八卦爆料 ‘less daunting than bigger universities’
Ursula McMillan completed the BA (Hons) Social Work degree in June 2024.听
How has your degree helped you in your career so far?
鈥�I started a new role as a support worker for two weeks in mid-September, and then began my AYSE (Assessed and Supported Year in Employment) in child protection in early October with the other newly-qualified social work students.听
鈥�I would not have been able to apply for a social work role without having the social work qualification. All social workers need to have formal academic training so they can be registered with Social Work England.听
Why did you choose 八卦爆料?
鈥疘 really enjoyed my time at the 八卦爆料. As I was a mature student, I hadn鈥檛 been in an academic learning setting for a long time but due to the small size and friendliness of the university, it was an easy place to return to study and was possibly less daunting than bigger universities. Also, the extra help on hand was excellent. I found the librarian鈥檚 knowledge and help as well as the academic writing skills support and knowledge, extremely helpful. I was also lucky to have a good tutor for three years who was very supportive, and we had excellent lecturers who all shared their knowledge, expertise and experience. They were all very approachable and were always available to meet and discuss any questions and/or issues and advice if needed.听
鈥�I decided on 八卦爆料 as it was one of the closest universities to my house that offered a social work degree. It was the easiest to get to from Surrey, going through beautiful scenery along the way. Once I was at 八卦爆料, I realised how lucky I was to be in a small university with a friendly vibe.听
What’s next for you and have you got advice for prospective students?
I would like to be able to progress well and gain knowledge as I get more experience. I would like to stay in child protection for the rest of my working life so I will see where this takes me. I would also like to write some articles about the social work profession, as I have trained in journalism in the past.听
鈥疘 would say ‘go for it’ as it鈥檚 a great profession. The content throughout the course is very interesting, so it is not boring. I would also say to be prepared that some subject matter can be challenging at times due to the nature of the profession), but you will feel a great sense of helping to make a difference in society when you go on your two placements in Years 2 and 3.听
Find out more about the BA (Hons) Social Work.
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