Course summary
The desire to help the needy and vulnerable in our society is more than just a job. Our Bachelor of Social Welfare is focused on achieving positive social change and community wellbeing. It is also the pathway to a deeply satisfying career in the human services sector.
We'll help harness your empathy and enhance your communication skills with a view to delivering great outcomes across social welfare practice. You can choose to specialise through a major focusing on children and young people, the health and disability sector, mental health or Indigenous knowledge.
You will gain on-the-job experience through extensive placements, working with individuals and organisations that share your commitment and are working to improve people's lives.
Graduates will emerge with transferrable skills for a variety of career options in human services – from working directly with people in their homes or facilities, to creating policy. You can also continue your studies in a linked Masters program that offers a pathway to professional accreditation as a social worker.
Please note: As of 2021, this course will be renamed the Bachelor of Community Welfare. If you enrol in the Bachelor of Social Welfare in 2020, unless you advise otherwise, you will automatically transition to the Bachelor of Community Welfare course after your first year. The name change signals a move to a broader core curriculum, away from major areas of study. Graduates of the Bachelor of Community Welfare degree will be equipped with knowledge and skills across a range of fields of practice including youth work, mental health, disability and child protection. For more details about these course changes, please contact the future students team.
The desire to help the needy and vulnerable in our society is more than just a job. Our Bachelor of Social Welfare is focused on achieving positive social change and community wellbeing. It is also the pathway to a deeply satisfying career in the human services sector.
We'll help harness your empathy and enhance your communication skills with a view to delivering great outcomes across social welfare practice. You can choose to specialise through a major focusing on children and young people, the health and disability sector, mental health or Indigenous knowledge.
You will gain on-the-job experience through extensive placements, working with individuals and organisations that share your commitment and are working to improve people's lives.
Graduates will emerge with transferrable skills for a variety of career options in human services – from working directly with people in their homes or facilities, to creating policy. You can also continue your studies in a linked Masters program that offers a pathway to professional accreditation as a social worker.
Please note: As of 2021, this course will be renamed the Bachelor of Community Welfare. If you enrol in the Bachelor of Social Welfare in 2020, unless you advise otherwise, you will automatically transition to the Bachelor of Community Welfare course after your first year. The name change signals a move to a broader core curriculum, away from major areas of study. Graduates of the Bachelor of Community Welfare degree will be equipped with knowledge and skills across a range of fields of practice including youth work, mental health, disability and child protection. For more details about these course changes, please contact the future students team.
Particular emphasis is placed on social justice and human rights as the basis for social welfare practice.
In addition to core units that cover counselling, welfare law, social research and community development, students choose a major area of study from the following options:
- Working with children and youth
- Health and disability
- Indigenous knowledge
- Mental health
- No major option - students choose three core units from other majors plus four elective units from any undergraduate degree offered by the University.
Please note that some units in this course are offered exclusively online.
| Course Learning Outcome |
|---|
Understand the social, cultural, economic and political contexts of social welfare practice and the implications of these for working with clients, workers and community services. |
Assess, plan, implement and evaluate programs, projects and other activities with clients, which may include individuals, families, groups or communities. |
Practise social welfare in an ethical manner, in accordance with the values and ethics of the profession. |
Use one's own skills and knowledge appropriately and reflectively with clients, colleagues, employers and the wider community. |
Become reflective practitioners and lifelong learners. |
Communicate with a broad spectrum of people and organisations using appropriate techniques and media organisations. Plan, organise and carry out work autonomously and as part of a team. |
Communicate constructively in a manner that is respectful of the diverse cultures in which we work and live. |
In line with ACWA requirements, you complete 400 hours of supervised on-the-job training. This is completed in two separate organisations in different fields of practice so that you gain a diversity of experience.
Placements may include working across a variety of client groups, such as older people, or young people and families at the individual, group, organisational or community level of practice. You may undertake placements in social welfare settings such as child protection, drugs and alcohol, criminal justice, community education, housing, emergency relief, family interventions and domestic violence.
All students must obtain a National Police Check and Working with Children Check and most agencies require students to have a driver's licence.
The course is accredited by the Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA). Graduates are eligible to join ACWA.
Course overview
Course code
3007268
Course abbreviation
BSocWelf
Credit points
288
Equivalent units
24
Duration
3 years full-time; 6 years part-time
Duration
3 years full-time
Availability details
Domestic
| Location | Teaching period | UAC code | QTAC code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffs Harbour | Session 1 | N/A | N/A |
| Gold Coast | Session 1 | N/A | N/A |
| Online | Session 1 | N/A | N/A |
Fee information
International
| Location | Teaching period | Annual Fees | CRICOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast | Session 1 | $26,800 ($3,350 per unit) | 082681B |
Course requirements
See the University’s Rules Relating to Awards, in conjunction with the Specific Award Rules listed below.
