Bachelor of Social Work

The Bachelor of Social Work prepares students for employment in a complex, diverse and changing environment.

Human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work, according to the International Federation of Social Work definition of the profession. Graduates are expected to be reflective, versatile and skilled in a range of practice areas, and able to translate professional values into action.

Social workers may use many different types of intervention such as community work; individual and family counselling; group work; policy development; advocacy; and research.

They work in varied contexts such as health services, aged care, women’s services, disability services, child and family services, international development, and migration and refugee services.

Degree structure and requirements

Bachelor of Social Work

The Bachelor of Social Work requirements are detailed in the Course RulesSocial Work unit of study table. and the Social Work unit of study table.

To qualify for the award of the Bachelor of Social Work degree, students must complete 192 credit points in total, comprising:

• 150 credit points of units of study as listed in the the Social Work unit of study table.
• 18 credit points of 2000 or 3000 level units of study selected from Table A Subject Areas or from Table S.

Honours

In third year, Honours students participate in research seminars to provide them with a higher level of research skills and analysis. Students work closely with a faculty member, who acts as their supervisor in fourth year on a research project involving original data and deepening student’s capacity to undertake rigorous, theory-engaged, social justice-linked research. Students produce a research report that demonstrates their capacity to participate in a social research project and reflect critically on it.

Contacts and further information

Bachelor of Social Work Program Director: A/Prof Amanda Howard
Email:

School website: Sydney School of Education and Social Work. See the website for location and counter opening hours for the Office of Professional Engagement and Program Support.
Email:

Example pathway

Year and Semester		Units of Study
Year 1	Sem 1	SCLG1001 Introduction to Sociology 1	SCWK1001 Social Justice Practice	1000-level unit of study (Table A or S)	1000-level unit of study (Table A or S)
	Sem 2	SCLG1002 Introduction to Sociology 2	SCWK1002 Introduction to Human Services	1000-level unit of study (Table A or S)	1000-level unit of study (Table A or S)
Year 2	Sem 1	SCWK2007 Life Course Perspectives on Development	SCPL2601 Australian Social Policy	SCWK2006 Research Skills for Social Change Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE	2000-level unit of study (Table A or S)
	Sem 2	SCWK2008 Social Perspectives on Mental Health	SCWK2009 Indigenous Australians and Social Work	2000 or 3000-level unit of study (Table A or S)	2000 or 3000-level unit of study (Table A or S)
Year 3	Sem 1	SCWK3006 Issue Based Learning Unit 1	SCWK3007 Issue Based Learning Unit 2	SCWK3008 Professional Practice
	Sem 2	SCWK3005 Field Education 1 OR SCWK3009 Social Work Preliminary Honours and SCWK3010 Field Education 1 Honours
Year 4	Sem 1	SCWK4003 Issue Based Learning Unit 3		SCWK4005 Field Education 2A
	Sem 2	SCWK4002 Integrative Studies 402	SCWK4004 Issue Based Learning Unit 4	SCWK4006 Field Education 2B OR SCWK4007 Field Education 2B Honours and SCWK4008 Social Work Research Disseration