Social Work Degree in Australia

Social work degree helps you to deal with the social problems and human rights of your community.

Social Work Course in Australia

Australia is home to world renown institutions where you can study social work at different levels, from bachelor to doctor of social work. By studying social work you can develop your skills in this super demanding field.

Social Work Courses in Australia

The profession of social work is a practice based on changing the social environment, development, and empowerment of people and the community. Social work includes understanding human behavior and economic, social, and cultural interactions. Social workers help families and communities to get the following social impacts in their lives:

  • Child Abuse
  • Civil Rights
  • Unemployment assurance
  • Workers Indemnity
  • Medicare
  • Reduce Mental Health

Social workers have been found for over 150 years worldwide. They are providing their services to many needy people. Social work is an academic discipline that involves principles of social justice and human rights. It also recognizes the socio-cultural, economic, political, and personal factor which serves as opportunities or barriers to the development and well-being of humanity. The main focus of social work is universal, but the social work practices vary from country to country and from time to time. It also differs in the specific person's cultural, political, economic, and historical conditions.

Types of Social Work

There are three different levels of social work. The social worker provides a few various services at each division, depending on the situation. These are the types of social work:

  • Micro Social Work
  • Macro Social Work
  • Mezzo Social work

Micro Social Work

At this level, Social workers provide services to individuals, families, and small groups and resolve various social issues. It is also known as one-on-one counseling with people. Some examples of micro social work are:

  • Abuse Counselor
  • Mental Health
  • Family Therapist
  • School Counselor
  • Housing Support
  • Emotional Struggles

Macro Social Work

Macro-level social workers provide their services to the whole community. These communities can be from neighborhoods, religious communities, or geopolitical. They may make policies or shape them in a particular way and train others to do so. At this level, social workers are more likely to engage in significant societal issues like homelessness, substance abuse, etc. Some examples of macro social work are:

  • Professor
  • Policy Maker
  • Community Organizer
  • Researcher
  • Lobbyist

Mezzo Social Work

Social workers at his level work with a group of people. Sometimes the group is small, like some employee who wants a resolution to their job conflicts and mediation services. Sometimes it is a large group of unknown persons who shares their life experience, such as the recent death of a loved one, problems, and addictions. They may help students to get rid of their academic issues. Some examples of mezzo social work are:

  • Business Social Worker
  • Community Social Worker
  • Clinical Social Worker
  • Academic Social Worker
  • Therapist
  • Support Group Counselor

Study Social Work in Australia

The social work field has many job opportunities worldwide. Many students, after their secondary education, prefer going abroad for higher education and building their careers on the right path. Social work appraises the needs and wants of people (families, individuals, groups, or communities). Social workers assist them by using their skills, expertise, and resources in the best possible manner. They resolve problems of socialism, human health, the well-being of humanity, human rights, etc. Some examples of social work tasks are as follow:

  • Counselor between clients in their needs.
  • Evaluating resources for well-being, wealth, health, happiness, housing, jobs, and other community services.
  • Giving leadership facilities and assistance for the execution of main projects in community development.
  • Helping people of all ages to solve their everyday life problems.
  • Executing plans to improve customer lives.
  • Meets with individuals and families separately to determine the nature and client’s problem.
  • Instructing the client’s family during the treatment.
  • Consulting doctors when needed to solve clients' issues (health or mental).
  • Collaborating with organizations, agencies, and groups to improve services.
  • Providing pertinent information to the clients to understand and resolve their problems.
  • Developing new ways of services.
  • Analyzing the client's progress by contacting them again and again.
  • Keeping a proper record of all cases and reports.

Social Work Degree

To get a social work degree, you must complete either the bachelor's or master's program. These courses will provide you with analytical and clinical social work practices. These are the basic levels of social work degrees in Australia:

  • Bachelors of Social Work (BSW)
  • Masters of Social Work (MSW)
  • Doctorate of Social Work (DSW)

Bachelors of Social Work (BSW)

Are you interested in resolving problems and helping people? You can get a social work degree from Australia to be a social worker. The bachelor in social work is a two years undergraduate program that teaches you most of the basics of this demanding profession.

After your degree completion, you can start your career as a social worker. Becoming a social work professional is the final goal of this program. After completing the bachelor of pharmacy, you will be able to support people to improve their social and personal well-being.

The best feature of this degree is that the Australia Association of Social Work (AASW) accredits your course.

Bachelors of Social Work Honours

An honors degree in social work means four years of graduation and will equip you with many necessary skills to work in social work and human services. The best feature of this degree is that the Australia Association of Social Work (AASW) accredits your course.

Masters of Social Work (MSW)

The Australian Association of Social Work accredits the master of the social work program. A master's degree in social work will give you advanced knowledge and experience in this field. After completing a masters in social work degree, you will be more competitive in the job market, and you can demand a high award rate.

You can do master of social work courses full-time and part-time on campus. It takes two years to complete a master's degree; in some cases, it takes 2.5 years for completion. After completion, you can be a member of the Australian Social Work Association.

