Sociology, Criminology, Social Work and Social Policy Undergraduate study 2016

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1 For general undergraduate enquiries please contact: The Enquiry Centre t: +44 (0) e: w: Sociology, Criminology, Social Work and Social Policy Undergraduate study 2016

2 Contents Welcome to the school 3 Welcome to the school 4 Why study with us? 5 Degree courses 16 How will I study? 17 How will I be assessed? 18 Study abroad 20 Career and employment prospects 22 Your student experience 26 Applying for a place 29 Frequently asked questions 30 Visiting and contacting us Cover image: Students chatting outside the Law and Social Sciences Building on University Park Campus. The School of Sociology and Social Policy at Nottingham has an established heritage and a vibrant culture. All of our degrees explore how societies work, and what can be done when they don t. With so much emphasis in contemporary politics on social justice, welfare reforms, austerity measures, immigration, crime, community and identity, there has never been a better time to study with us and learn how we can all make a difference in society. Our research underpins our curriculum, and more than three quarters of publications by our staff were ranked as internationally excellent or world-leading in the latest Research Excellence Framework. You can therefore be sure that you will gain essential, real-world skills and knowledge that will enable you to pursue your individual career goals. The school has also been awarded Q-Step Affiliate status, which recognises the strength in quantitative methods within our teaching, and underlines our commitment to enhancing our students career prospects. The Q-Step programme is a national initiative designed to develop social science students quantitative skills, which are needed to evaluate evidence, analyse data, and design and commission research. We also offer fantastic opportunities to broaden your horizons and gain a unique perspective, by studying abroad for a semester through the Universitas 21 and Erasmus schemes. Not only will this enhance your personal development, but it will also broaden your CV when it comes to entering the competitive graduate jobs market. By choosing to study with us, you can be sure of a fulfilling and inspirational student experience in a friendly and dynamic learning environment. You can find out more about the school and all the courses we offer, on our website: I hope to meet you at one of our open days, and I wish you every success in your studies. Professor Bruce Stafford Head of the School of Sociology and Social Don t forget to watch our videos from staff and students from across the Faculty of Social Sciences: watch-socialsciences Sociology students studying in the Portland Building, University Park Campus. 2 3

3 Why study with us? Degree courses A commitment to academic excellence drives everything we do and has earned us international recognition. First-class staff We are a friendly and supportive school with over 60 staff, all of whom are committed to excellence in teaching, research and administration. We were ranked 3rd in the UK for social policy in The Complete University Guide 2016, and are in the top five among Russell Group universities for social work. In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, more than three quarters of our publications were ranked as internationally excellent or world-leading. By choosing to study at a research-led university, you will benefit directly from this research because modules are taught by academics who are contributing to the development of new ideas and knowledge. In the 2014 National Student Survey, social policy teaching in the school was ranked number one among Russell Group universities. The quality of our teaching has also been recognised in recent years by the achievement of: five Lord Dearing Awards for excellence in teaching and learning a University Chancellor s Award for teaching quality a Vice-Chancellor s Award for exceptional achievement in teaching 11 staff nominations for Students Union Staff Oscars in 2014 Extra resources We have a bright, spacious student common room on the ground floor of our building where students can study, check s and meet friends between classes. There is a 68-seat computer teaching room in our building which includes a networked print/ copy/scan machine. Further PCs are available in the building s cafe, student common room and in our small-group study area. Comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage is available throughout our building and the campus. We are located adjacent to the Hallward Library, which houses the social science collections. Our experienced administrative team are available at the school reception all day throughout the week to answer queries. All our modules are supported by online learning materials. These include a variety of resources, from module information, presentation slides and lecture hand-outs to essay advice and key readings. We share the University s ambition to be an environmentally sustainable institution and provide materials electronically where possible. This also helps to ensure that everyone has access to the same resources. Tutorials and support We understand that coming to university can be daunting, so you will be supported on your journey by your personal tutor. You will see your personal tutor at least every fortnight for a tutorial on one of your core modules in the first and second years. Personal tutors are available by , telephone and in person at other times for individual support with any academic or personal problems. Course structure The academic year runs from September to June and is broken down into two semesters, which run from the end of September to the end of January, and the end of January to the middle of June. Both semesters last 14 weeks, with 12 weeks for teaching and revision and two weeks dedicated to assessment. There are also two extra weeks at the end of the second semester for completion of the assessment process and to enable returning students to discuss their results with their tutors and plan the next session s work. Social