Bachelor of Social Work

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Courses Australian courses Bachelor of Social Work

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Social Work

Bachelor of Social Work

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Location
Townsville, Cairns
External students must attend compulsory on-campus workshops at each year level.
Commencing
February, July
Duration
4 years full-time
Part-time available
Attendance mode
External, Internal, Mixed
Entry Requirements
OP 16 | English (4,SA)
ATAR 61.85 | English (Units 3/4,C)
QTAC Code
CNS: 321091
TSV: 311091
External: 311099

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Job growth for social workers increased by 83% in the five years to 2015, and this strong employment growth is predicted to continue. Qualities associated with Social Work are strong interpersonal relationship skills, analytical and problem-solving skills, and emotional maturity*. Our students have the knowledge to specialise in particular service areas including: aged care, public housing, drug addiction, child welfare, domestic violence, youth, disability, and mental health. Other roles social workers undertake include community work, counselling and mediation, and social policy research and development.

This course is accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). Graduates are eligible for full membership of AASW. Student preliminary membership is available.

*http://www.graduateopportunities.com/

JCU social workers aim to help people thrive in their environment, promote positive relationships and work towards creating a just and equitable society. They are concerned with the wellbeing of individuals, families, groups and communities. This is a professionally accredited course, and includes field placements from your third year.

JCU’s Bachelor of Social Work degree has a distinctive focus on international experience and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts for practice, and combines topics from a range of study areas, including:

  • Social welfare with families and children
  • Cross-cultural practice
  • Rural and remote practice
  • Psychology and mental health.

Our Bachelor of Social Work places a strong emphasis on professional practice experience, and practical skills are integrated from the third year onwards. In your third and final years of study you will have opportunities to participate in field placements. Each placement experience incorporates 500 hours of hands-on training with an accredited social work supervisor (1,000 hours in total).

Further information about placements can be found at Enrolment Policy – Coursework Students

Successful applicants require a Suitability to Work with Children (Blue Card) before undertaking placement. It is recommended that this requirement is completed by the end of your first semester/teaching period.
Additional Information

Learn to be equipped to become a force of change in society and the lives of individuals. Understand how to balance the structures of inequality built into modern societies through your Bachelor of Social Work studies with JCU.

Prepare to Make a Difference

Partner with JCU to gain the training you need to use your passion for justice. Learn how to promote effective relationships among people from diverse backgrounds. Develop the skills and knowledge to work with individuals, groups, families and whole communities as you study social work at JCU.

Attain a world-class education at JCU and receive hands-on experience in an international context. Work with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds and build the skills necessary to bring people together, while finding equitable solutions to society's most pressing problems.

Broaden Your Perspective

You will work in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to learn about the present while understanding the significance of our past. Gain a unique perspective on how social, historical and political issues have impacted our societies, cultures and the environment.

Your social work degree in Queensland is nationally accredited and allows you to take part in research that matters, promoting the welfare of families and rural communities. Advocate for the welfare of individuals, groups, families and whole communities through your studies at JCU.

Experience Life First-Hand

Gain first-hand experience working within cross-cultural situations. Work with issues of mental health and social welfare in the context of families with children. Develop critical insight through over 1,000 hours of hands-on, practical experience and learn how to address inequality head-on with viable solutions.

Work closely with marginalised people under the guidance of experienced lecturers committed to student success. Build active listening skills throughout your social work bachelor’s degree and learn how to develop strategies to address your client’s needs. Learn first-hand how social support programs succeed or fail.

Communicate Effective Change

Be equipped to promote meaningful change with your degree in social work - your ideas can make a difference. Through your studies at JCU, you will learn to consolidate information and present it in to your colleagues in creative and motivational ways.

The experience you gain through your studies will also give you the skill to empower others. You will become an agent of change, helping others take control of their lives and advocate to end social injustice and inequality in various cultural settings.

Learn Innovative Solutions

Develop sound judgment and effective listening skills to assess client needs and respond appropriately. Build your abilities in decision-making and promoting constructive solutions to problems in a way that benefits everyone involved.

