Social work interviews with the Faculty of Health

Learn more about the interview process for BA (Hons) Social Work
Social work students simulate home visit to service users.
Welcome to our interview guidance for BA (Hons) Social Work.
Here you will find details on:
  • interview preparation
  • interview itinerary
  • important FAQs
  • important documents.
All of which will be helpful for interviews for the following programme:
  • BA (Hons) Social Work
We hope that this helps you to prepare for your upcoming interview, but should you have any further questions please contact our interview team on interviewtostudy@plymouth.ac.uk.
Please note that for September 2024 entry we will continue to offer interviews online via Zoom.

Interview pre-work

The following preparation should be completed if you have been invited to interview for the BA (Hons) Social Work course.
To ensure we can continue to process your application efficiently, we advise that your referee has completed and emailed your second reference form before your interview. Please ensure this comes from your referee’s business/work account. If you are unable to attain a reference before your interview, please continue to make a booking and ask your referee to provide the reference as soon as possible.
For all interviews, we advise you to think about the reasons why you want to study the course you have applied for, and why you are interested in your chosen career path.
We suggest that you do some reading and research in advance in regards to the topic ‘what is the role of social workers in modern society?’ Suggested reading includes:
  • Thompson, N. (2016) The Professional Social Worker: meeting the challenge. Palgrave MacMillian.
  • www.communitycare.co.uk. This website discusses current social work issues.
  • The Guardian newspaper ‘society section’.
We advise you to think about your personal commitment to Social Work and its core values. See the relevant links supplied in the message from our Admissions Tutor.
Take a detailed look at the University of Plymouth’s website, as well as the professional and regulatory body website for social workers, which will provide you with details and links for preparing your application and how to succeed in your interview.
It is mandatory to complete the three health declaration forms prior to your interview. Failure to do so may affect the process of your application. Please complete these forms in full and prior to your chosen interview date and return to applications@plymouth.ac.uk
For your online interview please ensure you have with you:
  • a form of photo identification such as your passport or driving license. We will not be able to complete your interview without this
  • pen and paper should you wish to make notes
We will be offering a morning or afternoon session for our BA (Hons) Social Work programme.
If you have booked on the morning session, you will have your individual interview and meet and greet with students first, followed by a group activity with the panel and service users.
If you have booked onto the afternoon session, you will attend the panel activity first, followed by your individual interview and meet and greet.
The admissions tutor will provide a Zoom link and full details on what to prepare at least 48 hours in advance of your scheduled interview.
You can access Zoom via your web browser. However, if you would prefer to install the programme ahead of your interview, you can do so by visiting the Zoom website.
If you have not used Zoom before, please visit their Help Centre FAQs to familiarise yourself with the software.
How do I book my interview?
Upon successful submission of your application, you will be sent an email with a unique link to our online booking system. You can use our online system to select an interview date that best suits your availability.
If you have not received this email, please be sure to check your junk or clutter folders.

What if I need to reschedule my interview after I have booked onto one?
You can change, move or reschedule your interview at any stage using the online booking system.
If you are unable to attend any of the dates shown, then please contact our Course Enquiries and Interviews Team by emailing interviewtostudy@plymouth.ac.uk or by calling +44 1752 585858.
As a reminder, attending and passing interview is an integral part of the condition of your offer, so it is essential you book and attend interview if you wish to be considered for a place.

What if I have applied for more than one programme?
If you have applied for more than the programme listed, you will require an additional interview for the other course, to establish if you are suitable for that programme.

What happens after my interview?
The outcome of your interview will be communicated to you via email however UCAS will not be updated until all conditions have been fulfilled.
This page contains all the information you will need ahead of attending your interview with us, but should you have any questions, please contact our specialised interviews team by emailing interviewtostudy@plymouth.ac.uk

Message from the Admissions Tutor

Congratulations on being invited to interview for our BA (Hons) Social Work programme. On this page, we have provided information regarding the tasks we would like you to complete in advance. It is vital that you are prepared and are able to talk about these tasks when you meet us.
During the interview day, we will:
  • help you to give the best account of your skills, experience and character. This enables us to decide if you will thrive in the University of Plymouth's culture
  • explain more about the University, the School of Health Professions and your programme
  • enable you to understand as much as you can about the way we work with our students and what it means to become a University of Plymouth student social worker, to develop into a healthcare professional graduate.
The University of Plymouth is required to select applicants using a ‘values based’ approach for pre-registration health and social work professions programmes. This is to ensure we recruit the right students with the right values for the delivery of excellent social work practice to service users and carers.
All aspects of the interview will be aligned with the core values of Social Works’ professional codes and frameworks:
Please ensure you read the interview pre-work carefully as this provides information on what you need to do before attending your interview and what you need to bring with you on the day.
We look forward to meeting you at your interview and if you should need any help or assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best wishes,
Dr Sue Cook
Admissions Tutor for BA (Hons) Social Work and Lecturer in Social Work
School of Health Professions

Non-academic requirements documents

Please make sure you download the non-academic requirements documents below