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Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

Overview

Be in demand to play a key role in developing a society based on social justice, and in alleviating disadvantage.

As a qualified social worker, you'll have a commitment to the well-being of society and be highly skilled to intervene with and support individuals, families, groups and communities to achieve equitable access to opportunities and resources.

You'll have the skills to stimulate action to change the social circumstances of individuals and groups who are socially excluded. You'll also work to reduce personal pain and distress and provide direction for individual development and control over life situations.

UQ lets you forge your own path in social work, undergoing foundation and advanced practice in the areas of health and ageing, children, youth and families, and mental health. Your focused learning, research and placement opportunities will be combined with core knowledge and skills in social work, social policy and research. You'll learn from award-winning educators about the law, human development, professional ethics and the principles and ideas that guide social workers.

You'll also undertake 1,000 hours of supervised placement in a range of clinical settings, including hospitals and various public and private agencies. Plus, you may apply to complete a rural, interstate or international placement.

Location
St Lucia
Duration
4 Years (or part time equivalent)
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025), Semester 2 (28 Jul, 2025)
Program Code
2382
AQF
Level 8
Location
St Lucia
Fees
A$43200
Duration
4 Years
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025)
Semester dates for 2026 are yet to be confirmed
Program Code
2382
CRICOS Code
085539F
AQF
Level 8

Program highlights

Program highlights

  • Build on common social work education foundations and develop your understanding and skills as you progress through the program, undertaking increasingly complex social work tasks.
  • Acquire valuable research skills to inform policy and practice decisions.
  • Work with families and communities to address social issues and problems through interpersonal, community and policy solutions.
  • Benefit from innovative learning methods that simulate real client encounters and learn appropriate responses to any situation.
  • Graduate job-ready, and qualified to excel in this rapidly growing field.

33 in the world for psychology

QS World University Rankings 2024

1 in Queensland for psychology

Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2023

Watch How are our social and physical worlds shaping us? on YouTube.

Majors

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

  • Child, Youth and Family
  • Health and Ageing
  • Mental Health

How you'll learn

Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Work placements
  • Online study
  • Fieldwork

Placements and work experience

Students will undertake approximately 1000 hours of supervised clinical practice in a range of clinical settings that includes hospitals and a variety of public and private agencies. You will have the opportunity during your placements to apply your theoretical knowledge acquired through coursework to practice and develop their clinical skills in real life settings. You may also complete a rural, interstate or international placement in your final year. Clinical placements may be outside of the Brisbane metropolitan area where you will be required to fund your travel, accommodation and daily living expenses. Prior to applying, please visit our Social work placements requirements website to ensure applicants are able to meet placement requirements.

What you'll study

At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:

  • Human Development and Social Work
  • Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
  • Moral and Ethical Foundations of Social Work
  • Social Work and the Legal Context

Career possibilities

Our programs prepare you for your first job and beyond. Depending on which major you choose, here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:

  • Youth counsellor
  • Child welfare worker
  • Family therapist
  • Community worker
  • Social worker
  • Social and welfare services planner
  • Disability advocate
  • Disability support worker

Graduate salary

Social work (undergraduate)

$52K–$64K

compared.edu.au

Program accreditation

The Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) is accredited by:

  • Australian Association Of Social Workers

Entry requirements

Prerequisites

  • successful completion of 48 units towards the first three years of a Bachelor of Social Work degree, including all compulsory BSocWk Core Courses; and
  • have gained a grade point average (GPA) of 5.0 across the courses that can be credited towards the BSocWk(Hons).

Prerequisites

  • successful completion of 48 units towards the first three years of a Bachelor of Social Work degree, including all compulsory BSocWk Core Courses; and
  • have gained a grade point average (GPA) of 5.0 across the courses that can be credited towards the BSocWk(Hons).

Entry score threshold

ATAR / RankIB
7526.5

These are the lowest adjusted scores we made an offer to in Semester 1, 2024. Entry scores are based on the most recent Semester 1 intake and are updated in April each year. Meeting the entry score threshold doesn't guarantee admission.