To be eligible to receive the Bachelor of Social Welfare, students must complete the equivalent of 24 units (288 credit points), comprising:
- All 15 Core units (192 credit points), and
- One Major (96 credit points), or
- No Major Option (96 credit points).
Exit Awards
Students may be eligible to exit with an Associate Degree of Social Welfare after completing the equivalent of 16 units (192 credit points) from the Bachelor of Social Welfare.
Students may be eligible to exit with the Diploma of Social Welfare after completing the equivalent of 8 Core units (96 credit points).
Inherent Requirements apply to this course as defined on the Student Access & Inclusion website. If you have a disability or health condition which may impact on your ability to meet these requirements please refer to the Student Access & Inclusion website for further information and contact details.
Schedule of units
Course progressions
Your course progression is in the recommended order you should complete your course in. It is important that you follow this to ensure you meet the course requirements. For further assistance see How to Enrol in Units using My Enrolment.
Students should use course progression information to select units specific to their course and enrol in these units using My Enrolment
Browse uni-wide elective units by selecting Uni-wide elective in the advanced filter of the Unit search.
Browse shared majors and their units at Shared majors
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| It is possible to accelerate your studies if you intend to complete the Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) after successful completion of the Bachelor of Social Welfare. | |||
| Year 1, Session 1 | |||
| POL10244 - Australian Politics | Introductory | ||
| SOC00118 - Introduction to Sociology | Introductory | ||
| COM10001 - Effective Communication | Introductory | ||
| CUL00408 - Health and Indigenous Australian Peoples | Intermediate | ||
| Year 1, Session 2 | |||
| SOY10105 - Introduction to Social Welfare | Introductory | ||
| CSL00231 - Counselling Theory and Practice | Introductory | ||
| BHS00130 - Community Development | Introductory | ||
| SOC00112 - Social Policy | Introductory | ||
| Year 2, Session 1 | |||
| BHS30003 - Development across the Lifespan | Intermediate | ||
| CSL10558 - Case Management and Care Planning | Intermediate | ||
| CSL00113 - Field Education I | Intermediate | ||
| Year 2, Session 2 | |||
| CSL10242 - Trauma Informed Practice | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00059 - Welfare Law | Intermediate | ||
| 1st Major unit OR University Wide Elective | |||
| 2nd Major unit OR University Wide Elective | |||
| Year 3, Session 1 | |||
| WEL73001 - Issues of Protection | Advanced | ||
| SOC20001 - Doing Social Research | Intermediate | ||
| WEL73002 - Disability and Community Practice | Advanced | ||
| 3rd Major OR University Wide Elective | |||
| Year 3, Session 2 | |||
| WEL73004 - Planning and Delivering Human Services | Advanced | ||
| CSL00114 - Field Education II | Advanced | ||
| 4th Major unit OR University Wide Elective | |||
| Year 3, Session 3 | |||
| WEL91003 - Social Work Foundations for Practice | Introductory | ||
| WEL91004 - Social Work Direct Practice I | Introductory | ||
| WEL91002 - Social Policy and Law for Social Work | Introductory | ||
| Year 4, Session 1 | |||
| WEL92001 - Social Work across the Lifespan | Intermediate | ||
| WEL92002 - Social Work in Groups and Communities | Advanced | ||
| IHE03386 - Health and Indigenous Peoples | Intermediate | ||
| WEL92003 - Research for Social Work | Advanced | ||
| Year 4, Session 2 | |||
| WEL91005 - Social Work Direct Practice II | Intermediate | ||
| WEL92004 - Social Work Organisations, Leadership and Management | Advanced | ||
| WEL92005 - Social Work Field Placement IIa | Advanced | ||
| Year 4, Session 3 | |||
| WEL92006 - Social Work Field Placement IIb | Advanced | ||
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time students should complete the first two units for Year 1, Session 1 and the remaining two units for Year 2, Session 1 and so on. | |||
| Year 1, Session 2 | |||
| SOY10105 - Introduction to Social Welfare | Introductory | ||
| CSL00231 - Counselling Theory and Practice | Introductory | ||
| BHS00130 - Community Development | Introductory | ||
| SOC00112 - Social Policy | Introductory | ||
