Best degree to pursue

I am currently in the US and wanting to move to Wales directly after college. I understand that social work is in great need in England, but was not sure if it was as in as much need in Wales. I know its hard to gauge what will be needed in 6 years, but i would be very appreciative of your advice.

Under what visa were you planning to move to Wales?

I am currently in the US and wanting to move to Wales directly after college. I understand that social work is in great need in England, but was not sure if it was as in as much need in Wales. I know its hard to gauge what will be needed in 6 years, but i would be very appreciative of your advice.

I can't tell you about social work demand in Wales but I am moving in a few weeks to be a social worker for Essex.  You have to have a BSW or MSW to register witht he General Social Care Council to even be qualified to do social work.  I believe that Wales has it's own body to register with but I'm sure that you need a social work degree. 

Will you have a BSW or MSW or both? Level of practice experience?

You need to be registered with the Care Council for Wales to practice as a social worker in Wales.

http://www.ccwales.org.uk/
http://www.ccwales.org.uk/registration-and-conduct/how-to-register/social-worker-trained-outside-uk

I believe at the moment only children and families social work is on the shortage occupation list, but that can change at any time.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/points/sponsoringmigrants/employingmigrants/shortageoccupationlist/

Best of luck.

I am currently in the US and wanting to move to Wales directly after college. I understand that social work is in great need in England, but was not sure if it was as in as much need in Wales. I know its hard to gauge what will be needed in 6 years, but i would be very appreciative of your advice.

I can't tell from your post if you are already pursuing a social work degree or if you are trying to determine which degree would best assist you with being able to live in the UK.  If it is the later, I strongly recommend that you only pursue the social work profession if you truly have a desire to do so.  This really is not a job that you should have just to have a job. If you don't love, or at least like, what you do, you will be miserable.  If you do want to  be a social worker, Great! Then you will have the profession that you want in the place where you want to live.

I would also say that I wouldn't study something in the hopes it may get me a work permit down the line: immigration systems change far too fast to rely on that method of living abroad.

Maybe look at degrees which offer exchanges. There's also BUNAC.

At what level are you looking to study in the US and how much work based experience is included in the degrees you are looking at? General areas of education / study interest? It has to be something you want to do regardless of being in the UK or not, IMO.

My passion lies in the Earth Science program which is what I am currently studying, but I haven't seen many opportunities in the UK with that. I had been planning on a Masters in that degree. Also, I was planning on tier 2. Thank you all for your replies

You could consider doing your Master's in the UK on a student visa:

For Earth Sciences:

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Find_courses_and_research_gs/p!eefXfmd?action=search&2waynocompress=1&keyword=earth+sciences&x=0&y=0

http://browse.guardian.co.uk/education?SearchBySubject=false&FirstRow=0&SortOrderDirection=&SortOrderColumn=GuardianTeachingScore&Subject=Earth+and+marine+sciences&Go=Go

Liverpool, Manchester, York, Leicester and Leeds would all be relatively affordable places to live in the UK, IMO, for postgraduate studies in the UK. Liverpool was European city of Culture in 2008, if I remember! Bangor looks like the best uni in that subject area in Wales, but Cardiff looks OK if you prefer urban Wales. 

And either go for a post study work visa or work permit after, if applicable and eligible and exists at the time of application.

Also BUNAC: http://www.bunac.org/

Best of luck with it!

My passion lies in the Earth Science program which is what I am currently studying, but I haven't seen many opportunities in the UK with that. I had been planning on a Masters in that degree. Also, I was planning on tier 2. Thank you all for your replies

Which area of Earth Science are you interested in for a masters?

I did my masters degree in the Earth Sciences department at Bristol University, which at the time (2006-07), was ranked the number two Earth Sciences department in the country... behind only Cambridge!

The masters programmes offered are:
- MRes Science of Natural Hazards
- MSc Paleobiology
- MRes Earth Systems Science.

I did the MSc (by research) Science of Natural Hazards degree (now known as MRes), which involved a few classes, a 9-month research project and a 1-month field trip to Guatemala to study and climb active volcanoes. Two of my friends from the masters course are also currently studying for PhDs in the department as well.

Is it possible to do Undergrad and Post-grad in the UK by continually renewing student visas? If this was possible, how much would you have to have in availible funds? I am looking most strongly at Bangor as I enjoy rural areas. Truthfully, I am just trying to be eligible to move as quickly as possible. Thank you all for your kindness.

Is it possible to do Undergrad and Post-grad in the UK by continually renewing student visas? If this was possible, how much would you have to have in availible funds? I am looking most strongly at Bangor as I enjoy rural areas. Truthfully, I am just trying to be eligible to move as quickly as possible. Thank you all for your kindness.

I believe you can do both degrees in the UK, but it is going to cost a lot of money to do it.

UK undergrad degrees are usually 3 years (unless you do a 4-year MSci degree instead of a BSc) and then postgrad masters degrees are usually 1 year. International students have to pay at least 3 times the tuition fees that UK students pay, so you'd be looking at £9,900 per year for undergraduate studies and £11,800 per year for postgraduate studies (2009/2010 fees at Bangor). Then you would also need a minimum of £5,400 per year for living expenses (from the Tier 4 student visa rules). You must show you have the first year of tuition and 9 months of living costs (£5,400) available to you (either in your bank account for 28 days or via a student loan letter) in order to apply for the visa. You also have to show you can support yourself for the whole time without working (even though current international students can work up to 20 hrs per week during term-time and full-time in vacations).

So, in total, you're looking at needing a minimum of $67,700 (at the current exchange rate) for 4 years of tuition (but fees increase each year so could be more) and plus a further $35,200 for living costs for 4 years... so it'll cost you over $100,000 in total!!