Social Worker Courses Requirements
A social worker helps people overcome difficult challenges in their life. The obstacles that they help people overcome include poverty, addiction, unemployment, disability, abuse, mental illness, and a variety of problems that affect communities.
Social Worker Requirements
You can study social work at variety of universities in South Africa which include UCT, Unisa, UJ, University of the Western Cape, Stellenbosch University, and others. A Bachelors in Social Work is usually a 4 year programme which will see the student move from a level 4 to a level 8 qualification.
The Requirements For Students To Study Social Work Are:
- A National Senior Certificate with 60% for English and 60% in 4 other subjects in their matric final examination.
- or A Senior Certificate with an exemption (or qualify for the exemption from the Matriculation Board with at least a C symbol on HG or a B symbol on SG in the language of teaching and learning) and 60% for 4 other subjects
- or A National Senior Certificate (NSC) with degree endorsement/ A Senior Certificate with exemption and a Certificate in Social Auxiliary Work (NQF Level 4) with one year of professional practice as a registered Social Auxiliary Worker
- A police clearance for criminal convictions
- Defined as a 'fit and proper person' by the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP)
- Two testimonials from credible sources such as school leader, a religious leader
- During the second year of study students need to be registered with the Social Service Professions (SACSSP)
Social Worker Subjects
What subjects do you need to study at school to be able to do social work?
This changes slightly at the different universities so you should check the exact details at the university you wish to study at. These are the details of the subjects you need to study at school up to Matric if you want to get into a Social Work degree at Unisa:
- National Senior Certificate as certified by Umalusi with entry into a Bachelor's degree.
- No less than 30 points. ...
- English at Level 4 (home)
- English first additional at Level 5.
- Another Language at Level 4 (home or first additional)
- Maths at Level 3 or Maths Literacy at Level 4.
In addition to this, the other essential personal requirements needed include empathy, active listening, patience, critical thinking, self awareness and a driven need to help people overcome their difficulties.