work students will spend their first year based at the University, where they will undertake work in applied skills for practice. Second and third year social work students will be based at the University during the first semester and will go out on placement during the second semester. Modular degrees All our courses are made up of modules, which are units of study based around a particular topic. Modules are measured in terms of credits, with one credit equivalent to 10 hours of teaching and learning activities, including time spent reading, writing assessments and revising for exams, as well as lectures, seminars and tutorials. Degree title BA Sociology BA Sociology and Social Policy BA Criminology and Sociology BA Criminology and Social Policy BA Social Work Single/joint honours Single Joint All our courses are three-year degrees and each year you will take 120 credits of modules. Modules can be compulsory or optional and are normally 15, 20 or 40 credits. Most last for one semester, others run across two semesters and some social work modules are taught intensively over a month. Joint honours degrees A joint honours degree offers a grounding in each of your chosen subject disciplines. Your core and elective modules will normally be split evenly between the two subjects, and there is also the opportunity to study a module from outside of the school in each of your three years. UCAS code L300 LL34 A levels ABB* ABB* IB Places Student societies We have two student-run societies which organise events, both academic and social, throughout the year. The Sociology Society more commonly known as SocSoc and the Social Work Society, are part of over 200 active societies that make Nottingham s Students Union one of the largest and most vibrant in the country. Your personal tutor will normally be the same member of staff for the second and third year, and will supervise your dissertation, so they really get to know you well. This is particularly valuable when you are applying for jobs or postgraduate study as they will be able to write a meaningful and tailored reference. * Except general studies. Joint Joint Single 1L22 8L67 L509 ABB* ABB* ABB*

4 BA Sociology Studying sociology is a transformative experience. It makes us question and explore the realities of the world around us; the taken-for-granted facts about how the social world is organised. As sociologists, we develop a keen sociological imagination with which to think reflexively and critically about almost everything from why we might dress our female children in pink, to what is missing from the Modern Slavery Bill to the implications of climate change and global migration. Through studying sociology you will become competent at analysing societies, social change, relationships and institutions like family and the workplace, and with global phenomena like transnationalism, religion and popular culture. It asks questions such as: How are societies created, reproduced and sustained over time? How do factors like class, gender, ethnicity and sexuality impact upon people s everyday life and access to the world s resources? What social rules and processes bind and separate people not only as individuals, but as members of associations, groups and institutions both in everyday encounters and in the global social context? The course will enable you to develop a strong capacity for critical sociological thinking and empirical analysis. You will develop a range of skills through core modules on theory and methods, and our optional modules will enable you to connect sociological theory to everyday life and experience in a rapidly changing, culturally diverse and increasingly globalised world. Optional specialised pathways At the end of the first year BA Sociology students can choose to specialise in a pathway. A pathway is a cluster of interconnected modules that offer an opportunity for you to focus your studies on a set of issues that you find particularly interesting. Reflecting the research expertise of our staff, you can choose to specialise in one of the following pathways: Culture, Identities and Deviance Global Studies and Human Rights Policy and Social Justice Society, Health and Environment Quantitative Research Methods If you choose a pathway, this will appear on your degree certificate as, for example, BA Sociology with Culture, Identities and Deviance. Advice and support on whether you would benefit from taking a pathway, and which pathway you might wish to take, will be given by your personal tutor at the end of the first year. If you do choose a pathway then two of your four optional modules in the second and third years will come from within the specialist pathway, and you will choose a topic relating to the pathway as the topic for your dissertation. You will still be able to choose four further optional modules from within our school and have the option to take modules offered by other schools. The pathways therefore give you the opportunity to specialise and have this recognised in your degree title, while still offering flexibility and choice. BA Sociology L300 Year one Investigating Social Worlds Understanding Contemporary Society Four introductory modules* which could include one module from another school Year two Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory Research Design and Practice Four optional modules which could include one module from another school** Year three Dissertation Four optional modules, which could include one module from another school** * Introductory modules: Global Studies and Human Rights; Culture, Identities and Deviance; Society, Health and Environment; Policy and Social Justice; and Exploring Criminology. ** If you choose to specialise in one of the pathways then two of these optional modules in each year (four in total) must come from your pathway. For more detailed module information, please visit the individual course listings at Sociology changes the way you think. You develop a very unique, critical, analytical outlook on life. As a sociologist I refuse to take anything at face value; there is always at least one other side to every story. This has helped me invaluably over the past three years, and not just academically. Kristina Kazerani BA Sociology and Social Policy 6 7

