Best Universities for Social Work

Social work is a subject that’s focused on the development of practitioners, processes and policies that support the effective delivery of social improvement and individual empowerment. 

Whether you’re looking to complete your training as an aspiring social worker, move into the field for the first time from a similar area, or conduct research into improving the delivery of social work for all, taking on postgraduate studies is a great way to achieve your goals. 

Many students are attracted to social work due to the opportunity it provides to make real, lasting, positive changes to people’s lives. It’s a highly rewarding career pathway that allows students to work face to face with real people, apply themselves to unique challenges, and help shape society. 

It’s important to find the ideal course for your needs and goals, so we’ve developed this handy guide that looks at the best postgraduate universities for social work in the UK. 

Best Universities for Social Work 

The Complete University Guide 2024 league table offers a definitive summary of the top universities for social work, across a number of areas. It also provides an overall ranking, highlighting where you could find some of the best social work programmes in the country. You won’t go wrong starting your research with the top three, which are: 

• Lancaster University 
• Queen’s University Belfast 
• University of York

Top choice for Student Satisfaction 

For many students, student satisfaction will be the number one factor influencing their choice of university for their social work studies. This captures the overall experience of studying at a university, the quality of course delivery, the standard of support services and the overall lifestyle you could have as a student. 

The best university for social work when it comes to student satisfaction is the University of Bolton

Go to: Search for social work courses at the University of Bolton

Top choice for Graduate Prospects 

Graduate prospects are important when it comes to considering a university for postgraduate study, and the topic covers everything from placement opportunities to careers support, as well as the relevance of the course content. It’s especially key in a field like social work where professional skill building and accruing relevant experience is crucial to career success. 

The top university for social work when it comes to graduate prospects is the University of Salford 

Go to: Search for social work courses at the University of Salford

Top choice for Research Quality 

Research quality relates to the standard of research output from the university’s staff and research students, which is in turn a reflection of the organisation, facilities and support that they receive. This is an essential consideration for research students, but also influences the quality of learning for all students, especially postgraduates. 

The best university for social work in terms of research quality is the University of Bristol. 

Go to: Search for social work courses at the University of Bristol

Ranking Information Source   

This article uses ranking information from the Complete University Guide’s league tables. Data is sources from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the National Student Survey. The Complete University Guide has its own methodology for calculating the rankings of each university. 

Go to: See the 2024 Complete University Guide social work subject league table  

Student reviews 

Looking at student reviews through Whatuni is a great way to get even more insight into which universities might be your best choice for studying social work. Among all the excellent universities offering social work programmes, the University of Lincoln stands out in particular for its many positive reviews, including five-star ratings.  

One student review of the University of Lincoln said: “The city and the university feels like home and every day is not a same day. The course modules are interesting and I would never regret choosing University of Lincoln for my postgraduate studies.” 

Go to: Search for social work courses at the University of Lincoln

More universities for studying Social Work 

There are nearly 180 different postgraduate courses in social work to choose from, offered by over 80 different universities around the UK. It might seem like a challenge finding the best social work programs for your needs among so many choices, but with our course search tool it’s never been easier to find the best social work programs. 

Next: Search for social work courses