To apply for a master's of social work, a candidate should have a bachelor's degree from a university or college.

Doctorate of Social Work (DSW)

Candidates interested in pursuing a high level of social work degree should consider applying for a doctorate of social work (DSW). This degree is an additional benefit for those who want to pursue their teaching, research, and supervision career.

DSW is the most advanced qualification in any field. A doctorate in social work will give you the title of doctor. You must have a completion certificate of MSW to apply for the DSW program.

Technical and Further Education (TAFE) offers some social work diplomas that are not as important as completing a university degree in social work.

Bachelor in Social Work

Social Workers play a principal role in helping and improving the health of their communities. You will learn how the expert in social work helps others. It is a social work undergraduate degree, and the Australian Association of Social Work accredits this course.

Expected Fee

A$28,000 to A$32,500. The fee range can change from time to time.

Duration

2 to 4 Years

Career Outcomes

You can choose where to work; you can move to clinical assessments, managing large caseloads, supervisor role, and counselor.

Admission Requirements

A high school certificate with an ATAR of 75.

English Requirements

An academic IELTS with 7.0 points overall, with no less than 6.5 in each category.

Master of Social Work

Social Workers play a principal role in helping and improving the health of their communities. You will learn how the expert in social work helps others. It is a social work postgraduate degree, and the Australian Association of Social Work accredits this course.

Expected Fee

A$30,000 to A$35,000. The fee range can change from time to time.

Duration

2 Years

Career Outcomes

You can choose where to work; you can move to clinical assessments, managing large caseloads, supervisor role, and counselor.

Admission Requirements

A high school certificate with an ATAR of 75.

English Requirements

An academic IELTS with 7.0 points overall, with no less than 6.5 in each category.

Cities where you can study Pharmacy

Australia is among those countries that are the most preferred study location. The Social Work program in Australia has global recognition, and many universities in Australia are among the top 100 worldwide. Social Work degrees are available in these Australian locations:

  • Social Work Courses Perth
  • Social Work Courses Melbourne
  • Social Work Courses Sydney
  • Social Work Course Hobart
  • Social Work Courses Adelaide
  • Social Work Courses Brisbane
  • Social Work Program Darwin
  • Social Work Degree Canberra

Apart from the above major cities, you can also study social work degree at the following cities: Bentley, Bunbury, Rosanna, Geelong, Warrnambool, Launceston, Burnie, Whyalla, Mount Gambier, Sippy Downs, Cairns, Townsville, Ballarat, Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Armidale, Wollongong, Canberra.

Studying social work in Australia will benefit from a great student environment inside and outside class premises. Students will get the skills of highly qualified teachers. Australian universities do not just give you the certificate of your program but also a career guarantee. You can get admission to social work degree at the following Australian universities.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

  • Australian Catholic University Social work.

New South Wales (NSW)

  • The University of Sydney Social Work.
  • Western University Sydney.
  • University of Wollongong Australia.
  • University of New England UNE Social Work.
  • Bachelor of Social Work CSU (Charles Sturt University).
  • University of New South Wales (UNSW).
  • Master of Social work Federation University Australia.

Northern Territory (NT)

  • Charles Darwin University CDU Social Work

Queensland (QLD)

  • Master of Social Work QUT (Queensland University of Technology).
  • UQ Social Work The University of Queensland.
  • James Cook University Master of Social Work.
  • Bachelor of Social Work Griffith University.
  • Master of Social Work Griffith University.
  • Bachelor of Social Work USC (University of Sunshine Coast).
  • Master of Social Work SCU (Southern Cross University).

South Australia (SA)

  • Master of Social Work UniSA (University of South Australia).
  • Master of Social Work Flinders University.

Tasmania (TAS)

  • Master of Social Work UTAS (University of Tasmania).

Victoria (VIC)

  • Bachelor of Social Work Victoria University.
  • Master of Social Work Deakin University.
  • Master of Social Work Monash University.
  • Institute of Health and Management.
  • LA Trobe University Master of Social Work.
  • Master of Social Work RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology).
  • Bachelor of Social Work RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology).
  • Master of Social Work UniMelb (The University of Melbourne).
  • Bachelor of Social Work Melbourne

Western Australia (WA)

  • Master of Social Work UWA.
  • Social Work Curtin University.
  • ECU Social Work (Edith Cowan University).

Social Work Career Paths Australia

After degree completion, social workers can pursue their careers in many employment opportunities. The fundamental goal of social work is to rehabilitate and help others. These are some social work careers from an extensive list available after degree completion:

  • Mental Health Counselor
  • Therapist or Counselor
  • School Social Worker
  • Marriage and Family Counselor
  • Child Welfare Social Worker
  • Psychiatric Social Worker
  • Trauma Social Worker
  • Community Social Worker

Mental Health Counselor

A Mental Health social worker or counselor deals directly with the patients, and they help them manage their mental illness or life challenges. Social workers spend time with the patients to diagnose and treat their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional issues.