5 BA Sociology and Social Policy Social policy deals with interventions, or the ways in which people deliberately try to bring about social change. These interventions often try to solve wicked problems so called because they have complex interdependencies and are resistant to resolution, and when trying to solve one problem they can often give rise to others. Examples are areas such as climate change; welfare; pandemic planning; inequalities and social justice. Social policies do not always succeed: they can promote social justice yet they may exacerbate social problems and sometimes even cause them! It depends upon how we judge those policies and that is ultimately about political and moral debates. Social policy is therefore very dynamic and often studied in an interdisciplinary manner. Joint honours Studying the joint honours BA Sociology and Social Policy will enable you to understand the causes of social problems, both globally and nationally, and what can be done about them. The joint honours degree brings sociological analysis to bear on the `wicked problems that social policy concerns itself with and upon other issues that fundamentally affect the welfare of society and individuals. This is a critical, relevant and exciting degree programme that explores the burning questions of the age and is also one which will allow you to develop your own interests through choice of modules and dissertation topic. It makes such a difference to your learning when you are taught by inspiring lecturers who are experts in their field. It makes you really enjoy what they re teaching you as you can see that they enjoy the subject too! Laura McLeod BA Sociology BA Sociology and Social Policy LL34 Year one Investigating Social Worlds Policy and Social Justice Understanding Contemporary Society Three introductory modules* which could include one module from another school Year two Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory Health: Theory, Policy and Practice Research Design and Practice Theories of Welfare Two optional modules Year three Dissertation Four optional modules which could include one module from another school * Introductory modules: Global Studies and Human Rights; Culture, Identities and Deviance; Society, Health and Environment; and Exploring Criminology. For more detailed module information, please visit the individual course listings at Undergraduate students taking a break between lectures. 8 9

6 BA Criminology and Sociology BA Criminology and Social Policy Criminology is concerned not just with crime, how it is defined, experienced and explained, but also with the different ways in which individuals and societies respond to it. It is an interdisciplinary area of study that draws on insights from sociology, social policy, law and the social sciences more generally. Criminologists adopt different theoretical perspectives and use a range of research methods to increase our understanding of crime and criminal justice. They are interested in offenders (and how they are defined), in the victims of crime, in the social contexts in which crime and victimisation take place, and in ways of controlling crime whether that is through changing social policies to do with housing, education and welfare or through the work of specialist institutions like the police, probation and prison services. The kinds of questions criminologists ask, and set out to answer, include: How and why do certain kinds of behaviour come to be defined as crime? What is the impact of social change globalisation, financial crises, increasing social diversity and growing individualism on crime and how we respond to it? How do patterns of crime and victimisation relate to social divisions related to age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, (dis)ability, wealth and income? What is the purpose of institutions like the police and prisons? How can punishment be justified? Joint honours Here at The University of Nottingham, criminology is studied as part of a joint honours programme with either sociology or social policy. Studying criminology with sociology or social policy will enable you to see crime, its causes and responses to it in their wider social and global context. While sociology is concerned with understanding social relationships and institutions like families, communities and workplaces which provide the setting for crime and crime control, social policy focuses on ways of intervening in wicked problems poverty, inequality and discrimination that may lead to offending. Whichever subject combination you choose, you can be certain that a joint honours programme will broaden and deepen your understanding of crime as a social problem, and how we can respond to it most effectively. Skills in communication, problem-solving, information-gathering and analysis developed on these programmes are easily transferable and our graduates have excellent employment prospects in a range of careers across the public, private and third (voluntary) sectors. These include work in and around the criminal justice system, in crime and disorder reduction, policing, security, probation, community rehabilitation and the prison service. Graduates also go on to careers in social work, journalism, teaching, research and further study. BA Criminology and Sociology 1L22 Year one Exploring Criminology Investigating Social Worlds Understanding Contemporary Society Three introductory modules* which could include one module from another school Year two BA Criminology and Social Policy 8L67 Year one Exploring Criminology Investigating Social Worlds Policy and Social Justice Understanding Contemporary Society Two introductory modules* which could include one module from another school Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory Criminal Justice System Research Design and Practice Three optional modules which could include one module from another school Year two Applied Ethics and Society Criminal Justice System Political Theory and Social Policy Research Design and Practice Three optional modules which could include one module from another school Year three Dissertation Four optional modules which could include one module from another school Year three Dissertation Four optional modules which could include one module from another school * Introductory modules: Global Studies and Human Rights; Culture, Identities and Deviance; Society, Health and Environment; Policy and Social Justice; and Exploring Criminology. For more detailed module information, please visit the individual course listings at Criminology had always fascinated me and the course has exceeded my expectations. The lecturers are welcoming, vibrant and encouraging. They are keen to deliver intriguing and challenging subjects that not only puzzled me, but left me wanting more. It s an addictive course, and I cannot wait for my second year. Jessie Mia BA Criminology and Sociology 10 11

