courses in the first and second year of study, before they start their third year of study.

Occupational profiles of graduates and access to further studies

The programme prepares students for careers in social services, child welfare services, hospitals, as well as organisations and institutions in rehabilitative counselling, psychiatric health care/treatment, family counselling and educational and psychological counselling services.

The programme qualifies the graduate for further studies at master level, for example the university's own programme offerings, such as the master in Welfare studies.

Qualification awarded Successful completion of the programme awards the graduate with the degree Bachelor of Social Work

Other information

All students are subject to suitability assessment during the course of their studies.

Some of the courses are run parallell to the bachelor in Employment and Welfare Administration in the first year and part of the second year of study.

Contact person Head of Department Anne Halvorsen