Program summary
Program overview
Career opportunities
Advanced standing, recognition of prior learning, credit and articulation
Program structure
Program requirements and notes
Enquiries
Recommended enrolment patterns
Program summary
QTAC code: 011151
OP/Rank for 2007 entry: OP-15 / Rank-68
Award abbreviation: BSocWk
Degree type: undergraduate
Mode of study: on campus
Duration: 4 years full-time or equivalent part-time
Fee type: Commonwealth supported places, domestic fee-paying places
Total units: 384
Recommended prior study: English
Commence: Semester 1 or Semester 2
CRICOS code: to be advised
New students: selecting courses for 2007
Program overview
The Bachelor of Social Work is a joint degree offered by the USC in conjunction with a partner institution. *
It will comprise 18 existing courses taken from the USC Bachelor of Human Services, and 14 courses from the partner institution’s Social Work degree. The 14 courses from the partner institution will be available in external study mode, and will be offered to our students in this mode, with the possibility of tutor and class-based support where student numbers allow. USC staff will also facilitate a compulsory 5 day workshop each year for students studying off campus. This will mean that students do not need to travel for parts of their program, thus providing Sunshine Coast region students greater access to the degree.
The program will follow the accreditation requirements of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) in terms of required knowledge, values and skills for the social work profession. These include a knowledge of society and how it has developed and is organised, knowledge of social welfare arrangements, their history and organisation and related law in Australia, knowledge of the individual, including human behaviour and development, personality development, life cycle stages, family and social networks, and physical health, ill-health, mental health, disability, vulnerability and resilience.
A core component of any social work program is Field Education, having the status of a full academic course. Field Education provides opportunities to integrate content from classroom learning with practical experience, whilst at the same time developing ability in a range of social work skills. It demands collaborative effort between school and agency staff and as such is required to be coordinated by a social worker. Field education in this degree covers 2 full time semesters, or 8 courses across the 3rd and 4th years of the program.
Offering a four year degree will expand the employment options for graduates on the Sunshine Coast, allowing access to some government departments and facilities (eg Centrelink and health services) not otherwise available to three year degree graduates. The program will provide such options by producing graduates who demonstrate respect for human diversity, a commitment to the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)’s Code of Ethics, demonstrated capacity to think through ethical and practice issues, to communicate effectively, to use critically social work knowledge to inform and direct practice, to transfer social work theory and practice across fields, to develop skills in methods of social work intervention including social research, to work collaboratively with others in multi-disciplinary teams, to contribute to debate on social issues, policy and community service delivery, and a commitment to professional practice including supervision and continuing professional education and development.
The program will be accredited with the Australian Association of Social Workers, of which students and graduates are entitled to apply for membership.
Career opportunities
The skills and knowledge acquired in the Bachelor of Social Work will enable graduates to pursue careers in areas such as child protection agencies, Centrelink, rehabilitation services, hospitals, private practice, local councils, multicultural agencies, Indigenous health and welfare, defence forces, neighbourhood centres, refugee support services and women's organisations.
Program structure
Core courses
Select 2 courses from:
COR109 Communication and Thought
COR110 Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship
COR111 Environment, Technology and Sustainability
Introductory courses
3 required courses:
SCS100 Introduction to the Social Sciences: Knowledge, Power and Society
SCS110 Introduction to Sociology: Society, Culture and Social Change
SCS130 Introduction to Indigenous Australia
Advanced courses (13 at USC and 14 at partner institution)
13 required USC courses:
SCS221 Social Psychology
SCS225 Social and Community Research
SCS226 Developmental Psychology
SCS230 Understanding Society: An Introduction to Social Theory
SCS235 Providing for the People: Social Justice, Welfare and the State
SCS260 Community Work
SCS270 Applications in Social and Community Work
SCS272 Human Services Theory and Practice
SCS276 Groupwork
SCS277 Working with Families
SCS278 Ethics and Professional Practice
SCS280 Counselling for the Human Services Professional
SCS285 Health, Society and Culture
14 required courses at partner institution:
to be advised.
Program requirement and notes
- Refer to the Academic Rules.
- Refer to explanation of terms.
- Refer to the recommended enrolment patterns
Enquiries
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Tel: +61 7 5430 1259
* Partner institution to be confirmed.