| Year 2, Session 1 | |||
| POL10244 - Australian Politics | Introductory | ||
| SOC00118 - Introduction to Sociology | Introductory | ||
| COM10001 - Effective Communication | Introductory | ||
| CUL00408 - Health and Indigenous Australian Peoples | Intermediate | ||
| Year 2, Session 2 | |||
| CSL10242 - Trauma Informed Practice | Intermediate | ||
| 1st Major unit OR University Wide Elective | |||
| CSL00113 - Field Education I | Intermediate | Note 1 | |
| Year 3, Session 1 | |||
| CSL10558 - Case Management and Care Planning | Intermediate | ||
| BHS30003 - Development across the Lifespan | Intermediate | ||
| SOC20001 - Doing Social Research | Intermediate | ||
| WEL73001 - Issues of Protection | Advanced | ||
| Year 3, Session 2 | |||
| WEL73004 - Planning and Delivering Human Services | Advanced | ||
| LAW00059 - Welfare Law | Intermediate | ||
| 2nd Major unit OR University Wide Elective | |||
| 3rd Major unit OR University Wide Elective | |||
| Year 4, Session 1 | |||
| WEL73002 - Disability and Community Practice | Advanced | ||
| 4th Major unit OR University Wide Elective | |||
| CSL00114 - Field Education II | Advanced | Note 1 | |
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time students should complete the first two units for Year 1, Session 1 and the remaining two units for Year 2, Session 1 and so on. | |||
| Year 1, Session 1 | |||
| POL10244 - Australian Politics | Introductory | ||
| SOC00118 - Introduction to Sociology | Introductory | ||
| COM10001 - Effective Communication | Introductory | ||
| CUL00408 - Health and Indigenous Australian Peoples | Intermediate | ||
| Year 1, Session 2 | |||
| SOY10105 - Introduction to Social Welfare | Introductory | ||
| CSL00231 - Counselling Theory and Practice | Introductory | ||
| BHS00130 - Community Development | Introductory | ||
| SOC00112 - Social Policy | Introductory | ||
| Year 2, Session 1 | |||
| BHS30003 - Development across the Lifespan | Intermediate | ||
| CSL10558 - Case Management and Care Planning | Intermediate | ||
| CSL00113 - Field Education I | Intermediate | Note 1 | |
| Year 2, Session 2 | |||
| CSL10242 - Trauma Informed Practice | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00059 - Welfare Law | Intermediate | ||
| 1st Major unit | |||
| 2nd Major unit | |||
| Year 3, Session 1 | |||
| WEL73001 - Issues of Protection | Advanced | ||
| SOC20001 - Doing Social Research | Intermediate | ||
| 3rd Major unit WEL73002 - Disability and Community Practice | Advanced | ||
| 4th Major unit | |||
| Year 3, Session 2 | |||
| 5th Major unit WEL73004 - Planning and Delivering Human Services | Advanced | ||
| 6th Major unit | |||
| 7th & 8th Major unit CSL00114 - Field Education II | Advanced | Note 1 | |
| Title | Level of learning | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time students should complete the first two units for Year 1, Session 1 and the remaining two units for Year 2, Session 1 and so on. | |||
| Year 1, Session 1 | |||
| POL10244 - Australian Politics | Introductory | ||
| SOC00118 - Introduction to Sociology | Introductory | ||
| COM10001 - Effective Communication | Introductory | ||
| CUL00408 - Health and Indigenous Australian Peoples | Intermediate | ||
| Year 1, Session 2 | |||
| SOY10105 - Introduction to Social Welfare | Introductory | ||
| CSL00231 - Counselling Theory and Practice | Introductory | ||
| BHS00130 - Community Development | Introductory | ||
| SOC00112 - Social Policy | Introductory | ||
| Year 2, Session 1 | |||
| BHS30003 - Development across the Lifespan | Intermediate | ||
| CSL10558 - Case Management and Care Planning | Intermediate | ||
| CSL00113 - Field Education I | Intermediate | Note 1 | |
| Year 2, Session 2 | |||
| CSL10242 - Trauma Informed Practice | Intermediate | ||
| LAW00059 - Welfare Law | Intermediate | ||
| 1st University Wide Elective | |||
| 2nd University Wide Elective | |||
| Year 3, Session 1 | |||
| WEL73001 - Issues of Protection | Advanced | ||
| SOC20001 - Doing Social Research | Intermediate | ||
| WEL73002 - Disability and Community Practice | Advanced | ||
| 3rd University Wide Elective | |||
| Year 3, Session 2 | |||
| WEL73004 - Planning and Delivering Human Services | Advanced | ||
| CSL00114 - Field Education II | Advanced | Note 1 | |
| 4th University Wide Elective | |||
Notes
| Note 1: | #double weighted unit |