Bachelor of Social Work

• Overview
• 2008 Mid Year Entry
• Why study at Sydney University?
• Course Structure
• Field Education
• Graduate Outcomes
• Staff

Course Duration: 4 years full-time
Assumed Knowledge: Depends on subjects chosen.

2006 UAI: 83.80
UAC Code: 511615 UAC Fee Code: 521615


This degree is accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and prepares students for employment in an environment which is complex, diverse and changing.

Graduates are expected to be reflective, versatile and skilful in a range of practice areas and to be able to translate professional values into action.

Social workers may use many different types of intervention such as community work; individual and family counseling; group work; policy development; advocacy; and research.

They work in varied contexts such as health services, aged care, women’s services, disability services, child and family services, international development, and migration and refugee services.

A commitment to promoting social justice is central to social work.

Do you have a degree in the social or behavioural sciences or a two year TAFE welfare diploma? If so, you may receive credit for prior studies, enabling you to complete the four year Bachelor of Social Work degree more quickly.

The Faculty of Education & Social Work is offering a limited number of places for mid-year entry. If you are interested, please telephone Robyn Longhurst (tel: 9351 7046) to discuss your particular circumstances.

Please download the application form and return it to -

Student Administration,
Faculty of Education and Social Work,
University of Sydney N.S.W. 2006

Applications close on Friday 20 June 2008.

Two years of study in the Faculty of Arts plus two years of professional studies in social work and social policy makes it possible for students to combine qualifying as a professional social worker with two years of tertiary studies in other areas of interest such as languages or history.

First Year:

• SCLG1001 – Introduction to Sociology 1
• SCLG1002 – Introduction to Sociology 2
• 6 units from the Faculty of Arts

Second Year:

• Compulsory units in sociology, psychology and Indigenous studies
• Three electives from the Faculty of Arts

Third and Fourth years

• Students complete both class work and field education.
• Class work provides a framework of knowledge and skills required for the analysis and development of theory and research, and the interaction of personal and professional values and ethics as they relate to social policy and social work.

More information about course content

There are two field education placements which students must undertake during their degree. These provide a practice context for the campus learning.

The placements provide students with experience of different types of:

• intervention (e.g. work with individuals, communities, groups, policy development and research)
• organizations (e.g. government and non-government)
• population groups (e.g. Indigenous Australians, refugees, families)
• and different contexts of practice (e.g. health, income security, disability and housing).

Field education placements are undertaken in conjunction with ongoing class work, encouraging students to appreciate the mutual interdependence of theory and practice and to familiarize themselves with the practice of critical reflection.

Year 3: 60 days of field education

Year 4: 80 days of field education

More information about field education

• Understand the contribution of social work and social policy in working towards social justice
• Have skills in communication, empathy, self-awareness in practice, providing resources, assessment and exercising professional judgment
• Have the ability to undertake research in practice
• Make appropriate and constructive responses at all levels of intervention and across the range of workplace contexts
• Understand the interdependence of theory, practice, policy and research, and
• Critically and constructively reflect upon their practice

Applicants who already have a degree in the social behavioural sciences or a two-year TAFE Welfare Diploma may receive credit for prior studies, which will enable students to complete the four-year Bachelor of Social Work degree more quickly.

The maximum credit available for previous study is two years.

Credit for the first year of the Bachelor of Social Work is given for a full year of undergraduate study in any field or for a two-year TAFE Diploma in Community Services.

Further credit is assessed individually.