Master of Social Work (Qualifying)

Entry requirements

This course is offered under two admission rules.

Rule A: You have completed a three-year undergraduate qualification (AQF Level 7 or overseas equivalent) from a recognised tertiary institution in a discipline other than Social Work.
Your degree must include 48 credit points (1 year of full-time study, or part-time equivalent) in any Social Science discipline. You must hold a Bachelor degree or equivalent qualification and have completed at least one year of full-time equivalent study in Social and Behavioural Sciences. UNE uses the definition from the Australian Association of Social Workers (ASWEAS) that social and behavioural sciences refer to topics that focus on psychology and human development and the relationship between individuals and society. Courses accepted as social science are defined by the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS). Other courses that are considered social science include:

• Community development
• Counselling
• Criminology
• Education
• Indigenous studies
• International relations
• Public health
• Social welfare
• Community services
• Nursing
• Social policy
• Mental health and wellbeing.

If you are not sure if your degree constitutes a social science, please contact the Master of Social Work (Qualifying) Course Coordinator to discuss.

Please note: If your three-year undergraduate qualification (AQF Level 7 or overseas equivalent) does not include 48 credit points of study in any Social Science discipline you cannot apply for this course. You may become eligible to enrol in this degree by successfully completing 48 credit points of study in UNE's social science offerings.

Rule B: You have an international qualification in social work that does not meet the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) eligibility for membership.
Permission for admission on this basis must be granted by the Master of Social Work (Qualifying) Course Coordinator.

Please note: You are individually responsible for contacting the AASW regarding eligibility for membership based on your individual circumstances.

If you are admitted on this basis, you will be eligible for admission under standard entry. Please see the Course Structure (Program of Study).

Months of entry

February

Course content

Build on your existing knowledge and passion for social justice and human rights with practical experience and flexibly delivered case-based learning. Gain the skills necessary to address barriers, inequality and injustices faced by marginalised and disadvantaged groups in Australia's socially and culturally diverse society. With a focus on rural and regional communities, UNE's Master of Social Work (Qualifying) will provide you with the tools to thrive in this rewarding and rapidly-evolving profession.

Why study the Master of Social Work (Qualifying) with UNE?
Social workers address the barriers, inequality and injustices faced by many disadvantaged and marginalised individuals and groups in our community, and engage with the many challenges involved in social work practice locally, nationally, and internationally, including within rural and remote communities. UNE's Master of Social Work (Qualifying) is designed for people who wish to change their career direction, or for those already working in the community services who wish to boost their career trajectory.

Our social work program embraces a framework that examines the dynamics of human behaviour, institutions and complex social interactions. If you have a passion for social justice and human rights, our Master's course will provide you with the practical and theoretical skills for a career in the growing and dynamic field of professional social work.

UNE is consistently awarded the maximum 5-star ratings for Overall Experience and Student Support in The Good Universities Guide. Study with a highly rated university.

What makes our course different?
At UNE, our social work courses include a focus on issues that face rural and regional communities. They are designed to provide an understanding and respect for the varied social, ethnic, cultural and religious groups that make up Australian society, with an emphasis on marginalised and Indigenous people. Our Master of Social Work (Qualifying) will enable you to effectively respond to the rapidly changing social and environmental issues affecting individuals and communities.

• Study flexibly to work in with your lifestyle, professional situation, and learning needs, either full-time or part-time, on campus or online (with some mandatory, on campus intensive schools).
• Complete your 1000 hours of professional fieldwork (clinical) placements in diverse social work settings in Australia and internationally. Clinical placements are supervised by experienced practitioners who support you in developing the skills needed to practice social work effectively in complex environments, with disadvantaged and marginalised individuals, groups, and communities.
• Prove your enhanced discipline knowledge and research skills with the capstone unit HLTH554A, a research unit in a specialised area of your choice, usually completed alongside your second field placement. This unit of study will enable your critical thinking skills and evidence-based practice tools gained as you produce a piece of independent professional research.

Please note: all students, including those enrolled online, are required to participate in on-campus learning for a minimum of 20 days/150hrs over the duration of the course. This requirement is met via attendance at the mandatory intensive schools associated with some of the core units for online students and/or via face-to-face mandatory classes throughout the trimester for on campus students. This requirement is stipulated by the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS).

This is an approved Student Income Support course. Eligible students may apply for Youth Allowance or Austudy.

Before starting your first field placement, there are a number of requirements that you must meet. These include vaccinations for Category A Health Care Workers (NSW Health), a current National Criminal History Check, and a NSW Working with Children Check. Some of these take some time to complete, so we encourage you to commence processing these as soon as you have enrolled in the course.