7 Optional modules The school offers a wide variety of optional modules in sociology, social policy, criminology and quantitative research methods, which provide an opportunity to focus on an area of study that particularly interests you. Optional modules anticipated to be available to our students in include: Analysing Public Policy Applied Ethics and Society Belief, Spirituality and Religion Citizenship: Resistance and Compliance Climate Change and Society Contemporary Development in Welfare Policy Crime and Justice in Post-Apartheid South Africa Dynamics of International and Comparative Social Policy Family and Social Divisions Gender and Media Gender, the Family and Social Policy Hate Crime Health: Theory, Policy and Practice History of British Social Policy Human and Child Rights Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Introduction to Cultural Theory Knowledge, Science and Society Migration and Transnationalism Nationalisms: The Politics of Belonging and Exclusion Police, Policing and the Police Political Theory and Social Policy Prisons and Incarceration Quantitative Methods for Social Science Sex Crime Social Research and Community Engagement Sociological Perspectives on Medicine: The Case of Psychiatry Sociology of Health, Illness and the Body Technology, Material Culture and Social Change Terrorism and Extremism in the UK The Body, The Self and Others The Sociology of Work and Employment Violence Youth Crime and Justice The dissertation All students write a 12,000-word dissertation on a topic of their choice in the final year. The dissertation is supported by: an opening conference, including talks from former students about their experience in writing a dissertation master-classes led by subject experts group dissertation tutorials with your personal tutor one-to-one specialist advice There is a prize for the best dissertation across the year group, which is awarded at the graduation party each summer. To give a flavour of the breadth of our students intellectual interests, previous prize winners have written on: The relationship between black culture and homophobia The arts of performance and gender management in the night time economy: what makes a door supervisor A recipe for disaster: neoliberalism, natural disasters and human rights The effect of human rights discourse on the perception of suffering within occupied Palestine A sociological analysis into the lives of adolescents who have defected from the Jehovah s Witnesses The normalisation of behaviour and creation of sexual scripts in male-female transsexuals One of my favourite modules has been Climate Change and Society taught by passionate staff who are experts in their field, drawing on their own research. Gabrielle Sale BA Sociology Students discussing their ideas in a seminar

8 BA Social Work Students participating in a seminar in the Law and Social Sciences Building. Social work is concerned with the relationships between individuals, families and society. As such, social workers seek to enable people to negotiate complex and sometimes painful transitions and decisions in their lives. As an academic discipline, our primary mission is to ensure that students are professionally capable of carrying out such tasks. The BA Social Work enables successful graduates to register as qualified social workers. As a result, the course has been constructed to ensure that all the mandatory elements of a social work qualifying course are met: these include law, human growth and development, assessment, planning intervention and review, communication skills and interprofessional working. More generally, our undergraduate programme ensures that you will be able to demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking and creative action in relation to the complex problems of human life. In this respect, the connection between social work and social policy is critical. One of the strengths of this course is that graduates are comfortable working with the interpersonal nature of social work practice and the policy contexts within which practitioners operate. The programme contains a mixture of academic modules that are specific to the development of social work alongside others that focus on social policy. In addition, in years two and three, students undertake assessed placements in social work settings. Overall, the course seeks to engage with a number of critical issues in the delivery of social work within the context of the current state of welfare. These will include the following: Are social problems caused primarily by structural forces or by individual failings? Is social work a means of empowering or controlling individuals and communities? Are there circumstances where it is appropriate to act against an individual s expressed wishes? How can we balance the needs and wishes of vulnerable children and adults against those of others, particularly family or carers? What is the impact of class, gender, race and other social divisions on people s experiences of social welfare and social work? Professional accreditation The BA Social Work is regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council and endorsed by The College of Social Work and meets their professional requirements. BA Social Work L509 Year one Communication Skills for Practice Introduction to Social Work Investigating Social Worlds Policy and Social Justice Understanding Contemporary Society Year two From Theory to Practice Human Growth and Development Law for Social Work Social Work Research Theories of Welfare 80-day placement Year three Choice of social policy modules Contemporary Issues in Child and Family Social Work OR Contemporary Issues in Adult Social Work Critical Perspectives on Social Work Safeguarding 90-day placement For more detailed module information, please visit the individual course listings at

