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Undergraduate

Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

Domestic students
Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) (BSWH)
Entry requirements
View full details
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

  • Are you a UniSQ Bachelor of Social Work student wishing to extend yourself and your career with the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)? After successful completion of your first two years of the Bachelor of Social Work, you may enter the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours).
  • Providing you meet the entry requirements, Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) students will be given credit for all courses completed in Years 1 and 2 of the Bachelor of Social Work. You will carry on to complete an additional two years, with research embedded.
  • Students undertaking Honours must complete an independent research project. There are trio of courses related to the research. These three courses are undertaken in Year 3 and Year 4 of this degree.
  • In an uncertain world, social workers have a key role to play – from working with individuals, assisting a family, working alongside a community group or advocating for social justice. 
  • Become a practice-ready graduate social work practitioner and be a catalyst for change, dedicated to achieving social justice, inclusion and wellbeing.

Further study 

Completion of the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) may enable you to enter a PhD. 

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.
  • While honours graduates can still practice as social workers in chosen fields of practice; an honours degree demonstrates high academic achievement. Having a Bachelor Social Work (Honours) can provide a pathway for further research either in regard to employment or additional study. This degree gives you prerequisite research skills to undertake a higher research degree.

Entry requirements

You are able to enrol into the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) at the end of your second year of the Bachelor of Social Work. Enrolment depends upon meeting the following four criteria: 

  • successful completion of the first two years of the Bachelor of Social Work; 
  • your GPA is 5.0 or higher; 
  • your research involves low risk ethics or no need for an ethics proposal; and
  • a supervisor can be matched to the research project.

If these four requirements are met Bachelor of Social Work students may be invited to enrol in the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) from Year 3. 

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 (Honours) 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.

Tafe (VET) qualification

If you have completed a qualification from a TAFE or qualified private provider, you may be able to use these qualifications to meet UniSQ's entry requirements.

Work and life experience

You may be able to use your work experience and other adjustment factors to increase your selection rank and meet UniSQ's entry requirements.

English language requirements

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

IELTS (Academic)

Minimum overall score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 7.0 in each of the four components - listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
Pearson Test of English

Minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills - listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
 TOEFL iBT Minimum total score of 94 and the following minimum score in each section of the test: 24 for listening and reading; 27 for writing; 23 for speaking.

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.

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 24
2 x placement courses  6
2 x electives 2
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 chosen 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. 

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

Complete your online application via QTAC (Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre).

Mode QTAC Codes
External 909185

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

Apply through QTAC

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.

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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
What will I learn in a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)?
A Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) will extend the knowledge you acquired in the Bachelor of Social Work. With a focus on research, Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) students will undertake independent research projects and study three research related courses in Year 3 and Year 4 of this degree. The combination of theory and research will give you the skills necessary to become an industry-ready social work practitioner. 
What are the entry requirements for a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)?

The entry requirements for the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) will vary depending on your chosen education provider. 

At UniSQ you can enrol in the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) after you have successfully completed the first two years of the Bachelor of Social Work and:

  • you have a GPA of 5.0 or greater.
  • the research you propose to undertake involves low risk ethics or no need for an ethics proposal.
  • UniSQ can match you with a suitable supervisor based on the subject of your research project.
  • you meet additional requirements for placements.

If you don’t meet the entry requirements, our Bachelor of Social Work is a pathway option to the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours).

For further information please view the entry requirements section of this page.

What can you do with a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)?

Qualified social workers have many exciting job opportunities across a variety of allied heath and psychology and human services sectors including:

  • Asylum seeker and refugee support
  • Child protection
  • Disability support
  • Family and domestic violence
  • Hospital, private clinics and health care
  • Mental health services
  • Schools
  • Youth justice. 

For further information please view the career outcomes section of this page.

How long does a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) take?
A Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) will take you approximately four years to complete. Some students choose to study part-time which increases the time it takes to finish the required courses.
Why study Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) with UniSQ?

Get a strong start to your career in social work.

  • Graduate with the knowledge, skills and an ethical practice framework, enabling you to effectively delivery critical social work services.
  • UniSQ’s Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) graduates are eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers.
  • A Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) qualification can provide a pathway further extend your expertise and knowledge with a higher research degree. 
  • We are rated five out of five stars for graduate starting salary (Good Universities Guide, 2024).