Master of Social Work

What you will study

To earn the Master of Social Work, you must successfully complete units totalling 16 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 1 credit point.

Core units

• Australian Social Work in an International Context
• Understanding Care and Risk
• Becoming a Social Worker
• Challenging Poverty and Social Exclusion
• Professional Practice in Social Work A (3 credit points)
• Research Methods in Health and Social Development
• Addressing Violence and Abuse
• Practising Social Work with Communities and Groups
• Responding to Trauma, Grief and Loss
• Reconstructing Professional Practice

Pathway options

Complete one of the following pathways.

Research Pathway

• Minor Research Project A
• Minor Research Project B
• Professional Practice in Social Work Research (2 credit points)

Students must achieve a minimum weighted average mark of 60 to be eligible for the Research Pathway.

Practice Pathway

• Australian Aboriginal Holistic Health and Healing
• Professional Practice in Social Work B (3 credit points)
   

Although the course is primarily delivered online, students must attend at least 20 days of face-to-face learning throughout the degree to meet professional accreditation requirements.

Compulsory intensive seminars are linked to individual units. Students must also attend relevant in-person placement and pre-placement activities.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

• Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in a related discipline.
• The completed degree must include at least one year of full-time study or equivalent, in the social and behavioural sciences.
• Applicants must possess the skills and prerequisites required to complete the course, gain professional certification and practise safely.

Relevant social and behavioural science disciplines may include anthropology, community development, criminology, economics, gender studies, geography, Indigenous studies, international relations, law, sociology, counselling, psychology, nursing, midwifery, medicine, allied health, community services, education, policy, political science and public health.

This list is indicative rather than exhaustive. Eligibility is determined by the content of the units successfully completed within the applicant’s previous qualification.

Selection also considers academic merit, work experience, likelihood of success, availability of places, participation and regulatory requirements and individual circumstances. Entry is competitive and places are limited. Meeting the minimum academic and English language requirements does not guarantee admission.

Important exclusion

Graduates of a Bachelor of Social Work or Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) are not eligible for admission because these qualifications already prepare graduates for professional social work practice and eligibility to apply for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers.

English language requirements

Applicants must provide evidence of at least one of the following:

• A bachelor’s degree completed in a recognised English-speaking country.
• An IELTS overall score of 7.0, with no individual band score below 7.0, or an accepted equivalent.
• Other accepted evidence of English language proficiency.

Contact the university for further information.

Mandatory student checks

Before commencing professional placement, students must complete and maintain the following requirements:

• A Police Record Check for each calendar year in which they undertake a placement.
• A Working with Children Check or state or territory equivalent.
• A National Disability Insurance Scheme Worker Screening Check.
• Evidence of an immunisation status that meets the requirements of the relevant placement organisation.

Students are responsible for the associated costs. Failure to satisfy these requirements may prevent students from commencing a mandatory placement and delay their progress through the course.

Inherent requirements

Applicants and students must be able to meet the inherent requirements of the course. These describe the skills, values and behaviours required to complete the degree, gain professional certification and practise social work safely.

Contact the university for further 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

• Critically apply understanding of the histories, aims, values, ethics, theories and practice approaches of social work in contemporary Australian contexts, across all domains including working with individuals, families, groups, communities, management, research education and social policy.
• Practice social work reflectively in line with the code of ethics and professional practice standards of the Australian Association of Social Workers.
• Evaluate and apply appropriate communication and interpersonal skills in a broad range of social work practice contexts and with a diversity of people, communities and organisations.
• Use digital technology in social work practice ethically and appropriately, including service provision and management, information acquisition and dissemination, and research and evaluation.
• Critically analyse, synthesise and apply knowledge of social work theories, methods and skills to promote positive social change.
• Engage in reflective and responsive practice that considers the social context, and the positioning of self and others.
• Evaluate and apply knowledge and understanding of a range of research paradigms and methods to the design and conduct of research relevant to the practice and evaluation of social work.
• Apply social work knowledge and intervention skills to appropriately and creatively respond to the needs of individuals, groups and communities in diverse settings, client groups and geographic locations.
• Demonstrate a sense of identity, integrity and self-management as a professional social worker in all areas of practice.
• Demonstrate the capacity to engage in professional supervision, be accountable for professional decisions and actions, and recognise the need to engage in on-going professional development, including supervision.
• Work and learn respectfully and inclusively in collaborative intra and inter disciplinary settings.
• Work and learn across diverse social, cultural and political locations.
• Enact acknowledgement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians into social work practice.
• Evaluate and apply local and global knowledges of the social, political, cultural, legal and economic contexts of social work practice to respond effectively within a human rights and social justice framework.

Career outcomes

Graduates are prepared for professional social work practice across local, national and international health, human and community service settings. Potential career opportunities include:

• Social worker
• Policy officer
• Researcher
• Community development worker
• Case manager
• Counsellor
• Human rights advocate

Fees and CSP

Indicative annual fee in 2027: $9,881 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Indicative annual fee in 2027: $27,800 (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.