9 How will I study? How will I be assessed? Teaching Social work modules are delivered through lectures, seminars, workshops and work-based learning opportunities. Lectures and workshops employ a variety of teaching methods which include the use of role-plays, audio-visual technology and information communication technology, to help you develop both the professional knowledge and the practical skills to become qualified social workers. In addition, during year one, you will shadow a social worker and observe their practice. In years two and three, university-based learning during the first semester is followed by around three months of full-time work experience in a social work-related setting. Class sizes vary between students, with seminars held with students at a time. All our other degrees are delivered through weekly two-hour interactive lectures and weekly one-hour tutorials. In addition, some modules include practical workshops and the dissertation has master-classes and an opening conference. Lectures will have between 40 and 140 students depending on whether they are core or optional modules. Seminar classes in the first year are limited to around 20 students and personal tutorial groups to around 16 students. In the second and third years, seminar classes are no more than 25 students and personal tutorial groups are limited to just 10 students to reflect the increasing demands of study in these years. Library and computing services At Nottingham, you will benefit from access to an extensive collection of printed and online library resources. In addition, you will have both on and off-campus access to a very wide range of relevant databases, ejournals and ebooks. Key Information Sets Key Information Sets (KIS) are comparable sets of information about full or part-time undergraduate courses and are designed to meet the information needs of prospective students. All KIS data is published on the Unistats website: For Nottingham s KIS data, please see individual course entries at: We use a variety of assessment methods including one or two-hour seen or unseen exams, essays from 1,500 to 5,000 words, group work, presentations and a 12,000- word dissertation. Assessments are undertaken throughout the academic year and you will normally receive written feedback within three weeks of submission to enable you to improve for next time. At the end of each semester you will meet with your personal tutor to discuss all of the assessments and help you identify areas for improvement. Social work students are assessed against the professional standards for social work as well as academically. How will my work be marked? All work is marked on a percentage scale and the pass mark is 40%. The assessment criteria are available in the module handbook and will be explained by the lecturer. Your final degree classification The marks from your first year do not count towards your final degree classification but you must pass the modules in order to progress to your second year. Marks from your second and third years contribute 40% and 60% respectively to your final degree classification. Your degree is classified at the end of the final year with third-class being awarded for an average of 40-49%, lower-secondclass for 50-59%, upper-second-class for 60-69% and first-class for 70% or above. Typical timetable Course BA Social Work Average weekly contact year one 20 hours Average weekly contact year two 20 hours during semester one and 37 hours full-time work placement in semester two 12 hours Average weekly contact year three 20 hours during semester one and 37 hours full-time work placement in semester two 8 hours All other degree programmes 12 hours Students in an exam

10 Study abroad Students on our degree programmes* can apply to spend a semester at an overseas university through the Erasmus and universitywide exchange programmes. Study abroad is normally undertaken during the first semester of your final year, during which you will take appropriate social sciences modules at the host university and prepare work for your dissertation. Funding for the schemes is available. The benefits of studying abroad are numerous and could enhance your career options. It s a chance to see your subject from a new perspective while experiencing a different culture and making friends from all over the world. You re likely to find that living abroad increases your sense of independence and that you return to Nottingham with broader horizons and a clearer sense of what you d like to do with your degree. When it comes to applying for jobs, your experience will demonstrate to employers that you re capable of taking the initiative and adapting to new situations. You will not be required to study a foreign language, but may choose to do so. Erasmus exchange programme The Erasmus exchange programme provides funding for students who wish to study in Europe. You will be able to attend a partner institution where sociology and social policy (taught in English) and a variety of other disciplines including cultural studies, history, languages, literature and politics are available. Participating students will also receive a contribution (currently between 300 and 400) on top of their regular sources of income towards travel and living expenses. Under the Erasmus exchange scheme we have links with the following European universities: University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark Konstanz University, Konstanz, Germany University-wide exchange The university-wide exchange programme enables you to apply for a place to study at one of 26 partner universities in Australia, Canada, China, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden and the United States of America. Dedicated support In addition to your personal tutor, students going on exchange are supported by a dedicated student exchange tutor who will guide you through the process and support you during your time away from Nottingham. The International Office also provides help and advice before, during and after the exchange. For more information, please see internationalstudents/exchangesoverseas * Except BA Social Work. I would recommend it to anyone. It gives you a great opportunity to experience a different culture and make friends from across the world! Our study abroad opportunities can take you all over the world. Carla Balderson 18 BA Sociology 19

