Course overview
- Description
Social workers are concerned with psychosocial problems; their causes, their solutions and their human impacts. Social workers work with individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities, and are committed to social justice and human rights.
In their practice, social workers deal with diverse issues such as the personal experience of people in difficulty, working with them towards effecting appropriate change. They are also concerned with broader organisational and social aspects of disadvantage, which impinge on the experience of individuals, and they seek to bring about change at community and policy levels in accordance with the values of the social work profession. It is a challenging, but potentially very rewarding profession, which attracts people with a high level of social commitment who are looking for a job in which they can put that commitment into practice in a positive and significant way.
The Master of Social Work is accredited by the professional association, Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). Graduates of the course are eligible for membership of the AASW, and this is the commonly accepted standard for professional recognition throughout Australia. The degree is also well recognised internationally, and many graduates obtain employment overseas.
- Course title
- Master of Social Work (coursework)
- Award abbreviation
- MSW
- Course code
- 11550
- Course type
- Master's degree by coursework only
- Status
- Current / 2025
- Administered by
- Allied Health
- CRICOS code
- 065091K
Course details
- Intake periods
- Beginning of year only
- Attendance type
- Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
- Credit points required
- 96
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Professional accreditation
- Master of Social Work (coursework) is accredited by: Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
- Standard course duration
- 2 years
- Time limit
- 5 years
- Delivery mode
- Internal
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth)
- Domestic fee type
- Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP
- Available to international students
- Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Dr Antonia Hendrick
- Fees
- Visit the fees calculator.
Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.
Specialisations
Course structure
Key to availability of units:
- S2
- Semester 2
- NS
- non-standard teaching period
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Please note that students seeking to undertake a Research Dissertation Project must meet the requirements as described in the pre-requisites of SWSP5603 Master of Social Work Research Dissertation Part 1.
Take all units (84 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | SWSP5301 | Foundations of Social Work Thinking and Identity |
| 3 hours per week x 12 weeks |
| NS | SWSP5306 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges and Practices for Social Work |
| 3 hours per week x 12 weeks |
| NS | SWSP5309 | Field Education 1: First Placement (18 points) |
| 450 hours |
| S2 | SWSP5406 | Social Work Methods 4: Consolidating Theory and Practice |
| 3 hrs per week x 12 weeks |
| NS | SWSP5429 | Field Education 2: Final Placement (18 points) |
| 550 hours |
| NS | SWSP5630 | Social Work Methods 1: Theories for practice |
| 3 hours per week x 12 weeks |
| NS | SWSP5631 | Social Work Methods 2: Practicing from Theory - Working with People |
| 3 hours per week x 12 weeks |
| S2 | SWSP5632 | Legal and Organisational Contexts for Social Work |
| 3 hours per week x 12 weeks |
| NS | SWSP5633 | Methods 3: Advanced Evidence Based Practice |
| 6 hours per week x 6 weeks |
| S2 | SWSP5634 | Social Work and Mental Health Practice |
| 3 hours per week x 12 weeks |
Students not undertaking a research dissertation project take units to the value of 12 points from this group:
Coursework Units
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | SWSP5407 | Research Methods in Social Work |
| 6 hours per week x 6 weeks |
| S2 | SWSP5409 | Applied Social Work Practices |
| 3 hours per week x 12 weeks |
Students undertaking a Research Dissertation Project take units to the value of 12 points from this group:
Research Dissertation Project
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | SWSP5603 | Master of Social Work Research Project Part 1 |
| 2 hours a week |
| S2 | SWSP5604 | Master of Social Work Research Project Part 2 |
| 2 hours a week |
See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.
Rules
Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures
1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.
(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules
2.(1) A student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).
(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.
English Language competency requirements
3.(1) To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
(2) Applicants with qualifications from overseas institutions where English is not the medium of instruction as recognised by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), must provide evidence of English language competence. and
(3) Applicants presenting with the IELTS Academic require an overall score of at least 7.0 and no band less than 7.0 at time of application.
Admission requirements
4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—
(a) a bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and
(b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 60 per cent;
and
(c) a current Australian National Police Certificate, or equivalent certification, indicating no criminal convictions. The currency of a National Police Certificate is 12 months.
Admission ranking and selection
5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.
Articulations and exit awards
6. This course does not form part of an articulated sequence.
Course structure
7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 96 points.
(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.
Satisfactory progress
8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.
9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.
Progress status
10.(1) Students who fail to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 after being enrolled at the University for one or two semesters only are assigned a progress status of 'On Probation' by the School of Allied Health.
(2) Unless the Faculty determines otherwise in exceptional circumstances, students who fail to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 and who have been enrolled at the University for more than two semesters are assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' by the School of Allied Health.
(3) Unless the Faculty determines otherwise in exceptional circumstances, students who have previously been allocated a progress status of 'Suspended' and fail again to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 are assigned a progress status of 'Excluded' by the School of Allied Health.
11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.
Award with distinction
12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—
(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;
(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;
and
(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.
Deferrals
13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).
Additional rules
Time limit
14.(1) Unless the School of Allied Health approves an extension, the time limit is five years from the beginning of the semester in which the first unit is credited towards the course.
(2) Where a student is permitted to credit a unit or units from a completed degree course, the credit dates from the year of first enrolment in the course for the degree of Master of Social Work.
(3) Where a student is permitted to credit a unit or units from an incomplete degree course, the credit dates from the year in which the unit or units concerned were passed.
Enrolment in practicum units
15. Unless the School of Allied Health, in recognition of exceptional circumstances approves otherwise, students must undertake both practicums on a full-time basis even if a student elects to enrol in the course part-time.
Withdrawal from practicum units
16. A student who withdraws from a practicum unit after confirmation of placement with the host organisation is declared to have failed the unit unless the School of Allied Health is satisfied that there were exceptional circumstances to justify withdrawal.
[Approved addition to University Policy]
Failure of practicum units
17. The School of Allied Health will consider the case of a student who fails a practicum unit and will—
(a) permit the student to repeat the practicum;
or
(b) permit the student to repeat the practicum following satisfactory prior completion of specified additional relevant work;
or
(c) exclude the student from re-enrolment in the course.
Faculty Infection Control Requirements
18. At admission and during enrolment, students must comply with the School of Allied Health Infection Control Requirements, appended to the relevant UWA Admission and Student Enrolment policies.
Professional Behaviour
19. Breaches of Professional Behaviour will be managed according to the Procedures appended to the UWA Courses: Experiential Learning Policy
Requirement to attend
20.(1) Students must maintain a minimum attendance rate of at least 80% at lecture/seminars, integration groups and other forms of interactive/small group teaching and learning.
(2) If a student fails to maintain an attendance rate of at least 80% they shall be taken to have not satisfied the requirements of the unit, unless absences are formally approved in writing by applying for Special Consideration.
Australian National Police Clearance
21. At admission and annually during enrolment, students must provide a clear current Australian National Police Clearance or equivalent certification.