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Overview

This program is for students commencing from 2019. Students commencing prior to 2019 should refer to the program rules for the year in which they started. The Bachelor of Social Work with Honours (UNSW BSW Hons) offers you an innovative and accredited program leading to qualification as a professional social … For more content click the Read More button below. The UNSW BSW (Hons) draws on the extensive expertise and experience of qualified Social Work practitioners to deliver a unique combination of scholarly and practice-based courses. Students also undertake two separate field placements in Years 3 and 4 of the degree to gain the necessary practical experience. Level 4 of the program requires a research-based thesis or enquiry-based professional portfolio, undertaken through a capstone that integrates scholarship with professional work contexts. The Honours Thesis SOCW4015 has a WAM cut-off of 70 for entry. The Advanced Practice Honours Portfolio (SOCW4016) does not have a WAM cut-off. Upon successful completion of all program requirements, all students will graduate with Honours (AQF Level 8). 

Learning Outcomes

1.
Critically analyse and synthesise knowledge, values and power relations, and apply reflective thinking skills to inform professional judgement and practice.
  • Leaders
  • Scholars
  • Global citizens
2.
Articulate the principles of culturally responsive and inclusive practice, recognising the the complexity of personal, social and cultural identity.
  • Global citizens
3.
Assess and analyse needs to inform practice including demonstrating capacity for systematic inquiry and ability to conduct a professional project or piece of research.
  • Professionals
  • Scholars
4.
Communicate effectively orally and in writing, demonstrating capacity for establishing respectful and accountable relationships with diverse people
  • Scholars
5.
Recognise the moral and legal rights of individuals, groups and communities and manage ethical dilemmas and issues arising in social work practice consistent with social work values and ethical practice.
  • Professionals
  • Global citizens
6.
Demonstrate capacity to receive and use supervision to enhance practice, and exhibit commitment to own professional development, attitudes and behaviour.
  • Professionals
  • Scholars
7.
Practice collaborative team work, demonstrating understanding of group dynamics as they apply to teamwork
  • Scholars
  • Leaders
8.
Formulate written records in accordance with ethical principles and demonstrate understanding of privacy and other legal parameters
  • Professionals
9.
Apply social work and other relevant theories and concepts and demonstrate high level systemic thinking within a human rights and social justice framework.
  • Leaders
  • Global citizens
  • Professionals

Graduate Capabilities

For more information on Graduate Capabilities please click on this link

Program Structure

Students must complete 192 UOC when taken as a standalone program.

The UNSW BSW (Hons) can be completed full-time in Single mode (normally 4 years) or in Double Degree mode alongside Bachelor degrees in Criminology, Arts, Social Policy or Law . It is not offered part-time. The basic requirements of the program are simple. The BSW has a depth component and a breadth component. Students enrolled in Single mode do both the depth and breadth component while students enrolled in Double Degree mode only complete the depth component.

If you study in either the single or double degree mode, you will complete:

  1. Core courses comprising 168 UOC (24 courses)

If you study in single mode, you will also complete:

  1. 12 UOC of Free Electives (two courses) to be taken either within or outside the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
  2. 12 UOC of General Education (two courses) which must be taken outside of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Disciplinary Component168 Units of Credit:
Free Electives12 Units of Credit:
General Education12 Units of Credit:

Enrolment Disclaimer

Please note that this Handbook is a comprehensive catalogue of our offerings and includes courses that can be taken to satisfy program requirements irrespective as to their availability for a particular year. Availability of courses is best checked using filters on this site or on the class timetable site.

You are responsible for ensuring that you enrol in courses according to your program requirements and by following the advice of your Program Authority. myUNSW enrolment checks that you have met enrolment requirements such as pre-requisites for individual courses but not that you are enrolling in courses that will count towards your program requirements.

Sample Programs

To access sample program(s), please visit:
UNSW Arts & Social Sciences

Admission Requirements

Entry Requirements

Limitations on Recognition of Prior Learning

For more information about admission requirements for various UNSW programs, visit the following website(s):
Domestic Students
International Student

Program Requirements

Participation and Enrolment Requirements

Criminal records check

Medical assessment

Working with Children Check

Other

Compulsory Training Component

An integral aspect of the program core is organised learning in the field and this is a basic requirement for the professional recognition of the degree. In the field education courses, a field educator, usually in a social welfare agency, is responsible for a student learning to apply the principles of professional practice in an actual practice setting. From Level 3, a total of 140 seven-hour days are taken up in this way. Forty of these days are scheduled during academic recess periods. A student's two field education placements take place in more different types of practice setting. The settings vary and can include medical, psychiatric, local government, community health, community, family and child welfare, services to groups with disabilities, services to the aged, services to migrants, income security, and corrective services. Non-government social welfare agencies and all levels of government are utilised. For some students opportunities exist to undertake the second field education placement in rural areas or in select international locations. SOCW3012 and SOCW3013 and SOCW4017 and SOCW4018 are the designated field education courses.