Therapist or Counselor

These social workers have mental health experts' licenses and help their clients improve their quality of life. Therapist social workers can join clinics, hospitals, communities, and even online modes of giving their services.

School Social Worker

School social worker helps students (individual or group) to sort out all issues related to their academic life. They also supervise parents, teachers, and administration to support the mental well-being of students. School social work jobs Sydney are available.

Marriage and Family Counselor

Marriage and family social workers work with couples, individuals, and families to resolve their problems. They help them live healthy, strong relationships at any stage of life.

Child Welfare Social Worker

In this career pathway, social workers focus on the children well being. Social workers can get jobs in child welfare agencies and have corporate relationships with parents, teachers, and medical bodies to keep the children safe. Child welfare social work jobs Australia are waiting for our graduates.

Psychiatric Social Worker

Psychiatric Social worker helps all those patients who suffer from anxiety, severe depression, psychotic disorder, or any other related issue. They try to resolve their problem and improve their quality of life.

Trauma Social Worker

Trauma social workers help all types of patients by negotiating at the micro and mezzo level. They only focus on the trauma practice information. Trauma social work jobs Canberra are available.

Community Social Worker

Community social workers work at all three levels of social work in the community. They can select their work position at the state level, domestic level, and sometimes working with non-profit organizations too. Community social work jobs Perth are available.

Occupation in Demand

Studying Social Work allows you to nominate the occupation/s of Social Worker for Australian General Skilled Migration. Social work occupation is on the Medium to Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL).

Pathway to Temporary and Permanent Visas

An applicant who nominates an occupation on the MLTSSL list can apply for a:

  • Temporary Graduate Subclass 485 Visa
  • Temporary Skills Shortage Subclass 482 Visa
  • Employer Nomination Scheme Subclass 186 Visa
  • Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Subclass 494 Visa
  • Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa
  • Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 Visa
  • Skilled Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491 Visa
  • Permanent Residence (Permanent Regional) Subclass 191 Visa

An applicant who nominates an occupation on the STSOL list can apply for a:

  • Temporary Skills Shortage Subclass 482 Visa
  • Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Subclass 494 Visa
  • Skilled Nominated Subclass 190 Visa
  • Skilled Regional (Provisional) Subclass 491 Visa
  • Permanent Residence (Permanent Regional) Subclass 191 Visa

Social Work Skills Assessment Authority

Australian Association of Social Workers is a skill assessment body of social work and social workers. The social work association Australia AASW is a member of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW). AASW generates different codes of ethics to be followed by social workers, and it also helps promote the interest of social workers in Australia.

Global Social Work Industry

The professional industry of social work is growing every year. After recognizing that social work is a global professional, the National Association of Social Work (NASW) initiates the Social Workers Across Nations (SWAN) program to offer the expertise and skills of social workers worldwide. The global social work sector expects to reach U$1800 Billion by next year.

Australian Social Work Industry

According to Australia's job outlook, social work job expects to grow to 49,300 by 2026. AASW expects that the number of social workers will grow very strongly.
The average age of social workers in Australia is 42 years, with a large percentage of female workers (84%). Almost 60% of social workers live in the capital cities of Australia, and most social workers work in the health care industry of Australia.

Social Work Salary Australia

The average hourly award rate of social workers in Australia is $45. Social workers' salary depends on their expertise and skills, and they can easily earn up to $1700 per week, which is relatively higher than any other full-time job. Social workers work 41 hours per week as their primary job and additional hours (overtime) to serve humanity (either paid or unpaid).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is social work?

Social work is a practice based on social development and social changes, and it is the academic discipline linked with helping the needs of people (individuals, families, communities, or groups).

What is critical social work?

Critical social work is social work application from the critical theory perspective. Critical social work focuses on individual issues in detail and addresses them with social justice. The main goal that critical social work addresses are:

  • Unemployment
  • Poverty
  • Racism
  • Crime
  • Social Unrest
  • Housing Problem
  • Education Problem
  • Healthcare Problems

How much does a social work degree cost?

You can expect to pay up to A$45000, including tuition, accommodation, and travel costs. Fees depend on the degree you will do and also on the universities.

What is professional competence in social work?

There are several core competencies of social work, enabling social work knowledge, values, and skills. Professional competency is one of them, which mean social worker must have an in-depth understanding of this profession, its ethical standards, laws, and regulations. They also understand the profession's history, mission, duties, and responsibilities of this profession.

Why is teamwork essential in social work?

For a social worker, there are several benefits of working with teams. Some of them are as follows:

  • Greater knowledge
  • Greater Resources
  • Division of Responsibility
  • Fewer Barriers
  • Easy Navigation
  • Cost Reduction (on individuals)
  • Efficiency
  • Client Satisfaction

Is social work in demand in Australia?

Yes, social work is snowballing and is in high demand in Australia and globally. Social worker registration is now on the Australian Government's combined list of skillful professions, and ANZSCO 272511 is the social work code according to the Australia Association of Social Work.

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