11 Career and employment prospects We like to keep in contact with our alumni and follow their career progression, and our latest figures confirm that the school s graduates are highly employable in a range of fields. We want you to make the most of your time at university and this includes planning what you will do after graduation. We have a dedicated social sciences careers team in the faculty and work closely with the University s Careers and Employability Service to provide a comprehensive package of support. Transferable skills Our graduates are valued by employers for their ability to: develop an argument and justify it with evidence write coherently and succinctly with a clear structure complete work on time and to the specification required think critically and challenge accepted ideas select, collect and analyse relevant materials in order to carry out independent research present their work verbally and in writing to a group work as a team to achieve goals Sociology and social policy graduate career destinations We are committed to enhancing the career development and employability of our students. Our graduates have been successful in securing a diverse range of occupations with roles in both the public and private sector. These include: housing, policy officer, research, residential care, support work, charity fundraising as well as business functions in marketing, advertising, human resources, recruitment, finance, property, broadcasting and journalism. In 2014, 93% of first-degree graduates in the school who were available for employment had secured work or further study within six months of graduation. The average starting salary was 20,983.* For those graduates that continued onto further study, many went onto masters courses related to their degree such as public policy, sociology and research methods; while others have gone on to study different disciplines such as public health, international business, trauma studies, cinematography, law and teaching. Social work graduate career destinations Most of our social work graduates obtain employment as qualified professionals in local authority children s or adult s services. Some take up positions in the independent sector. 96% of students who were available for work were in employment or engaged in further study six months after graduating**. Salaries for newly qualified social workers employed by local authorities start at 25,000, rising to 30,000 for those successfully completing their first year of assessed practice. Starting salaries in the independent sector will vary greatly depending on the post and employing organisation. The average salary for 2013 graduates was 25,000**. Recent graduates: Reya El-Salahi Radio Presenter, BBC; Jack Karet Education Officer, Stonewall; Rachel Lovelady Social Worker (Children s Health and Disability), York City Council; Liz May Solicitor, Cobbetts; Gavi Morris Movement Worker, Youth Movement for Reform Judaism and Zionism; Georgia Power Agent and Organiser, Nottingham Labour Party. The University s Careers and Employability Service Our Careers and Employability Service, which is based on University Park Campus, offers an extensive range of careers-oriented services, including CV-writing sessions, interview advice, presentations by major employers and general career advice. As a University of Nottingham graduate, you will receive lifelong support from the service. This means that you can ask a careers adviser to look over your job application by , Skype or in person, and you can also access a database of graduate vacancies. For more information see Nottingham Advantage Award The University s Advantage Award is a programme of activities developed to recognise and reward extracurricular responsibilities. It allows you to gain recognition for participating in a wide range of activities accredited by the University and shows employers that you have gained valuable skills. We work with the Careers and Employability Service to deliver a careers module within the Advantage Award. It includes workshops on writing applications, interviews and job searches, and talks from former students and employers. For further information, please visit advantageaward Postgraduate study Some of our best students decide to stay on at Nottingham and join the lively community of postgraduate research students within the school, from MA level through to PhD. In the past six years, over 50 students have graduated from our school with PhD qualifications. * Known destinations of full-time home and EU first-degree graduates, 2013/14. ** Known destinations of full-time home and EU first-degree graduates, 2012/13. The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain s leading graduate employers. The Graduate Market in 2013, 2014 and 2015, High Fliers Research Our graduates are well equipped for careers in a wide range of areas

