Master of Social Work (Qualifying)

What you will study

To earn the Master of Social Work (Qualifying), you must successfully complete units totalling 400 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 25 credit points.

Core units

• Social Work in Contemporary Australia
• Mental Health Recovery
• Social Work Practice with Individuals, Children and Families (50 credit points)
• Social Work Understandings and Responses to Violence, Abuse and Trauma
• Introduction to Social Work Field Education (100 credit points)
• Groups and Communities
• Professional Identity and Decision-Making
• Research for Social Work Practice
• Advanced Social Work Field Education (100 credit points)

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, you must meet one of the following:

• Hold a relevant bachelor’s degree that includes the equivalent of at least one year of full-time study in the social sciences, covering the study of individuals and society.
• Demonstrate equivalent prior learning, which may include appropriate professional experience, subject to assessment by Curtin.

Entry is competitive. Applications are assessed using factors including academic performance, relevant professional experience, a personal statement and a referee report.

Applicants whose previous degree does not contain sufficient relevant social science study may be required to complete approved bridging units before commencing the master’s course.

Supporting documents: Applicants must provide a current CV or résumé, one relevant referee report and a personal statement of no more than 500 words.

The personal statement should address:

• Why you want to study the Master of Social Work (Qualifying).
• Your knowledge and understanding of individuals, society and the social construction of experience.
• Your experience working with or supporting people from diverse populations.

Fieldwork and compliance requirements

Students complete 1,000 hours of supervised field education through two separate field placements. The placements must be completed:

• Full-time.
• Across two field education semesters.
• In two separate calendar years.

Before undertaking fieldwork, students may be required to provide:

• A satisfactory criminal record screening or clearance.
• A valid Working with Children Check.
• Evidence of vaccinations required by the placement provider.
• Any additional compliance documentation required by Curtin or the host organisation.

English language requirements

Applicants need to demonstrate a high level of English proficiency. You can meet this requirement by achieving:

• IELTS Academic overall band score of 7.5, with a minimum score of 7.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Equivalent English-language evidence may be considered where accepted under Curtin’s English-language requirements. Contact the university or visit its website for more information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help reduce the number of units you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

• Develop, integrate and critically apply social work values, knowledge and principles; provide assessment and intervention that informs consumers and the practice context.
• Work inclusively and creatively across diverse practice contexts; provide accountable and responsive leadership; demonstrate professional behaviour consistent with social work values, principles, ethics and practice standards.
• Demonstrate knowledge of relevant national and international social policies and practice standards to synthesise understanding of the interrelationship between local and global issues and apply an intersectional analysis to social policy domains.
• Apply appropriate communication and interpersonal skills using a variety of media relevant to the audience, guided by the ethical principles of the social work profession, which are underpinned by pursuing social justice and upholding human rights.
• In social work practice with individuals, families, groups, communities and organisations, use appropriate technologies to research, evaluate and synthesise information, involving communicating knowledge within and beyond the discipline of Social Work, which generates sustainable solutions relevant to diverse contexts.
• Establish and sustain intellectual curiosity using various learning strategies, including research-informed practice, professional development and supervision.
• Value and respect the knowledge of Indigenous Australians; understand the effects of Australia’s colonial history and demonstrate advanced culturally responsive and inclusive practices; demonstrate commitment to social justice, including human rights.

Career outcomes

Graduates may be employed in urban, rural or remote settings, in health, child protection, education, mental health, non-government, community, aged care, refugee and social policy fields of practice. Work opportunities exist throughout Australia and internationally through recognition of the degree with the International Federation of Social Workers.

Fees and CSP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $10,800 (Commonwealth Supported Place).

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $30,222 (Full-fee paying place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

• The number of units studied.
• Choice of units.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

Commonwealth Supported Places

The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.

If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.

Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.

Your student contribution amount is:

• Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
• Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
• Reviewed and adjusted each year.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.