Guarantee your place at UQ: If you meet our guaranteed minimum ATAR you could secure an offer for your preferred program.

English language requirements

IELTS overall 7; reading 7; writing 7; speaking 7; listening 7. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ

TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 100, listening 25, reading 25, writing 27, speaking 23.

PTE Academic - Overall 72, sub bands minimum 72.

BE - A minimum overall grade of 5 plus a minimum grade of A in all macro skills.

CES - Overall 185, All sub bands minimum 185.

OET is not accepted.

 

There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.

Learn how to meet the English language requirements

Inherent requirements

To complete this degree, you have to meet its inherent requirements by demonstrating essential skills and attributes. Read the inherent requirements before you apply.

Learn about inherent requirements

Student visas

International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).

There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.

Learn more about student visas

Entry score range

This table shows the range of entry scores for recent secondary students offered a place in the B Social Work (Hons) for Semester 1, 2024

Without adjustmentsWith adjustments
Highest97.798.6
Median84.4584.65
Lowest7575

Who you'll study with

Here's a snapshot of our student intake for this program in Semester 1, 2024:

Applicant backgroundNumber of studentsPercentage of all students

(A) Higher education study

N/PN/P

(B) Vocational Education and Training (VET) study

00%

(C) Work and life experience

00%
(D) Recent secondary education
  • Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR
1560%
  • Admitted where ATAR and additional criteria were considered
00%
  • Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor
00%

International students

<5<5

Total

25100%

"<5" — The number of students is less than 5.
N/A — Students not accepted in this category.
N/P — Not published. The number is hidden to protect the privacy of students in other cells.

Need help meeting the entry requirements?

We can help you meet the minimum entry score, subject prerequisites or English language requirements for your preferred program.

If you haven't studied the prerequisites or need to improve your entry score, we can help.

Learn about pathway options

Minors

Minors

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the foundations of social work practice with children, young people and families.

Courses focus on practice in both statutory and non-government service organisations.

Learning activities include developing your understanding of the legal, policy and organisational environments of practice with children, young people and families, with a strong emphasis on understanding the Queensland and national environments of practice.

View

Your study will centre on social work practice in a variety of contexts, including hospital and community settings.

You'll develop an understanding of theoretical perspectives that influence practice in health and ageing, and the policy, legal and organisational environments of practice in health and ageing, with a strong focus on the Australian context.

View

You'll have an opportunity to build a comprehensive knowledge and skills base for advanced practice in mental health for social work practice with people who have mental health problems in everyday settings.

The emphasis is on understanding the living experience of mental illness and treatments as a starting point for helping.

View

Minors

Tailor your studies to suit your goals. This program offers these options:

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the foundations of social work practice with children, young people and families.

Courses focus on practice in both statutory and non-government service organisations.

Learning activities include developing your understanding of the legal, policy and organisational environments of practice with children, young people and families, with a strong emphasis on understanding the Queensland and national environments of practice.

View

Your study will centre on social work practice in a variety of contexts, including hospital and community settings.

You'll develop an understanding of theoretical perspectives that influence practice in health and ageing, and the policy, legal and organisational environments of practice in health and ageing, with a strong focus on the Australian context.

View

You'll have an opportunity to build a comprehensive knowledge and skills base for advanced practice in mental health for social work practice with people who have mental health problems in everyday settings.

The emphasis is on understanding the living experience of mental illness and treatments as a starting point for helping.

View

Fees and Scholarships

Indicative annual fee

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

$9,869

2025

$9,869

2025

Learn more about undergraduate fees

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

AUD $43,200

2025

AUD $43,200

2025

Learn more about undergraduate fees

Government assistance

Financial aid

As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.

Learn more about financial aid

HECS-HELP

Domestic places in the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.

Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.

HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.

Learn more about HECS-HELP

Centrelink support

Scholarships

You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:

How to apply

Important dates

If you’re studying Year 12 in Australiago to the QTAC website to check the closing date for this program. 

If you’re applying to UQ, the closing date for this program is: 

  • To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.

To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants

For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

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