12 Your student experience You ve read lots about the degree programme you re interested in, now it s time to explore life outside the lecture theatre. There s so much for you to get involved in and explore at the University and around the city. We are proud to be one of the leading universities for student experience in the UK*, which will ensure that you have a university experience you ll never forget. Your University of Nottingham at home and around the world We are proud of our stunning campuses and are continually investing in our grounds, buildings and amenities to ensure that you only have the best surroundings in which to live and study. Our main UK campuses have a mix of state-of-the-art facilities, including sports centres, places to eat and excellent learning facilities on every campus. We ve made getting from campus to campus as easy as possible and students can benefit from our free inter-campus Hopper Bus, so you re never far away from the striking architecture and innovative technology of Jubilee Campus, the rolling parkland and period buildings at University Park, or the cutting-edge features of Sutton Bonington. The University of Nottingham is Britain s global university with campuses in the UK, China and Malaysia. We also have links with more than 300 universities in over 40 countries, adding a truly global flavour to your degree and giving you the chance to explore the world. Find out more: Your new home from home At Nottingham we offer a range of different accommodation options, rooms are available as single or shared, en suite or shared bathroom, all the way through to studio flats, and vary from selfcatered to fully catered (19 meals per week). We also offer a guarantee of University accommodation for one year to all new full-time undergraduate students, subject to the following conditions: you firmly accept your course place at Nottingham, accept your offer of accommodation by the deadline given in your offer letter, and have an unconditional status no later than 31 August in the year you intend to begin your studies. If you are a new, fulltime undergraduate student who is classified as international for fee purposes, this guarantee applies for three years**. For more information, including a breakdown of pricing, see Your support network Throughout your university journey there will be numerous people on hand to support you, including tutors and dedicated staff who will be able to advise you on various aspects of life as a student. We have Student Services Centres on all three of our UK campuses, which provide a range of support, information and specialist services to enhance your student experience. This support includes: Academic Support can provide practical advice on areas of academic study; the service also provides specialist academic support for students with dyslexia, dyspraxia and other specific learning difficulties Disability Support coordinates support and access arrangements for students with a disability or long-term medical condition Financial Support provides information on the sources of finance available from government agencies and the University itself, and gives advice about financial matters Student Services also advise on issues ranging from childcare, counselling and health to international student support, chaplaincy and faith support, as well as offering advice on paying your tuition and accommodation fees Whatever you may need support with, they will either be able to help or point you in the direction of someone who can. Find out more: * Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey, ** Providing you submit your returners application in line with the requirements of accommodation providers. Take a look at our accommodation video for a taster of what to expect at Nottingham: Living in halls of residence is a great way for students to make new friends

13 Getting involved in your Students Union As soon as you start at the University of Nottingham, you are automatically enrolled as a member of our Students Union, which is considered to be one of the best in the country. There are hundreds of activities that you could be part of, providing you with the perfect opportunity to take up a new hobby or pursue existing interests. Choose from over 200 student-run societies, covering all interests and abilities, as well as local and national volunteering projects, to which you can commit as much or as little time as you wish. Our Students Union is home to a number of award-winning student-run media groups, which give you the chance to gain practical work experience both behind the scenes or centre stage as a presenter, actor or journalist. The Nottingham New Theatre, Impact magazine, Nottingham Student Television (NSTV) and University Radio Nottingham (URN) have all been recognised as the best in their field, winning a clutch of awards for outstanding achievements. However you decide to become involved in the Union, you can be sure you will make new friends and learn new skills, all while having a lot of fun! Find out more: Sports We offer sport at all levels and an excellent all-inclusive student membership offer, so whether you enjoy sport as a hobby or are an elite athlete we will have just what you need. We have over 70 sports clubs, which means we have the 2nd highest number of sports clubs of any UK university. If you re not interested in joining a team but want to stay fit, we have sports centres on all of our main UK campuses. Find out more: Exploring your new city With Nottingham city centre just a 10-minute bus ride away from University Park Campus, our students are always close to the action. Buses run through campus regularly and many run late-night services too, which is handy if you re a night owl. For music lovers, you can take your pick from the world-famous Rock City, Capital FM Arena or one of the smaller gig venues for a more intimate live show. Nottingham is rich in performance venues, with comedy clubs and theatres catering for lovers of drama, musicals, ballet and panto. We are very proud of our sporting heritage, and with football clubs Nottingham Forest and Notts County in the city, as well as Trent Bridge cricket ground and the National Ice Centre on your doorstep, you might just become a sports fan if you re not one already. History and culture can be found in all corners of the city, with Nottingham Castle, Nottingham Contemporary arts centre, the Galleries of Justice Museum, Nottingham Lakeside Arts the University s public arts centre located on our University Park Campus arthouse cinemas and three of the world s oldest pubs all providing points of interest. If you enjoy shopping, Nottingham is perfect for you; independent boutiques and vintage shops in the bohemian area of Hockley mix with high street names in our large shopping centres to make Nottingham a veritable shopping haven. Find out more: Download our city guide: Broadway Cinema screens the latest blockbusters and arthouse cinema

