This program is new for 2025. The Guaranteed ATAR/Selection Rank for Trimester 1, 2025 entry is 68.00.

Make an impact and give back to your community

Want to help people and drive change at a local, national or global level? Feel passionate about social justice and human rights? Study our Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) and be the change that helps those when they need it most.

In this degree, you'll develop the skills to work with individuals, families, groups and communities in a broad range of roles including counselling and advocacy. You'll develop your critical thinking skills and explore the values and ethics of the profession, including promoting social justice, diversity, equity, and a commitment to the rights and needs of the people with whom you work.

You'll study human service structures and processes, human behaviour and development, equity and diversity, social work theories, different fields of social work practice, counselling, group and community work, ethics, program evaluation, advanced research and leadership. Graduates of this degree will be highly proficient in all core areas of social work practice and research and feel job-ready to undertake diverse careers in areas such as community development, mental health support, First Nations services, policy development, aged care and youth work.

Practical experience

During your degree, you'll gain first-hand experience of social work practice by completing two field placements.

You'll be supervised by a qualified social worker for the duration of the field placement, which is a valuable opportunity to strengthen your professional helping skills, apply your academic knowledge, and experience social work practice in the real world. You will gain unique industry experience with placements in major government and non-government organisations including in hospitals, child protection, domestic violence, community and mental health fields.

In some situations, it may be possible to negotiate a workplace-based field placement, and it may be possible to apply for recognition of prior learning for a placement if you are already working in the field.

Honours

This Honours degree gives you the flexibility to choose between coursework or a dissertation.

If you choose to continue on the professional path (coursework), you'll advance your skills in policy and legislation, practice and leadership, evaluation and outcomes.

If you choose to undertake a dissertation, and meet eligibility requirements, you will have the opportunity to develop critical research skills, paving the way for further study of graduate research degrees. Research skills are highly valued in the social work field, and graduates with these skills can engage in research and evaluation in many employment contexts.

Whether you choose the dissertation or professional practice option, you will stand out as a competitive social worker with advanced clinical and research skills ready for the future workforce. Your employment prospects will be strengthened by completing an Honours degree.

Academic entry requirements (by country)

Academic entry requirements apply to International applicants for this program. You can view the academic entry requirements for this program here.

Bachelor of Social Work (1372) Students:

Eligibility to enrol in the Dissertation courses is determined by the Program Director and will be subject to the following criteria:

• achievement of a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 5.5 for all coursework after year 2 of the program;
• achievement of a minimum grade of 5.0 for 2002HSV Human Services Research; and
• the resources available to support the candidature including the availability of appropriate supervision.

Middle Eastern Secondary School Leaving Certificate (Tawjihiyah)

Grade average of 78 in the final year results OR successful completion of a recognised pre-tertiary or foundation program OR successful completion of one year study at a recognised tertiary or higher education institution is required in addition to the completion of High School studies.

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are:

• A minimum overall band score of 7.0 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 7.0 ; OR
• an overall score of 65 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 65; OR
• a minimum score of 580 on TOEFL; OR
• an internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 92 (no score less than 22); OR
• no score less than 4 in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only); OR
• a minimum overall score of 185 (no score less than 176) on C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English)

* The ISLPR test will only be accepted if it has been administered by ISLPR Language Services, 9 Gowrie Street, Mt Gravatt, Queensland.

We will accept English language test scores from one test sitting OR a maximum of two test sittings in a six month period only if the following criteria are met:

• IELTS (Academic): A minimum overall score of 7.0 is achieved in each sitting and the applicant achieves a minimum of 7.0 in each component across the two sittings and no score in any component of the test is below 6.5

English test results must be no more than two years old.

The Direct Entry Program (DEP) pathway is not accepted for this program.

The above requirements are HIGHER than those stipulated in University policy. Applicants should refer to the English Language Proficiency Schedule for further information.

Enrolled students and graduates of this program will be eligible to apply for registration with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) subject to meeting any additional requirements that may be stipulated by the AASW. As these requirements may change from time to time, students should contact the AASW to confirm registration requirements. Please refer to the AASW website for further details: Australian Association of Social Workers.

Social workers make an impact on the lives of others through professional practice, working with individuals, families, groups and communities.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) are ethical and innovative thinkers, effective communicators, problem solvers, change facilitators and leaders. This degree has a strong focus on critical reflection and ethical practice, which will enhance your employment opportunities.

You'll be prepared for a wide range of social work roles including community work; advocacy, research, planning and policy development, management and administration.

Fields of practice include child and family welfare including child protection, health and mental health, counselling, youth and adolescents including school social work, youth and adult offending, hospital and community health settings, working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people from diverse cultures including migrants and refugees, LGBTIQA+ individuals and communities, disability and neurodiversity, alcohol and other drugs, housing and homelessness, aged care, palliative care and end-of-life, employment and income support.

Other career options may include community development, family support, foster care services, disability services, environmental and disaster work, international social work and humanitarian work, multicultural services, services for women and many other social welfare organisations. Many social workers are employed in policy roles within government, and can engage with political processes, including work in rural, regional and remote areas.

If you complete an Honours disseration, you'll have the opportunity to develop critical research skills, paving the way for further study of graduate research degrees.