Specialist Professional Child and Family Studies BA(Hons) top-up/Graduate Certificate/PgCert: Which award should I choose?

The BA(Hons) top-up, the Graduate Certificate, and the PgCert awards are all designed for social workers undertaking direct social work practice with adults.

A BA degree is now the required level of qualification for social work. Choose the BA(Hons) top-up if:

• you did not get a BA degree when you qualified in social work. You may have qualified with a DipSW or CQSW with a Diploma in Higher Education, for example. It enables you to gain a BA(Hons) degree level qualification and be on a par academically with new entrants to the profession.

A Graduate Certificate shows further achievement at the same level as the final year of a BA degree. Completing this award successfully shows that you have maintained the level of achievement you achieved at degree level and have developed your practice competence. Choose the Graduate Certificate if:

• you have a BA degree and/or significant post-qualifying practice experience; and
• are not particularly interested in progressing further after Specialist level in the PQ framework,

The PgCert shows further achievement at masters level. Students who complete this level may also progress to gain a masters degree or Higher Specialist studies. There are different routes for registered social workers and professionals working in the area who are not social workers. Choose the PgCert if:

• you want to gain the GSCC Specialist Social Work Award;
• you want to gain credit that can be carried forward to the Higher Specialist Social Work level, allowing you to complete it more quickly;  
• you have a BA or MA degree and/or significant post-qualifying practice experience and want to study at masters level.

If you're not sure, we can give you more advice when you start the course. Everyone on Specialist programmes takes the Consolidation Module at the same level. Your results for this module can help you decide which academic level to aim for.