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Undergraduate

Bachelor of Social Work

Domestic students
Bachelor of Social Work (BSWK)
Entry requirements
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Study mode
  • External
Campus
  • -
Duration
  • 4 year(s) (or part-time equivalent)
Start
  • Feb, May
Intakes
Note: This degree includes mandatory residential school courses and workshops at the UniSQ Toowoomba campus.

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Overview

  • Become a practice-ready graduate practitioner and be a catalyst for change, dedicated to achieving social justice, inclusion and wellbeing. 
  • Everyone deserves to feel supported and treated fairly. Study UniSQ’s Bachelor of Social Work online and develop the skills you need to help in a time of need - whether it be a personal crisis, concern about a child’s welfare, assisting community groups, or navigating recovery after illness. 
  • You will build the skills you need to work clinically with individuals and families; co-develop community solutions to address inequalities and structural disadvantage; and advocate for justice through policy and legislative change. 
  • Are you from a rural, remote or regional area and acknowledge a demand for social workers? Give back to your region and work with community to co-develop strategies and solutions that address that need. Create change in the regions that need it most.
  • Within UniSQ’s social work courses you will experience two 500-hour industry-based placements. Typically taken in the later years of your degree, you will be mentored and supervised by an experienced social worker in a chosen field of practice, from domestic and family violence services to schools, or an emergency department in a hospital.
  • Extending beyond the delivery of traditional social work, as a UniSQ graduate you will be an excellent communicator, be able to comprehensively assess individual and community needs, problem solve, advocate for human rights and social justice, navigate complex services and systems, and contribute to policy development and evaluation.

Further study 

After successful completion of the first two years of the Bachelor of Social Work degree, you can apply to study a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours). 

Professional accreditation

The Bachelor of Social Work is accredited with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) under the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS). UniSQ graduates from the Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) will be eligible to apply for membership of the AASW. 

Career outcomes

Graduate with the knowledge, skills and an ethical practice framework that enables you to deliver social work services in areas such as child protection, youth justice, domestic and family violence, mental health services, disability support, hospitals and health care, sexual assault services, asylum seekers and refugee support, community services and schools.

Social Work leads to careers in agencies and services that provide opportunities for working with individuals and families in the community but your degree will also enable you to work towards societal change through advocacy, policy development and evaluation, and legislative input.

Entry requirements

Find the entry requirements most relevant to you.

Recent secondary education

Adjusted Entry score including adjustment factors (additional points given in certain circumstances). Unadjusted Entry score not including adjustment factors.
ATAR The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a percentile rank used to assess the results of high-school applicants for undergraduate entry into university. 65.60 -
Pre-requisites

To study this degree we assume you have sound knowledge in:

  • English (Units 3 & 4, C) 

We assume that your knowledge is equivalent to a grade C or higher in Units 3 and 4 at high school level (typically studied in Year 12). Find out more about assumed knowledge.

Special entry schemes for admissions may increase your Rank, through the allocation of additional points in certain circumstances, such as educational disadvantage where you live, and subjects you passed.

UniSQ is committed to greater admissions transparency. Learn more about the education and work experience, as well as average Ranks for this degrees' student cohort from the previous year.

English language requirements

To meet the English language requirements for this degree, we accept the combined level and duration of study specified below, or the minimum English language proficiency scores from one of the following tests. Your test must be completed within two years of applying to UniSQ.

Tertiary study
(Diploma level or higher)
 2+ years full-time tertiary study in a country from the Accepted English-speaking countries list.
IELTS (Academic)  Minimum overall score of 7.0 with a minimum 7.0 in each subscore (speaking, listening, writing, reading). 
Pearson Test of English Minimum overall score of 65 with a minimum of 65 in each of the four communicative skills - listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
TOEFL iBT Minimum overall score of 95 with a minimum of 22 in each subscore.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can apply to study UniSQ's UniSQ Ready courses TPP0122 and TPP0123.

Inherent requirements

There are inherent requirements that must be met in order to successfully complete this degree. Inherent requirements are fundamental skills, capabilities and knowledge that students must be able to demonstrate in order to achieve the essential learning outcomes of the degree, while maintaining the academic integrity of the degree. Please read and understand the inherent requirements specific to the Bachelor of Social Work before applying.

If you think you may experience any problems meeting inherent requirements, you can talk to a Student Equity Officer about reasonable adjustments that may be put in place to assist you. Any reasonable adjustments made must not fundamentally change the nature of the inherent requirement.

Additional requirements for placements

All students must provide the following documents prior to commencing field education courses:

  • Blue Card or Working with Children Check
  • Yellow Card (if working with people with disabilities)
  • Australian Police Certificate.

You must also provide the following immunisation evidence prior to commencing placements:

  • Hepatitis B immunisation evidence
  • Measles, Mumps and Rubella immunisation evidence
  • Varicella immunisation evidence
  • Pertussis immunisation evidence
  • Influenza immunisation evidence
  • Tuberculosis Risk Assessment
  • COVID-19 vaccinations as directed by health services.

Pathways

If you don't meet the entry requirements, we have pathway options available to you.

If you identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent you may be eligible to enter the Indigenous Higher Education (IHEPP) program.

