Fast Facts
Location
Some compulsory on-campus attendance is required for online students.
Commencing
- Online: January, May, September
- Townsville: January, May, September
- Cairns: January, May, September
Fees
$9,537+
+
estimated annual Commonwealth Supported Fee for a full-time study load. Please note this estimate is variable and subject to fluctuation depending on choice of elective subjects.
see fees and scholarships for more
Currently displaying fees for 2026, which are subject to change in following years.
Duration
4 years full-time
7 years part-time
Entry Requirements
ATAR 62
English (Units 3/4,C)
QTAC Codes
- 311099
- 311091
- 321091
Course detail
A Bachelor of Social Work from JCU provides you with the practical skills and experience to begin a rewarding career, with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, International and tropical communities.
Learn how to effectively promote positive relationships and champion a just and equitable society. You will study core subjects including social work with families and children, cross-cultural practice, eco-social justice, psychology and mental health. You'll benefit from the expertise of passionate educators, state-of-the-art social research technology and real-world case studies with an emphasis on sustainability and advocacy, as you learn to become a social worker in Queensland, or within rural, remote or metropolitan areas across Australia.
Apply your theoretical knowledge to extensive field placements in your third and fourth years. Learn from leading social workers and build effective relationships with diverse cultures, including rural, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. You could also participate in field trips to India and Thailand.
JCU Social Work graduates are confident, high-achieving professionals with the skillset to succeed in a rewarding global workforce.
Graduates of this course are eligible for full membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
Additional information
Gain credit with a Diploma qualification:
Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management – 8 subjects (or one year full-time equivalent study)
Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs – 8 subjects (or one year full-time equivalent study)
Diploma of Child Youth and Family Intervention – 8 subjects (or one year full-time equivalent study)
Diploma of Community Development – 8 subjects (or one year full-time equivalent study)
Diploma of Community Services – 8 subjects (or one year full-time equivalent study)
Diploma of Counselling – 8 subjects (or one year full-time equivalent study)
Diploma of Mental Health - 8 subjects (or one year full-time equivalent study)
Diploma of Youth Work – 8 subjects (or one year full-time equivalent study)
Apply for credit at https://www.jcu.edu.au/students/enrolment/study-credit.
About JCU's Bachelors Degree in Social Work
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.
Study Social Work and 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 with JCU's Social Work Degree in Queensland
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 During Your Bachelor of Social Work
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.
Hide additional information
View the Handbook for a detailed overview of available subjects, as well as pre-placement requirements.
Inherent requirements
Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University’s learning, assessment,and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please review the inherent requirements for the Bachelor of Social Work.
JCU Social Work graduates are equipped to advocate for social justice and change in a broad range of environments.
Graduates pursue careers in Australia and overseas in aged care, public housing, child welfare, government agencies, drug and alcohol support, domestic violence, Indigenous health, not-for-profit groups, education, private and public hospitals, and more.
You could find employment as a child protection officer, mental health counsellor, health policy officer, health services manager, social worker, youth worker, or school counsellor.
Social workers can be involved in supporting individuals, groups and communities to respond and adapt to a changing climate.
Entry score threshold
These are the lowest adjusted scores we made an offer to in Trimester 1, 2025. Entry scores are based on the most recent Trimester 1 intake and are updated in June each year. Meeting the threshold doesn't guarantee admission.
ATAR/Selection Rank: 62.00
Entry score range
This table shows the range of entry scores for recent secondary students offered a place in the Bachelor of Social Work for Trimester 1, 2025. The table includes offers deferred to Trimester 1, 2025, which may have been assessed using the entry score threshold of an earlier year.
JCU Townsville
Without adjustments | With adjustments* | |
|---|---|---|
Highest | 90.05 | 92.05 |
Median | 76.80 | 77.80 |
Lowest | 68.00 | 70.00 |
JCU Cairns
Without adjustments | With adjustments* | |
|---|---|---|
Highest | 79.35 | 83.35 |
Median | 69.10 | 71.10 |
Lowest | 68 | 70.00 |
External
Without adjustments | With adjustments* | |
|---|---|---|
Highest | <5 | <5 |
Median | <5 | <5 |
Lowest | <5 | <5 |
Notes:
<5 – indicates less than 5 OP/ATAR-based offers made.
* Refer to Adjustment Factors
Find out more about who you might study with by viewing this course’s student profile.
Adjustment factors
James Cook University applies bonus ranks under the Regional Preference Scheme and QTAC’s Educational Access Scheme (EAS). Learn more about JCU’s adjustment factors.
- The Indicative First-Year Fee represents the approximate cost of studying full-time for one academic year (24 credit points) in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
- This figure should be used as a guide only.
- Actual fees will depend on:
- The specific subjects you choose to study.
- Your individual study load.
- For detailed information, please check your student contribution amount (per subject) on our Commonwealth Support Fees and Payment options page.
- Fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change by the Department of Education and JCU.
Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships
Full-time domestic students in this course are eligible to apply for the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship. These consist of yearly payments of $10,000, for the expected full-time duration of your degree. For undergraduate students, this is four years, or a total of $40,000, and postgraduate students receive $20,000 over two years. If you choose to complete your final professional placement in a government school located in a remote area, you may also be eligible for an additional $2000 payment.
Successful applicants are required to make either a four-year (undergraduate) or two-year (postgraduate) commitment to teaching in a government school. You must fulfil this commitment within 10 years.
Fees
Estimated annual Commonwealth Supported fee: $AUD4,738
A variety of Scholarships are available to suit different student types.
Learn more about fees and financial support
Estimated annual Commonwealth Supported fee: $AUD9,537.00
A variety of Scholarships are available to suit different student types.
Learn more about fees and financial support
JCU Prep provides a pathway into this course. Enrolling in this flexible program will enable you to meet entry requirements including subject pre-requisites and ATARs. Introductory academic subjects are also available to prepare you for tertiary study.
*Excludes entry into the Bachelor of Advanced Science, Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Physiotherapy, and Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours).
Note the course QTAC code for the location you've chosen. You'll need to enter it as part of your QTAC application.
Application dates vary between courses, whether they're delivered in semester, trimester or carousel study modes. View our Application due dates page for more information.
ATAR score is indicative only. Entry scores will be finalised in the major offer round.
Real stories
-
Student
Brodie Kuhn
Bachelor of Social Work
JCU offers a Social Work curriculum that’s up-to-date on national and international social change and development issues. There’s also the opportunity to put theory into practice during field placements.
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Alumni
Wesley Bennet
Bachelor of Social Work
I work at ACT for Kids as a social worker and therapist. I come from an Aboriginal family – I’m the first person in my family to go to university. Studying Social Work was great because it gave me the opportunity to work with other Indigenous families. This career is so rewarding and interesting. You won’t regret it.
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Lecturer
Alice Scott
Bachelor of Social Work
Social work is really dynamic, and graduates can work with people from different backgrounds and cultures. They begin to understand the human experience of life. At JCU, our point of difference is getting to know your lecturers. Being able to meet with them on-campus for support is unique and valuable to our students.
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Employer
Ross Murray
North Queensland President, Australian Association of Social Workers
Employing and working alongside JCU Social Work graduates has been a seamless process of securing well trained and supported graduates. The standout attributes we have observed with graduates in our workplace is the level of preparedness and readiness to provide productive clinical services on start of employment.