Social Work

Social work is a regulated profession concerned with supporting people facing significant challenges in their lives, including poverty, disability, mental illness, domestic abuse, substance misuse, and the needs of children at risk of harm. Social workers operate at the intersection of individual need and social context, advocating for the people they work with, navigating complex systems, and making difficult decisions with real consequences for families and communities. The profession draws on psychology, sociology, law, ethics, and interpersonal skill, demanding both intellectual rigour and emotional resilience.

Goldsmiths' three-year full-time social work degree is recognised for its placement at the heart of a critical tradition that takes issues of power, inequality, and social justice seriously. Social work at Goldsmiths is understood as a political as well as a professional practice, and the curriculum reflects this, engaging with the structural causes of disadvantage alongside the practical skills of working with individuals and families. The programme includes substantial practice placements that are integrated throughout the degree, giving you direct supervised experience working with service users in statutory and voluntary sector settings.

You will study child and family social work, adult and older people's social work, mental health, law for social workers, social work theory and research, and professional ethics and accountability.

Completion of a qualifying social work degree leads to eligibility for registration as a social worker with Social Work England, opening a career in children's services, adult social care, mental health, youth justice, and community work. Many graduates specialise over time in particular areas of practice, and some continue to postgraduate study or research to develop expertise or contribute to the development of social work knowledge and practice. The profession offers demanding and meaningful work across the public and voluntary sectors.