Make a genuine difference in the lives of others where it is needed most with your social work degree from JCU. Your excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to solve problems effectively while learning will increase your employability. Whether you want to work in aged care, with children, or with people experiencing homelessness, drug addiction, or domestic violence, you will be prepared for a successful and meaningful future.
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Honours

The Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) degree is available for high-achieving students. It consists of extra study and the development of a personal research project and thesis. An Honours degree is usually essential for entry to research higher degrees.

Note the course QTAC code for the location you've chosen. You'll need to enter it as part of your QTAC application.

Townsville (311091) - Apply now
 Cairns (321091) - Apply now
 External (311099) - Apply now

OP Score/Rank is indicative only. Entry scores will be finalised in the major offer round.

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Bachelor of Social Work

Handbook year

2019

Course code

112510

Course type

Bachelor Degree (AQF Level 7)

Professional accreditation status

This course is accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). Graduates are eligible for full membership of AASW. Student preliminary membership is available.

Division

Division of Tropical Environments and Societies

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Course pre-requisites

English (4, SA)

Minimum English language proficiency requirements

Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 3a – Schedule II of the JCU Admissions Policy.

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

Clinical placement/professional practice:

This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements. Students may be required to undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense (Note: health professional courses generally involve extensive professional or clinical placements).

Further information about placements can be found at Enrolment Policy – Coursework Students.

Post admission requirements

On-campus attendance requirement:

The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) requires all students to demonstrate that they have attended 20 days on campus face-to-face through out their entire course. Students need to be aware that meeting the AASW attendance requirements does not mitigate the attendance requirements for specific subjects within this course. Throughout this course more than 20 days attendance face-to-face on campus may be required.

Honours: 

The embedded honours degree is available only to students admitted to the Bachelor of Social Work at this university.

A student may be invited by the College Dean to undertake the embedded honours degree if the student has satisfied the College requirements relating to the selection of subjects and the standard of academic achievement necessary to undertake the honours degree.

Under approved circumstances students may enrol in Honours part-time.

Suitability to Work with Children Card (blue card): 

This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements that may involve contact with children under 18 years of age. Students are required to obtain a Suitability to Work with Children Card (which involves a criminal history check undertaken by the Queensland Police) before the start of the first placement. Students must retain a current Suitability to Work with Children Card for the duration of their course, as failure to do so will result in the termination of their admission to the course.

For more information, refer to: Blue Card Services

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

96 credit points as per course structure

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of the Bachelor of Social Work, graduates will demonstrate an understanding of a broad and coherent body of knowledge, with depth in:

  • The underlying values, ethics, theories, professional practice and workplace contexts in the social work discipline

  • The unique, complex and contemporary relationships between social work and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their diverse histories and cultures

  • The impact of social, political and historical issues on environmental and social sustainability in Australia and internationally, with a focus on the tropics.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Social Work will be able to:

  • Review critically and analyse social systems, institutions, structures, processes, practices and inequities

  • Consolidate, synthesise and evaluate social policy and evidence to devise practical and knowledge solutions that reduce social barriers, inequalities and injustice

  • Communicate social work knowledge processes, practice and ethics clearly and coherently through well-developed literacy, numeracy and technological skills to a range of audiences

  • Manage service provision and professional practice to engage with and enable individuals, groups and communities to achieve social and environmental justice

  • Apply and adapt well-developed professional practice knowledge and skills, autonomously and in collaboration with others, to address social barriers, inequity and injustice across diverse contexts

  • Demonstrate initiative and well-developed judgement in engagement, planning, decision-making, problem-solving and provision and evaluation of specialist advice and functions, to achieve practice, organisational and/or policy outcomes

  • Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for own learning and professional development.

