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Make a real difference with social work and expand your career opportunities in this professionally accredited course, recognised by the Australian Association of Social Workers. Gain expertise in improving the lives of others with critical skills in social work tailored to the unique and complex challenges of individuals, families, groups and communities.

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Set for success

1000 hours of placement experience

Make a difference

Work where it matters most

Flexible delivery

Make study work for you

Townsville: February, July
Cairns: February, July

$8,021.00⁺

$23,240.00^{^}

⁺estimated annual Commonwealth Supported Fee for a full-time study load

^{^}estimated annual tuition fee for a full-time study load

Plus Student Services and Amenities fee
Fee deferral and scholarships available if eligible

2 years full-time

or part-time equivalent

AQF level 7 bachelor degree in a relevant discipline other than Social Work that includes a minimum of 1 year full-time study in social and behavioural sciences; or equivalent

103804

What to expect

Enhance your current qualifications and gain the critical skills to improve the lives of others, working towards creating a just and equitable society. This specialist postgraduate professional qualifying course, recognised by the Australian Association of Social Workers is designed to give you valuable opportunities to gain practical professional experience in social work practice and social welfare agencies, both in Australia and overseas.

Acquire valuable hands-on experience working with individuals, families, groups and communities through on-campus classes and/or residential workshops. JCU’s world-class lecturers provide consistent support and regular feedback to help you get the most out of your learning experience.

Students complete a series of essential core subjects, tailored to the unique and complex challenges of individuals, families, groups and communities. Subjects consider global and contemporary Australian issues and international perspectives with those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Work while you study with JCU’s flexible delivery options. You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning for one field education placement if you already have significant social welfare and human services experience.

View the handbook for a detailed overview of subjects.

Career Opportunities

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) graduates are highly employable and make a difference in a variety of settings.

You could pursue a career as a social worker in government and non-government organisations throughout Australia or internationally.

Graduates find employment in areas like hospital and community health services, mental health services, child protection services, youth and family services.

You could work in a range of occupations, such as case work with individuals and families, community work and development roles, or social policy, research and advocacy roles.

Handbook

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Handbook year	2022
Course code	103804
Course type	Masters Degree (Coursework) (AQF Level 9)
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.
Owner	Division of Tropical Environments and Societies
College	Arts, Society and Education

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Course pre-requisites	Completion of an approved AQF level 7 bachelor degree in a relevant discipline other than an Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) recognised social work degree that contains at least one year, or the equivalent, of full-time studies in social and behavioural sciences.
Minimum English language proficiency requirements	Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 3c – 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 Coursework Enrolment Procedure.
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 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. Students commencing in Study Period 1 (SP1) are required to attend either Cairns or Townsville campus for up to 5 days of compulsory workshops within the first 4 weeks of the semester and up to 5 days of compulsory workshops during the scheduled Lecture Recess. Students commencing in Study Period 2 (SP2) are required to attend Townsville campus for up to 5 days of compulsory workshops during the third week of lectures and up to 5 days of compulsory workshops during the scheduled Lecture Recess. For Cairns based students who commence in SP2, any additional costs incurred to attend the Townsville campus will be at the students own expense. 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

48 credit points as per course structure

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of the Master of Social Work (PQ), graduates will be able to:

Demonstrate understanding of an advanced and integrated body of knowledge, with depth in the underlying values, ethics, theories, research principles and methods, professional practice and workplace contexts in the social work discipline
Reflect critically on the unique, complex and contemporary relationships between social work and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and their diverse histories and cultures
Reflect critically on the impact of complex social, political and historical issues on environmental and social sustainability in Australia and internationally, with a focus on the tropics
Investigate, analyse critically and transform complex social systems, institutions, structures, processes, practices and inequities
Consolidate, synthesise, research and evaluate recent developments in social policy and evidence to devise practical and knowledge solutions that reduce social barriers, inequalities and injustice
Interpret and communicate, to specialist and non-specialist audiences, theoretical propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions in the social work discipline through advanced literacy, numeracy and technological skills
Design, plan and execute a substantial research based project
Manage service provision and professional practice to engage with and enable individuals, groups and communities to achieve social and environmental justice
Apply and adapt expert and specialised professional practice knowledge and skills, autonomously and in collaboration with others, to address social barriers, inequity and injustice across diverse contexts
Demonstrate creativity and initiative, and expert judgement and adaptability in engagement, planning, decision-making, problem-solving, provision and evaluation of specialist advice and functions, to achieve practice, organisational, policy and/or system level outcomes
Demonstrate high-level responsibility and accountability for own learning and professional development.