Progression Requirements

Exit Strategies

Students unable to meet the requirements of either Social Work Practice - Level 3 and/or Level 4 placement may, with approval, repeat the course a maximum of one time.

Students unable to meet the requirements of Social Work Practice - Level 4 Placement, or who have completed the requisite UOC courses levels 1-3 inclusive, may exit the program and enrol in the Bachelor of Welfare Studies. It should be noted that this program does not provide eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers. Students undertaking dual degree programs who wish to exit the BSW (Hons) program are not permitted to enrol in the Bachelor of Welfare Studies alongside any other program of study.

For more information on university policy on progression requirements please visit Academic Progression

Associated Programs

Related Double Degree

Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) - BSW (Hons)
Bachelor of Social Science - BSocSci3322 - Social Work (Honours) / Social Science
Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) - BSW (Hons)
Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice - BCCJ4034 - Social Work (Honours) / Criminology & Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) - BSW (Hons)
Bachelor of Arts - BA4045 - Social Work (Honours) / Arts
Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) - BSW (Hons)
Bachelor of Laws - LLB4787 - Social Work (Honours) / Law

Postgraduate Pathway

Doctor of Philosophy - PhD1272 - Social Sciences
Doctor of Social Work - DSW1744 - Social Work
Master of Counselling Social Work - MCSW8930 - Counselling Social Work

Professional Outcomes

Professional Recognition

Graduates with the degree of Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) from UNSW are eligible for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Career Opportunities

Social worker in hospitals, community health centres, and child and family welfare agencies in government and non-government organisations; counsellor and consultant in private practice; community development in non-government organisations.

Recognition of Achievement

University Medal

Honours Classes

Additional Information

PARTICIPATION AND ENROLMENT REQUIREMENTS

It is a requirement that students who are undertaking placements in certain government departments and related organisations undergo criminal record checks as follows:

Working with Children Check

The Working With Children Check (WWCC) is valid for five years. It is a requirement for all students and is specifically designed for people who work or volunteer in child-related work. It involves a national criminal history check and a review of findings of workplace misconduct. The result of a WWCC is either a clearance to work with children for five years, or a bar against working with children. Cleared applicants are subject to ongoing monitoring and relevant new records may lead to the clearance being revoked. The WWCC is fully portable so it can be used for any paid or unpaid child-related work in NSW for as long as the worker remains cleared.

Students can apply for a WWCC number on the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian website. To be eligible for a WWCC you will have to show proof of identity to a NSW Motor Registry or Council Agency. For more information you may access the online tutorials and fact sheets at Working with Children Check.

National Criminal Record Check

A National Criminal Record Check is valid for three years. You must undergo a National Criminal Record Check and provide an original copy of the Check results to the Work Integrated Learning Unit. The result of a Working With Children Check is either that there are 'no disclosable outcomes', or that there are 'disclosable outcomes' which are then detailed in the certificate. If you have a disclosable outcome(s) on your criminal record check you will need to undergo a risk assessment. Please contact the Work Integrated Learning Unit for further information about this.

All placement students are subject to ongoing monitoring and must disclose new ‘disclosable outcomes’ to the Work Integrated Learning Unit. Some agencies (e.g NSW Health) only accept National Criminal Record Checks obtained through specific accredited agencies.
Compliance with NSW Health Vaccination Requirements (NSW Health funded placements).

Vaccinations

In order to undertake placement in a NSW Health funded facility, you need to demonstrate evidence of protection against the following diseases:

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough)
  • Hepatitis B
  • Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
  • Varicella (chickenpox)
  • Tuberculosis (TB) - As specified on the Vaccination Card, this check is only required if you were born in a country with a high incidence of TB, or you have lived or travelled in a high risk TB country cumulatively for 3 months or more.

Evidence of protection against these diseases must be recorded on the NSW Health vaccination card by a GP and serology reports must be provide for some diseases (reports from your doctor where protection is measured in your blood).

Green P Drivers Licence

Many agencies require that students have a Green P Drivers Licence or above. Although it is not compulsory to have a NSW Drivers License to undertake placement, it is an essential requirement for social work tasks in most agencies. Not having a Green P or unrestricted Driver’s License will significantly limit student placement options.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Contact the UNSW Arts and Social Sciences Student Services for advice.

Program Fees

At UNSW fees are generally charged at course level and therefore dependent upon individual enrolment and other factors such as student's residency status. For generic information on fees and additional expenses of UNSW programs, click on one of the following:

Domestic Students
Commonwealth Supported Students (if applicable)
International Students

Pre-2019 Handbook Editions

Access past handbook editions (2018 and prior)
Pre-2019 Handbook Editions