Bachelor of Social Work | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Bachelor of Social Work

Do you have a passion for social justice, human rights, making a difference?

This degree produces graduates equipped to work with skill and passion to enhance the social wellbeing of individuals, groups and communities, both locally and globally. The social issues people experience in a dynamically changing world are often complex, and this program aims to produce graduates who can support change ethically across a diversity of needs, forms of disadvantage, and practice contexts. You'll learn through a rich combination of academic and extensive work practice knowledge and approaches. The program is underpinned by principles of human rights, social justice and integrity as the foundation for professional social work practice.

Study locations
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Moreton Bay
  • Fraser Coast
Refer to the program footnotes
CRICOS code
062654D
Commence
Semester 1, Semester 2
Program length (full-time)
4 years
Annual tuition fee 2020
A$25,000
Estimated total tuition fee *
A$100,000
Footnotes
  • Only a full-time option is available to international students on a Student visa. Online programs are not available to Student visa holders.
  • * Estimated tuition fees are based on 2025 rates. Refer to international fees for more information.
  • Not all majors/minors and elective options are available at every campus. You should refer to the What Can I Study tab, and the proposed study sequence for your chosen campus and intake for further information.
  • The full program will be available at Fraser Coast and Moreton Bay but offered progressively:
  • Fraser Coast - 2nd year 2020, 3rd year 2021, 4th year 2022
    Moreton Bay - 1st year 2020, 2nd year 2021, 3rd year 2022, 4th year 2023
Study locations QTAC code
  • Sunshine Coast 011151
  • Moreton Bay 014151
  • Fraser Coast 019251
  • Gympie 016151
Minimum selection threshold
ATAR - 59.40 OP - 16 Rank - 66
UniSC program code
AR362
Commence
Semester 1, Semester 2
Duration
4 years full time or equivalent part time
Study mode
Blended Learning
Recommended prior study
English
Other requirements
Applicants from a non-English speaking background should refer to the  English language requirements for further information.
Fee type 2020
  • Commonwealth supported places
Total courses
28
Total units
384
Footnotes
  • The full program will be available at Fraser Coast and Moreton Bay but offered progressively:
  • Fraser Coast - 2nd year 2020, 3rd year 2021, 4th year 2022
    Moreton Bay - 1st year 2020, 2nd year 2021, 3rd year 2022, 4th year 2023

This degree produces graduates equipped to work with skill and passion to enhance the social wellbeing of individuals, groups and communities, both locally and globally. The social issues people experience in a dynamically changing world are often complex, and this program aims to produce graduates who can support change ethically across a diversity of needs, forms of disadvantage, and practice contexts. You'll learn through a rich combination of academic and extensive work practice knowledge and approaches. The program is underpinned by principles of human rights, social justice and integrity as the foundation for professional social work practice.

Career opportunities
  • Health
  • Mental health
  • Disability
  • Schools
  • Policy development
  • Centrelink
  • Child protection
Graduates are eligible to become members of:
  • Australian Association of Social Workers.

This program is accredited with the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Program structure

Introductory courses (8) 96 units

COR109 Business Law and Ethics
COU176 World of Work: Your Pathway to Employment
COU180 Business, Governance and Society
SCS101 Sustainable Transport Systems
SCS110 Advanced Structural Analysis and Design
SCS130 Environmental Engineering
SWK100 Geotechnics and Geohydrology
SWK172 Management of Water Resources

Developing and Graduate courses (15) 228 units

SCS225 Engineering Project Management Principles
SCS235 Integrative Group Project
SWK200 Computational Analysis
SWK202 Advanced Computational Analysis
SWK251 Communication and Thought
SWK277 Group Processes and Practice
SWK278 Introductory Counselling Skills
SWK286 Foundations of Human Behaviour
SWK300 Australian Society: How does(n't) it work? - An Introduction to Sociology(36 units)
SWK302 Introduction to Indigenous Australia
SWK304 Introduction to Social Work Practice Theories
SWK306 Introduction to Social Work and Human Services
SWK400 Social Research(36 units)
SWK401 Social Justice, Welfare and the State
SWK407 Organisational and Legal Contexts for Practice

Elective courses (5) 60 units

Select 5 elective courses (60 units) from the undergraduate elective course options.

Students are encouraged to use these electives to study courses in the following discipline areas:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Behavioural Science
Counselling Skills
Criminology and Justice
Indigenous Studies
International and Human Rights
International Studies
Social Theory
Sustainability

Note: Program structures are subject to change. Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.

Total units: 384

Program requirements and notes

Program requirements

In order to graduate you must:

  • Successfully complete 384 units as outlined in the Program Structure
  • Successfully complete 2 field education placements (SWK301 Social Work Field Education 1 and SWK404 Social Work Field Education 2) in the third and fourth years of the program
  • Complete no more than 10 introductory level (100 coded) courses in total

In order to commence field education placement you must:

  • Hold a valid Blue Card, throughout the duration of your program, which is issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian (CCYPCG). You should allow 12 weeks for CCYPCG to issue the card. Note: students who do not possess a valid Blue Card will be unable to complete the field education component of their program and will be unable to meet graduation requirements
  • Have a National Criminal History check (by Queensland Police Service or other state/territory authority)
  • Travel to attend field education placements
  • Please note, while all endeavours will be made to place students in a given semester, this is not guaranteed and students may need to enrol at a later time should a position in an agency be unavailable in the preferred semester
Program notes
  • For Sippy Downs students some courses in this program will be taught at the Sunshine Coast Heath Institute
  • Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses) and following the recommended study sequence
  • The unit value of all courses is 12 units unless otherwise specified
  • It is each students responsibility to enrol correctly according to your course requisites, program rules and requirements and be aware of the academic calendar dates.
  • Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods which may include essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations
  • As part of your USC program, you may apply to Study Overseas to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider
  • Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa
  • Refer to the Managing your progression page for help in understanding your program structure, reviewing your progress and planning remaining courses.
  • Students commencing Semester 2, 2019 are to go to Curriculum Changes Blackboard site for recommended study sequence