Inherent Requirements

Inherent Requirements	Inherent requirements are the fundamental abilities, attributes, skills and behaviours needed to complete the learning outcomes of a course while preserving the academic integrity of the university’s learning, assessment and accreditation processes. Students and prospective students must be able to demonstrate that they have acquired or have the ability to acquire the inherent requirements for their degree.
Reasonable adjustments	Reasonable adjustments may be made to assist students manage additional circumstances impacting on their studies provided these do not change the academic integrity of a degree. Reasonable adjustments do not alter the need to be able to demonstrate the inherent requirements of the course.

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

WS5517:06 Foundations for Social Work Practice

WS4503:03 Social Work and Mental Health

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

WS4514:03 Theories for Social Work Practice

WS5304:06 Field Education 1

WS3027:03 Social Welfare Practice with Children and Families

WS5103:03 Community Development

WS5005:03 Social Policy Analysis

SS5103:06 Post-Graduate Research Methods for the Social Sciences

WS5611:03 Professional Development for Social Work Practice

WS5605:09 Advanced Social Work Practicum

Location

COURSE AVAILABLE AT

NOTES

JCU Cairns

Mixed-mode attendance

JCU Cairns-based and external students who commence mid-year must travel to JCU Townsville twice during their first study period to attend compulsory workshops, as described in the post-admission requirements.

JCU Townsville

Mixed-mode attendance

Candidature

Expected time to complete	2 years full-time or part-time equivalent
Maximum time to complete	5 years
Maximum leave of absence	1 year

Progression

Course progression requisites	Nil
Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)	Yes Further information about placements can be found at Coursework Enrolment Procedure. 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	Nil
Supplementary exam for final subject	A student who has failed the final subject towards the award and who gained 40% or more of the marks for that subject, may be granted a supplementary examination in that subject. However if that subject is required for accreditation, then the criteria specified by that accreditation will apply.

Credit

Eligibility	Students may apply for a credit transfer for previous tertiary study or informal and non-formal learning in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure
Maximum allowed	24 credit points
Currency	Credit will be granted only for studies completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course.
Expiry	Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 15 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the student has not completed this course.
Other restrictions	Nil

Award Details

Award title	MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK (PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING)
Approved abbreviation	MSW(PQ)
Inclusion of majors on testamur	Not applicable - this course does not have majors
Exit with lesser award	Not applicable
Course articulation	Not applicable

Fees and scholarships

Estimated annual Commonwealth Supported fee: $AUD8,021.00

Estimated annual tuition fee: $AUD23,240.00

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

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

Pathways to JCU

Consult the admission requirements section in the Handbook for prerequisites and pathways into this course.

How to apply

Complete an online application through our Online Application Portal.

Student

Chandandeep Chirag Patel

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

We don’t only study what’s written in the book. They invite guest lecturers from the profession, from the field itself, so it gives us knowledge of what is going on currently in the market. The entire course curriculum is outstanding and that’s the reason I’m here.
Alumni

Valarie Derwent

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

The wealth and depth of knowledge I gained through the Master of Social Work, in addition to being able to grow personally and professionally, has been amazing. I am now a school counsellor – a role not easily attained by Social Workers – but through this course, my dream became a reality.
Lecturer

Associate Professor Abraham Francis

Head, Social Work

JCU Social Work is grounded on the principles of social justice and human rights. We welcome our students to be connected to the grassroots realities around them. We need competent, confident, and compassionate social workers and human service professionals in the field, and we inspire our students to be change agents.
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.

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Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Set for success

Make a difference

Flexible delivery

Location

Commencing

Fees

Duration

Entry Requirements

Course Code

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Inherent Requirements

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

Location

Candidature

Progression

Credit

Award Details

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Set for success

Make a difference

Flexible delivery

Fast Facts

Location

Commencing

Fees

Duration

Entry Requirements

Course Code

Course detail

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Inherent Requirements

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

Location

Candidature

Progression

Credit

Award Details

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