Bachelor of Social Work

VU course code:ABSW |CRICOS:077997B |Level of study:Undergraduate

Duration

4 years

Delivery mode

In person

Fees

Tuition: per semester AU$15,500

Location

Footscray Park

Next start date

24 February 2025

Overview

Make a real difference in a rewarding career with a Bachelor of Social Work from Victoria University (VU).

Prepare yourself for roles that address social issues and help to improve people’s quality of life.

Take advantage of VU’s strong connections with a range of important community organisations. Your social work degree includes 1000 hours of work integrated learning (WIL) experience across two Social Work Field Education placements in two different human service agency settings.

Build on your passion for human rights, social justice and social development with an in-depth understanding of:

interpersonal and group work
community development
family violence
mental health
policy analysis
social research
social action.

Gain the skills and knowledge to develop the potential of individuals, groups and communities, preparing you for a diverse range of job opportunities from federal and state government to hospitals, non-government organisations or community services.

By studying a social work degree at VU, you’ll graduate work-ready and be eligible for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers .

: On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Demonstrate cultural humility, value diversity among peoples and engage in decolonising practices that acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Traditional Owners of Australian lands;

Articulate a comprehensive understanding of contemporary social work practice and its contribution to the creation and maintenance of a more just and equitable society which respects the inherent dignity, worth and autonomy of every person and community;

Appraise understandings of social welfare and social policy in the Australian context emphasising origins, functions, ideological bases and power relations;

Critique, synthesise and apply theories, knowledge and values of social work and related bodies of knowledge with a particular emphasis on critical social work and the goal of social change;

Apply social work knowledge, values, research and intervention skills to intervene and respond to the needs of diverse individuals, groups and communities;

Demonstrate ethical and critically reflective professional conduct using skills, knowledge, power, and professional authority in ways that serve humanity; and

Exemplify readiness for beginning social work practice and display collaborative and inclusive professional work and learning behaviours.
: As a VU student, you will engage in practice-based learning opportunities essential to developing your professional practice, under the close supervision and support of social workers.

Benefit from opportunities to gain on-the-ground experience in a diverse range of settings that align with your areas of passion and interest, whether that be education, health, aged care, child and family services.

Gain strong practical skills and build your network by working across two organisations, plus gain valuable insights into areas of practice that align with your interests.

We have partner organisations across a range of settings including:

acute, subacute, and community health settings

city councils

child and family services

the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

emergency and community housing

neighbourhood houses

secondary schools

youth mental health.
: Studying with us means you’ll be learning in an environment that values community empowerment.

Enjoy being a part of a university that truly believes in inclusivity, diversity and opportunity, and has a rich representation of cultures. VU received the highest rating of five stars for cultural diversity by the Good Universities Guide.

VU also works to address refugee issues, tackle diversity and social inclusion, and improve the health and social wellbeing of the region. We are proud of our cultural diversity initiatives and projects with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and Indigenous communities .
: Achieve your full potential with The Learning Hub, which help you develop your confidence, academic ability, and study skills.

Benefit from in-person mentoring and study sessions, along with a range of digital learning modules that you can access anytime.

Get help from our online, 24/7 support service to polish your assignments before you submit, and receive guidance on writing, referencing, maths and more.

Read more about The Learning Hub

Entry requirements

Applicants for this course will need to meet the entry criteria outlined below. If you don’t meet the entry criteria, you may be able to gain entry by first completing a related course or unit(s). We call this a ‘pathway’.

If you've completed a qualification where English was the primary language of instruction, you may be eligible for an exemption of English-language requirements.

In some cases, there may be additional entry requirements.

Learn more about entry requirements for international students.

Entry criteria

Meeting the minimum entry criteria does not guarantee entry into this course.

Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (VCE or equivalent) including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in English (EAL) or 20 in any other English (or equivalent).
OR:
Completion of an Australian Advanced Diploma or Diploma (or equivalent).
PLUS:
IELTS (or equivalent): Overall score or 7.0 (with no band less than 7.0 in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking).
OR:
Completion of a Foundation course or equivalent.

Special entry programs

If you are from a disadvantaged or underrepresented social, economic or cultural background, you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs. These programs are designed to help you access education more easily.

Learn more about special admission programs

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are the abilities, attributes, skills and behaviours needed to meet the learning outcomes of the course.

You should carefully consider the inherent requirement statement as a:

guide for your learning during the course
way for you to identify challenges you may have in studying this course.

Learn more about inherent requirements

Additional information

To be eligible for placement students must meet requirements of placement agencies and submit mandatory documentation including:
National Police Checks (which are required for the year in which the students undertake placement so a minimum of 2 checks will be required over 2 years),
International Police check for students who, after the age of 16 have been a citizen or permanent resident of any country other than Australia or resided continuously in any country other than Australia for 12 months or longer
Working with Children Check (valid for 5 years)
NDIS Worker Screening check
Evidence of being fully COVID-19 vaccinated
Evidence of meeting immunisation requirements for a health placement which includes Hepatitis B, MMR, Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis, Varicella, Tuberculosis and Influenza.

It is possible that individual placement agencies will require additional site specific documentation and pre-placement preparation.

It is important to plan for potential loss of income during placement. Students may need to reduce or cease their usual employment during their social work placements since each placement equates to 500 hours over a continuous period.

Under certain circumstances there may be a fee associated with a clinical placement. For placement fee details relevant to your course refer to https://www.vu.edu.au/current-students/your-course/fees/additional-fees-charges.

Credit & Entry pathways into this course

If you don’t meet the entry requirements for this course, there may be an alternative study ‘pathway’ to achieving your goal. In some cases, you may receive credit for your previous study or work experience, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.

You’ll find information about any pathways to higher qualifications that may be available to you after completing this course under the ‘careers’ section of this page.

Find out more about pathways at VU.

: If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course.

Diploma of Community Services

96 credit points

Foundations at VU

Guaranteed entry only

International Foundations at VU

Guaranteed entry only
: If you have completed study with another university or institution you may be eligible to receive credit for skills and past study .

Use our credit calculator to find out what credit you may be eligible for based on your previous studies.

Note that if your previous study can’t be found through the credit calculator, you may still be eligible for credit.

Units can be credited if they are part of the course structure for the course you are applying for. Please note that credits relating to prior VU subjects are automatically granted and no further action is required.

calculate your credit

Please note: There may be a limit on how many students can access pathways to the Bachelor of Social Work due to high demand. If you are eligible for a pathway but unsuccessful in securing a place, please contact VUHQ (student service centre) on +61 3 9919 6100 for advice.

Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses , and our commitment to admissions transparency . Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.

Course structure

To attain the Bachelor of Social Work, students will be required to complete:

384 credit points of Core studies.

Units

Fees & scholarships

As an international student at Victoria University, you will be required to pay your tuition fees up front each semester.

There may be additional materials fees throughout your studies, depending on your chosen course, as well as an administrative fee as part of your course.

Victoria University is proud to support our international scholarship recipients and sponsored students.

Fees

Scholarships

Careers

As a qualified social worker eligible for accreditation by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) , you’ll be ready for a variety of roles within not-for-profit and charitable organisations, as well as the community and government sectors. Your job title could be:

social worker
community health centre counsellor
youth worker
drug and alcohol worker
homelessness policy officer.

Take advantage of the strong future growth expected in social work, which is expected to grow very strongly over the next five years. Visit Jobs and Skills Australia to see the average salary for social workers in Australia .