Courses / Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences

Bachelor's Degree in Social Work

General Objectives of the Course

The bachelor's degree in Social Work by including a complex articulation of (multidisciplinary) theoretical, methodological and practical knowledge is intended to make the future social workers capable of critically analysing, evaluating and transforming social policies and contexts, under the approach of life quality, social development, human rights and Social Justice. Thus, by means of a substantiated use of knowledge about human behaviour and social, economic and political systems, Social Work is a chief and widely recognised mechanism in responding to complex and transversal social needs and problems, in planning, evaluating and implementing social policies, as well as in building integrated strategies for social cohesion reconstruction and for execution of human and territorial development.
This course is organized in seven semesters and includes a curricular pre-professional internship in the last academic semester.

Admission Requirements

National Call for Access and Entry to Higher Education (DGES):

One of the following subjects:
02 Biology and Geology
04 Economy
18 Portuguese

Application score: 100 points (0-200 scale)
Entry exams: 100 points (0-200 scale)

Calculation Formula:
Secondary school average: 50%
Entry exams: 50%

Other forms of access (UC-applicants):
- Change of Institution / Course Pair Schemes;
- Special Access Call for over 23-years-olds;
- Special Access Call for Holders of Other Higher Education Courses;
- Special Call for International Students.

This information does not exempt the consultation of the webpage of the Directorate General of Higher Education (DGES) and/or of the Applicants website. Please, visit the DGES and the Applicants websites

Professional Goals

Social Security (planning and community intervention; child and youth protection; adoption; implementation, planning and evaluation of social policies; social emergency; evaluations of social responses and equipment); Health (hospital context, primary, specialized and continuous care; prevention of addictive behaviors and reduction of addictions); Education (early intervention; school integration; school social action); Justice and Social Reintegration (adult and juvenile justice; Prison services; educational centres, victim support offices); Labour and Employment (employment centres; vocational and educational training centres; public and private companies and services; integration companies and cooperatives); Municipalities (intervention and community social mediation; housing; diagnostic studies and planning of local social intervention); IPSS, Foundations, NGOs and Local and Regional Development Associations; Teaching and Research.

Mode of Study

Full-time; Face-to-face

Teaching / Evaluation language(s)

Portuguese

Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

As assessment is a pedagogical activity inseparable from the teaching process, its aim is to establish the students' competencies and knowledge, their critical sense, ability to recognize and resolve problems, as well as their written and oral presentation skills. Students may only register for exams for classes they are currently enrolled. The following are examples of assessment items: Oral or written exams, written or practical work, individual and group projects that may require an oral defense, as well as class participation. Assessment for each class may include one or more of the above mentioned items. Grading is based on a scale of 0 to 20 and a grade of 10 is required to pass. Whenever the grade comprises more than one item, the final grade is calculated by taking into account the relative weight of each item according a formula published in the course outline.

Learning Objectives and Intended Skills

The evolution of contemporary societies and the new set of problems and inequalities are confronting the actual social work with renewable, social, political and economic demands, and with the need for a training capable to enable for a global understanding, an appropriate intervention and a profound reflection/ arguments concerning new settings, heterogeneous populations and changing environments. Thus, the social and political mandate which is currently consigned to Social Work requires the use of a set of processes, strategies and techniques to not only respond to social problems and enforce policies, but also, and above all, to promote "social change", establishing itself as an agent of social, institutional and interpersonal mediation, contributing to the evaluation of social policies and macro, micro and mezzo dynamic and plural contexts analysis, to replenish the societal links and to the strengthening of citizenship and participation.

Course Coordinator(s)

Maria Helena Gomes dos Reis Amaro da Luz
helenareis2008@gmail.com

ECTS Departmental Coordinator(s)

Bruno Cecílio de Sousa
uc41501@uc.pt

Recognition of Prior Learning

The recognition of prior learning is carried out according according to the Academic Policy of the University of Coimbra.

Qualification Requirements and Regulations

The legal framework for the qualification is established by the decrees: Decree-Law nr 74/2006, 24th March, in its current wording

Graduation Requirements

To obtain the degree of Bachelor in Social Service, students must successfully complete the compulsory and optional UCs that they have selected in order to fulfil the 210 ECTS according to the study programme.

Access to Further Studies

Access to a Master’s Degree.

Study Programme

Social Work

Academic year
2024-2025

Course Type
1st Cycle Studies

DGES Code: 9238

Qualification Awarded: Bachelor's Degree

Duration: 7 Semester(s)

ECTS Credits: 210.0

Applications

Call for Applications

Calendar

1st Semester: Start date: 09-09-2024
End date: 14-12-2024
2nd Semester: Start date: 03-02-2025
End date: 22-05-2025

Accreditations

Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior: 2020-07-31 a 2026-07-30
Direcção Geral de Ensino Superior: Nº Registo: R/A-Ef 1682/2011/AL02; 2022-04-14