14 Applying for a place When considering your application, we will look for evidence that you will be able to fulfil the objectives of the programme of study and achieve the standards required. For more information on how to make your application stand out, have a look at our online prospectus: Application process All applications for an undergraduate place to study at The University of Nottingham (including applications by overseas students) must be made through UCAS. Applications should be made online at Candidates will be notified of decisions through UCAS Track at track.ucas.com Entry numbers For information on how many students the school plans to admit on each course, please see the table on page 5. The selection procedure We are looking for students who have the ability and motivation to benefit from our courses and who will make a valued contribution to the school and the University. We will take into account a wide range of factors including post-school experience and breadth of interests as well as, and in some cases instead of, examination results. Most offers are made in the range of the A level grades described on page 5, but the school reserves the right to alter this depending on aspects of the applicant s personal statement or a referee s comments. Our degree courses require a combination of different skills, and an ability to engage with new subjects and ideas. Additionally, social work candidates need a degree of empathy and interest in the experiences of vulnerable people within society. These qualities in part relate to academic performance, but we will also look at your interests and experience. Your personal statement Many people waste the opportunity offered by the personal statement section of the UCAS form. Be as specific and detailed as possible about your intellectual interests and enthusiasms, your reading and your reasons for choosing to study your chosen subject at degree level. For social work we look for some experience or understanding of social work in your personal statement. Interviews BA Social Work applicants are required to participate in a two-stage candidate assessment process comprising an assessment day and an interview. These normally take place between December and April. We do not normally interview applicants for our other degree programmes. Academic requirements There are no specific subject requirements for any of our courses; however we have a preference for subjects with an essay component and do not accept general studies. Nottingham is a very popular university and we try to keep our minimum offer as low as possible, as we are looking for students with a range of cultural interests and an enthusiasm to undertake a degree. You will normally be expected to have studied four subjects at AS and three subjects to A level. Conditional offers are normally based upon three full A levels (not including general studies) and you will only be required to have achieved a pass in the fourth AS subject taken. Note: the grade achieved in the fourth subject may assume significance if you narrowly miss the specified grades at A level. We take your AS grades seriously as part of your overall profile, including GCSE and A level grades as well as the reference from your school or college and your personal statement. The following qualifications are taken to be equivalent to the standard A level requirements: BTEC National Diplomas: Overall grades DDM Access: Pass Access to HE Diploma including 60 credits overall. At least 45 credits must be at level 3 with at least 50% of those level 3 modules at Merit Scottish Highers: BBBCC/BBBBB Irish Leaving Certificate: Offers will be made on the basis of 5 or 6 Higher Level subjects Welsh Baccalaureate: Where two non-core elements making up the Baccalaureate are standard A level qualifications any offer is likely to be based on our standard A level offer. Any other contributing qualifications will be considered on an individual basis. Flexible admissions policy In recognition of our applicants varied experience and educational pathways, we employ a flexible admissions policy. If we judge that your situation has adversely affected your achievement, then we will consider this when assessing your academic potential. If you wish to mention information about your experiences in your personal statement, then you should ask the teacher or tutor writing your reference to confirm what you have written. We may ask for further evidence and may consider a range of factors. For more information, please see: Alternative qualifications We welcome applications from mature candidates and those with non-standard qualifications. All applications are treated individually and are considered equally: decisions are based on merit. Sometimes applicants are asked to submit an example of recent written work or may be asked to write a short essay on a topic connected with their proposed degree. Mature applicants We encourage applications from mature students (which means all those aged 21 or over when the course begins). You should apply in the normal way through UCAS. While we accept a range of qualifications, you should check our specific requirements on UCAS course entry profiles. If in doubt, please contact the admissions tutor, who will be happy to answer any specific queries you have about applying as a mature student. Please your questions to socspa@nottingham.ac.uk. For more information about being a mature student, please see Deferred entry Applicants who wish to defer their entry by a year will not be at a disadvantage. Please tell us something about your plans for your gap year in your UCAS personal statement. Part-time study If you re interested in studying part-time with us, please contact the school rather than applying through UCAS. Please your questions to socspa@nottingham.ac.uk For tips and advice at every step of your application journey, visit our undergraduate applicants area: