Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

What you will study

Students must complete 192 credit points to earn the Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) award. Unless otherwise indicated, each unit is worth 12 credit points.

Core units

• Issues of Protection
• Social Policy and Law for Social Work
• Social Work Foundations for Practice
• Social Work Direct Practice I
• Social Work Direct Practice II
• Social Work across the Lifespan
• Social Work in Groups and Communities
• Health and Indigenous Peoples
• Research for Social Work
• Social Work Organisations, Leadership and Management
• Social Work Field Placement I (36 credit points)
• Social Work Field Placement II (36 credit points)

Entry requirements

Students admitted are required to have completed a relevant three-year AQF Level 7 degree course that contains at least one year, or the equivalent, of full-time studies in the social and behavioural sciences.

English language requirements

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 course are as follows:

• Overall Score: 7.0
• Reading: Minimum 7.0
• Writing: Minimum 7.0
• Listening: Minimum 7.0
• Speaking: Minimum 7.0

Recognition of Prior Learning

Candidates, who have completed the SCU Bachelor of Community Welfare, or equivalent degree, may apply to have not more than 25% or four (4) units assessed for advanced standing, on a case-by-case basis.

Credit for Prior Learning, also referred to as ‘Advanced Standing’ or Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL), is the process of looking at your prior study and/or experience to assess if you can be awarded academic credit or gain entry to a course on the basis of your existing knowledge and skills.

For more information, contact the university or visit their website.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

• Ability to apply social work values, knowledge and skills in research processes to address client needs, organisational goals and social policy change.
• Ensure that client needs, organisational goals and community expectations of social work services are met in the most appropriate manner, using social work knowledge, skills and resources.
• Engage in direct social work practice, through mutual engagement and the application of knowledge, ethics and skills, to ensure that clients’ needs are met, that their potential is developed and that their control over their lives is fostered.
• Promote and implement policies and practices to achieve a fair, equitable and efficient allocation of social resources and identify inappropriate or inequitable policy goals and outcomes.
• Demonstrate a commitment to continually increase professional knowledge and skills and to continuing education and lifelong learning.
• Effectively communicate with a wide range of stakeholders, including clients, colleagues and managers, within a multi-disciplinary team environment.
• Ability to apply knowledge of organisational and societal systems and processes to identify inequality and ensure appropriate action is taken so that social barriers, inequality and injustice are reduced.

Career outcomes

Graduates of this degree will qualify as social workers in Australia. Graduates may also be eligible to apply to work as social workers overseas.

Graduates will be suited to employment in a wide range of jobs in the health and community services sectors. These include positions that are designated solely for social work-qualified staff (e.g. in hospitals), as well as other human services jobs that are open to other graduates. Graduates may be employed in organisations such as Centrelink, public and private hospitals, child protection agencies, Australian Defence Force, domestic violence services, housing and homelessness agencies, aged care and disability services, mental health agencies, family counselling agencies, rehabilitation services and private practice.

Fees and CSP

Estimated tuition fee in 2025: $18,624 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Estimated tuition fee in 2025: $51,760 (domestic full-fee paying place)

Estimated tuition fees are calculated based on a full-time study load of 192 credit points.

A student’s fee may vary depending on:

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

You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.

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 only need to pay some 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 unit you're enrolled in.
• Depending on the study areas they relate to.
• Reviewed and adjusted each year.

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.