Degree structure

To complete this degree students must complete 32 units. To study full-time you would usually complete 4 units per semester.

Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 22
2 x placement courses  6
4 x electives 4
Total 32

Refer to the UniSQ Handbook for courses to be studied and recommended enrolment patterns.

Professional experience / placements

You will be required to participate in two 500-hour industry-based placements. Typically taken in the later years of your degree, you will be mentored and supervised by an experienced social worker in a field of practice. You could be placed in a wide range of government and non-government agencies, from child and youth mental health services, emergency department in a hospital, domestic and family violence services, first nations services or child safety services.

Residential schools

You will be required to attend 5 days of residential workshops each year of the degree, totalling 20 days of face-to-face residential workshops. This is a requirement of the external accrediting body – Australian Association of Social Workers. 

These face-to-face workshops provide experiential learning opportunities and you will make important connections with fellow students and academics. 

Fees and scholarships

Your actual fees may vary depending on the courses you select. We review our fees annually so these may be subject to change.

Study Mode Cost
Commonwealth supported

The Federal Government contributes to the cost of your course and you need to pay a student contribution.

AUD 9312
Domestic full fee paying

You are responsible for the full cost of your course and are charged a tuition fee.

AUD 28000

1 These are indicative annual fees for 2025. 

Student services and amenities fees

You may need to pay student services and amenities (SA) fees as part of your course costs.

Professional experience costs

This degree includes a professional experience component that may involve travel, accommodation and meal expenses.

Residential school costs

This degree includes an on-campus residential school component that involves travel, accommodation and meal expenses.

Loan to help you pay your fees

You may not have to pay your course (subject) fees upfront. HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP allows you to defer your fees until your income reaches a certain level. Find out if you are eligible for HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.

You may also be eligible to receive financial support from Centrelink.

Scholarships

At UniSQ, we offer a range of scholarships to support your success at university. Find a scholarship that works for you.

How to apply

Apply via QTAC

Apply via QTAC (Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre) if you:

  • have never studied with UniSQ before, or
  • are a Year 12 student, or
  • want to transfer to UniSQ from another university.
Mode QTAC Codes
External 909135

Copy your QTAC code and continue through to the QTAC website to complete your application.

Apply through QTAC

If you are applying via QTAC, please check the QTAC closing dates.

Apply directly to UniSQ

You may be able to apply directly to UniSQ if you:

  • are a current or previous UniSQ student returning to study with complete or incomplete qualifications (excluding Head Start students), or
  • have recently graduated from TAFE.
Apply direct to UniSQ

Intakes

You can select to start your study in Trimester 1 or 2.

Study period  Application closing date Orientation  Study period start date Finish date
Trimester 1, 2025  Monday 10 February Monday 3 February  Monday 10 February  Friday 9 May
Trimester 2, 2025 Monday 26 May Monday 19 May Monday 26 May  Friday 22 August

More information on applying key dates is available.

Further information

Discover further information on applying to study at UniSQ that is relevant to you.

Two men collaborating at a computer workstation in an office environment.

Got questions?

 

Begin your study journey today with the university rated 5/5 stars for graduates starting salaries* and start the degree that’s right for you.

*Good Universities Guide 2025

Talk to us
Why study a Bachelor of Social Work?

According to the Australian Association of Social Workers, social workers provide services to the most vulnerable members of our community and support them in a variety of matters including mental health, poverty, housing, disability, family violence, child protection and family support.

If you are an empathetic person, passionate about supporting your community and want to enhance your transferrable skills, a Bachelor of Social Work degree may be the right path for you!  

With a large demand in Australia for allied health and psychology and human services workers, there is not better time to study a Bachelor of Social Work in Australia.

What will I learn in a social work degree?

The skills and knowledge you gain when you study Bachelor of Social Work online at UniSQ will allow you to competently assess individual and community needs, problem solve and advocate for human rights and social justice – all while contributing to policy development and evaluation.

During your Bachelor of Social Work studies you will have the opportunity to practice the theory you are learning with two 500-hour industry-based placements.

What are the pathways to entry?
We understand everyone’s journey to university is different. This is why we offer several pathway option to study a Bachelor of Social Work online at UniSQ. Whether you’ve just completed Year 12 studies, been away from studies for a while, have a VET, TAFE or other appropriate qualification, you’ll be able to enter into your degree of choice through one of our pathway programs.   
What can I do with a Bachelor of Social Work?

A Bachelor of Social Work qualification can lead to fulfilling career opportunities in a range of government, non-government and community settings such as:

  • Communities and schools 
    Domestic and family violence
  • Early intervention and child protection programs
  • Family support services
  • Hospital and health care
  • Housing
  • Justice
  • Private practise
  • Schools and education providers. 
Why study a Bachelor of Social Work with UniSQ?

Get a strong start to your career in social work.

  • UniSQ’s Bachelor of Social Work graduates are eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers.
  • After successful completion of the first two years of the Bachelor of Social Work degree, you can apply to study a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours).
  • Benefit from professional placement and make the most of our work integrated learning with 500 hours of industry-based placements. This allows you to gain real life experience in diverse social work settings. 
  • We are rated five out of five stars for graduate starting salary (Good Universities Guide, 2024).