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

Level 1

PL1001:03 The Political World: An Introduction to Political Science

SY1001:03 Australian Society: An Introduction to Sociology or CY1001:03 Deviance, Crime and Society

WS1005:03 Human Rights and Social Issues

WS1006:03 Self in Professional Helping

PY1101:03 Exploring Psychology: from Brain to Practice or PY1102:03 Exploring Psychology: from Perception to Reality orPY1105:03 Psychology for Social Welfare Practice (Distance Education)

Level 2

SY2005:03 Qualitative Research

WS2121:03 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Skills and Frameworks for Practice

WS2510:03 Interpersonal Practice

WS2511:03 Professional Values and Ethics

WS2512:03 Organisational Practice

WS2513:03 Community Work

Level 3

WS3025:03 Group Work

WS3027:03 Social Welfare Work with Children and Families

WS3214:03 Developmental Approaches to Eco-Social Justice

WS3503:09 Field Education 1

WS3515:03 Social Work and Welfare Practice

Level 4

WS4005:03 Social Inquiry Analysis

WS4504:09 Field Education 2

WS4514:03 Theories for Social Work Practice

WS4503:03 Social Work and Mental Health

WS4511:03 Professional Development for Social Work Practice

OPTIONS

PL3002:03 Policy Analysis and Management or IA2022:03 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People as Colonial Subjects

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any IA subjects

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of specified WC, SY or CY subjects from List 1

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 2 or 3 undergraduate subjects or WS3513:03 Research Proposal Seminar, if wishing to enter the honours program

PLUS

Select 9 credit points of any undergraduate subjects

List 1

CY2001:03 Perspectives on Criminology

CY2002:03 Youth Deviance

SY2022:03 Family, Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Society

SY2100:03 Migration, Ethnicity and Belonging

SY2101:03 Sociology of Digital Life

WC2001:03 Australian Women’s Studies

Campus

COURSE AVAILABLE AT

NOTES

Cairns

Internal and Flexible Delivery

Townsville

Internal and Flexible Delivery

Candidature

Expected time to complete

4 years full-time or equivalent part-time

Maximum time to complete

11 years

Maximum leave of absence

3 years

Progression

Course progression requisites

Nil

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

Yes

Further information about placements can be found at: Enrolment Policy – Coursework Students.

Students may be required to undertake placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled at their own expense.

Special assessment requirements

Refer to Review of a Student’s Suitability to Continue a Course Involving Placement policy.

Professional accreditation requirements

Graduates are eligible for full membership of AASW. Student preliminary membership is available.

Maximum allowed Pass Conceded (PC) grade

Nil

Supplementary exam for final subject

Not applicable

Advanced Standing

Eligibility

Students may apply for advanced standing for previous tertiary study in accordance with the Credit and Articulation policy and associated procedures.

Maximum allowed

63 credit points

Currency

Advanced standing will be granted only for studies completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course.

Expiry

Advanced standing gained for any subject shall be cancelled 21 years after the date of the examination upon which the advanced standing is based if, by then, the candidate has not completed this course.

Other restrictions

Diploma:  Maximum 24 credit points (unspecified credit) at various year levels

Advanced Diploma:  Maximum 27 credit points.

24 credit points (unspecified credit – at various year levels) PLUS 3 credit points (specified - WS1006:03 Self in Professional Helping)

Award Details

Award title

BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK

Approved abbreviation

BSW

Inclusion of majors on testamur

Not applicable - this course does not have majors

Exit with lesser award

Students who have completed 24 credit points of their course award requirements, and withdraw from or fail to meet the requirements for progression in the later years, may be eligible for the award of Diploma of Tertiary Studies.

Course articulation

Students who successfully complete the entry requirements for the embedded honours program will be eligible to apply for entry to the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) [Embedded] after three years; or after successfully completing the BSW, students who successfully complete the entry requirements for the end-on honours program will be eligible to apply for entry to the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) [End-on].

Honours

Honours availability

Available as an additional 24 credit points of study [end-on] or as a 24 credit point [embedded] honours program.

Eligibility

By invitation of the College Dean

Normally at least a credit grade in four level 2 or level 3 social work subjects; and at least a distinction grade in at least two level 2 or level 3 social work subjects (including WS3513 Research Proposal Seminar) is required in the bachelor degree.

Annual Tuition Fee: $6,514. (Estimate only)

A Student Services and Amenities fee is also payable per subject up to a maximum amount per year.

A variety of Scholarships are available to suit different student types.

JCU offers pathway courses to help you move into a degree. Pathway courses provide you with an individualised study plan and specialised support as you transition to university. Contact us for more information.

Lecturers committed to your success

Learn from lecturers who are passionate about what they are teaching. Hear from Associate Professor Abraham Francis who explains why he is passionate about social work.

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