Social work students have poorest qualifications

Students selected for social work courses have the lowest level
of academic qualifications compared with students attending other
courses, according to a new study from Manchester Metropolitan
University, writes Katie Leason.

Social work came last at 170th position in the poll, which
ranked degree courses according to the qualifications of students,
falling below courses in librarianship, tourism and forestry.

Economics research professor Derek Leslie, who carried out the
study, said: “What the study shows is that the quality of the
person is lower than in other subjects.”

Social workers tended to have lower A level grades and other non
standard qualifications that are not highly rated, he said, adding
that one way to improve the quality of applicants would be to offer
incentives.

The research, which is based on two million applications to the
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service over five years, shows
that medicine, dentistry and classics attract the best university
students while social work attracts the least able.

The research ranked degree courses according to the
qualifications of students, taking into account 19 different
qualification levels varying from A levels and Scottish Highers to
Btecs and GNVQs.