One of my mates is thinking about shifting over to social work from TV...and is looking at universities at the moment.  Do any of you have any recommendations on the best places to go?

It looks as though nobody would reccomend where they studied ? To be honest I cant really remember what my University was like, must have been all that binge drinking - having said that I dont think binge drinking itself even existed in the 1970's!!!! 

Going off on a complete tangent when was 'binge' drinking invented - and by whom? 

 Well, an Act to Repress the Odious and Loathsome Sin of Drunkenness was first introduced in England in 1606 and it's been downhill ever since.

Here what you say - about the long bad press for drinkers, and drinking - but am still non the wiser as to who put together the words 'binge' and 'drinking' or when?

When I was a youth it was 'drunken layabouts' - now you cant read a paper, listen to the radio, or indeed access the web without coming face to face with references to 'binge drinking' or indeed the 'binge drinking culture' now what is that all about? Is binge drinking now a culture?

 

 

I f you are serious about this I would look at Goldsmith's College

 Apparently it was the Victorians who first coined the work "binge" for excessive drinking but I think it came into popular usage in a modern sense in the late 90s.

I found a 90-page thesis written by academics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, if you want to find out more Uncaring! But they say something quite interesting in the summary (that's as far as I got):

"Binge drinking is nothing new in British society and has not always attracted
disapproval. Its change in history from a ‘ manly ‘ activity to one associated with
out of control women represents wider social change and policy interests as well
as the reality of a problem.

Raucous and drink fuelled public behaviour by young people has been a tolerated
feature of British life in the past"

I'm a student on the BA Social Work @ Hull Uni..... And im finding it excellent.

This is what the website says......

Hull’s long-established and highly respected three-year qualifying degree programme in Social Work was developed following consultations with experts in adult education and modularisation, with employer agencies, service users and carers, and with national and international experts in specific subject areas. Since 2003 it has also incorporated the new professional qualification required by the Department of Health and the General Social Care Council, social work’s professional body. For these and other reasons our graduates are highly employable.

Social Work at Hull was rated as ‘excellent’ by the QAA with a ‘perfect 6’ for our student–staff ratio and our students’ job prospects. This was just reward for our enduring determination to provide courses which combine professional and intellectual rigour, and which respond quickly and flexibly to the changing needs of the market.

The Family Assessment and Support Unit (FASU), the University’s own voluntary social work agency, offers a placement to many of our students. The unit received national recognition when it was awarded one of the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education in 1996 for its innovations in practice learning for social work. We occasionally offer opportunities for academic study abroad, and, subject to agreement by the General Social Care Council, this may include practice learning. The facilities of the University’s Language Institute are also readily available if you wish to polish your linguistic skills.

Hope this is helpful.

 Hi Stephanie

Thanks for your post - it's always useful to hear about a course from someone who has actually studied on it.

Simeon 

Im currently studying at Ruskin college in Oxford. its a uni more for students with no qualifications and lots of life experience. but im 20 and have little life experience but was lucky enough to get on the course! im loving it and the tutors are great both at support and teaching.

Sounds a great course - how many on the course each year - when are the intakes?

 

Hi Caroline. I can recommend Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne for the Degree course aand also Durham University. Durham I would say may have the edge on Northumbria for after graduation care and supporting further learning. The lecturers at both universitys are of a good standard. I also heard that Lancaster University is supposed to be quite good but have no further information. Maybe your friend would be best advised to look on the net as all universities should be rated and a fuller understanding of their expectations and evaluations may help your friend make their mind up.    

 

I did my social work training at the University of East Anglia and can recommend the course. Lots of very good lecturers and it is heavily involved in research, which I found interesting.

 Hope that helps.

Brilliant!  Thanks for all of your tips...I'll pass them onto my mate.  Cheers

They might be better off financially by trying to get a position as an assisstant social worker in a council and then if they are lucky the council may put them through university. Barnet Council used to have a good scheme doing this we have written about in the past.

i am at bournemouth uni studying. i think it is brilliant and the staff are all very supportive and really know their stuff. i have a feeling some of them are quite radical which appeals to my way of thinking.