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Bachelor of Social Work

Handbook year

Information valid for students commencing in 2024

Course code

112510

Course type

Bachelor Degree (AQF Level 7)

Professional accreditation status

This is an AASW-accredited qualification. It is an entry qualification into the social work profession and has been determined to meet the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards.

Owner

Academy

College

Arts, Society and Education

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Course pre-requisites

English (Units 3/4,C)

Minimum English language proficiency requirements

Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 3cSchedule II of the JCU Admissions Policy.

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

Clinical placement/professional practice:

This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements. Students may be required to undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense (Note: health professional courses generally involve extensive professional or clinical placements).

Further information about placements can be found at Coursework Enrolment Procedure.

Post admission requirements

On-campus attendance requirement:

The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) requires all students to demonstrate that they have attended 20 days on campus face-to-face throughout their entire course. Students need to be aware that meeting the AASW attendance requirements does not mitigate the attendance requirements for specific subjects within this course. Throughout this course more than 20 days attendance face-to-face on campus may be required.

Honours: 

The embedded honours degree is available only to students admitted to the Bachelor of Social Work at this university.

A student may be invited by the College Dean to undertake the embedded honours degree if the student has satisfied the College requirements relating to the selection of subjects and the standard of academic achievement necessary to undertake the honours degree.

Under approved circumstances students may enrol in Honours part-time.

Suitability to Work with Children Card (blue card): 

This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements that may involve contact with children under 18 years of age. Students are required to obtain a Suitability to Work with Children Card (which involves a criminal history check undertaken by the Queensland Police) before the start of the first placement. Students must retain a current Suitability to Work with Children Card for the duration of their course, as failure to do so will result in the termination of their admission to the course.

For more information, refer to: 

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

96 credit points as per course structure

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of the Bachelor of Social Work, graduates will demonstrate an understanding of a broad and coherent body of knowledge, with depth in:

  1. The underlying values, ethics, theories, professional practice and workplace contexts in the social work discipline
  2. The unique, complex and contemporary relationships between social work and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their diverse histories and cultures
  3. The impact of social, political and historical issues on environmental and social sustainability in Australia and internationally, with a focus on the tropics.
  4. Review critically and analyse social systems, institutions, structures, processes, practices and inequities
  5. Consolidate, synthesise and evaluate social policy and evidence to devise practical and knowledge solutions that reduce social barriers, inequalities and injustice
  6. Communicate social work knowledge processes, practice and ethics clearly and coherently through well-developed literacy, numeracy and technological skills to a range of audiences
  7. Manage service provision and professional practice to engage with and enable individuals, groups and communities to achieve social and environmental justice
  8. Apply and adapt well-developed professional practice knowledge and skills, autonomously and in collaboration with others, to address social barriers, inequity and injustice across diverse contexts
  9. Demonstrate initiative and well-developed judgement in engagement, planning, decision-making, problem-solving and provision and evaluation of specialist advice and functions, to achieve practice, organisational and/or policy outcomes
  10. Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for own learning and professional development.

Inherent Requirements

Inherent Requirements

Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University's learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please visit: Bachelor of Social Work.

Reasonable adjustments

All JCU students have the opportunity to demonstrate, with reasonable adjustments where applicable, the inherent requirements for their course. For more information please visit: Student Disability Policy and Procedure.

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

Level 1

PL1001:03 The Political World: An Introduction to Political Science

SY1001:03 Australian Society: An Introduction to Sociology

WS1005:03 Human Rights, Social Justice, and the Law

WS1006:03 Foundations of Social Work

WS1007:03 Lifespan Development and Psychology for Social Welfare Practice

WS1008:03 Social Policy and Social Work

:03 Deviance, Crime and Society

SS1010:03 Australian People: Indigeneity and Multiculturalism

Level 2

WS2009:03 Foundations of Social Work Research

WS2010:03 Women, Power and Society

SY2100:03 Migration, Ethnicity and Belonging

WS2121:03 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Skills and Frameworks for Practice

WS2510:03 Interpersonal Skills

WS2511:03 Professional Ethics

WS2512:03 Organisational Practice

WS2513:03 Community Work

Level 3

WS3025:03 Group Work

WS3027:03 Working with Children and Families

WS3214:03 Eco Social Justice

WS3503:09 Field Education 1

WS3515:03 Professional Skills for Social Work Practice

WS3513:03 Developing Research Proposals

Level 4

WS4005:03 Conducting Research and Program Evaluation

WS4504:09 Field Education 2

WS4514:03 Advanced Social Work Theory

WS4503:03 Social Work and Mental Health

WS4511:03 Professional Identity and Social Work Practice

WS4812:03 Social Work Practice in Contemporary Contexts

Location

COURSE AVAILABLE AT

NOTES

JCU Cairns

Internal or mixed-mode attendance

JCU Townsville

Internal or mixed-mode attendance

Candidature

Expected time to complete

4 years full-time or part-time equivalent

Maximum time to complete

11 years

Maximum leave of absence

3 years

Progression

Course progression requisites

Nil

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

Yes

Further information about placements can be found at: Coursework Enrolment Procedure.

Students may be required to undertake placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled at their own expense.

Special assessment requirements

Refer to Review of a Student’s Suitability to Continue a Course Involving Placement policy.

Professional accreditation requirements

Graduates are eligible for full membership of AASW. Student preliminary membership is available.

Supplementary exam for final subject

Not applicable

Credit

Eligibility

Students may apply for credit transfer for previous tertiary study in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure.

Maximum allowed

63 credit points

Currency

Credit will be granted only for studies completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course.

Expiry

Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 21 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the candidate has not completed this course.

Other restrictions

Diploma:  Maximum 24 credit points (unspecified credit) at various year levels

Advanced Diploma:  Maximum 27 credit points.

24 credit points (unspecified credit – at various year levels) PLUS 3 credit points (specified - WS1006:03 Self in Professional Helping).

Credit will not be granted for Field Education 2 ().

Award Details

Award title

BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK

Approved abbreviation

BSW

Inclusion of majors on testamur

Not applicable - this course does not have majors

Exit with lesser award

Students who have completed 24 credit points of their course award requirements, and withdraw from or fail to meet the requirements for progression in the later years, may be eligible for the award of Diploma of Tertiary Studies.

Course articulation

Students who successfully complete the entry requirements for the embedded honours program will be eligible to apply for entry to the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) [Embedded] after three years.

Special awards

Students may receive an Award of Recognition in accordance with the Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure

Honours

Honours availability

Available as an Embedded honours program

Eligibility

By invitation of the College Dean

Normally at least a credit grade in four level 2 or level 3 social work subjects; and at least a distinction grade in at least two level 2 or level 3 social work subjects (including WS3513 Research Proposal Seminar) is required in the bachelor degree.