Students should ensure they review the Course Structure information provided on the Course Details page for their Bachelor’s Degree. It is essential that students complete any Foundation units identified in that information at the earliest available opportunity in their studies. For those degrees which do not identify any Foundation Units, the necessary fundamental knowledge is incorporated within each degree specific major in your course. Where Foundation units are identified, they are essential and are chosen to provide fundamental knowledge which will assist you throughout the remainder of your studies. In some cases these foundation units are also essential prerequisites to enable you to undertake required units within your chosen majors, so these units should always be completed as early as possible in your course.
Students can access specific major pages through the handbook search function.
Course overview
- Description
The Bachelor of Social Work course will prepare students for a professional qualification in one of the top five growing employment areas in Australia. Social Work is a sought after qualification and one that provides a strong foundation for graduates to practice in a range of human service organisations, including mental health, child protection, justice, family and domestic violence, social and public policy roles, in government and the community sector. The course has a strong foundation in contemporary knowledge and skill building, including, importantly, Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. An evidence-informed curriculum ensures that graduates are prepared for the rigours of research and evaluation in the field and also offers the opportunity for high achieving students to enter the Honours stream, enabling immersion in a self-directed research project and preparing for possible higher degrees by research, such as Masters and PhD programs. The course seeks to prepare high quality graduates, with a strong focus on practice, noting that there is an expectation of 1000 hours of supervised field placement across a range of social service settings.
International Students wishing to qualify for the International Student Visa must select the 'in person' study option.
- Award abbreviation
BSocWk
- Course code
- BH017
- Status
- Current / 2025
- Administered by
- School of Allied Health
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Dr Stephan Lund
- CRICOS code
- 114339C
Course details
- Credit points required
- 192
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Structure
- 192 points comprising 32 six-point units. Students normally take eight units each year, four in each semester.
- Available to international students
- Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
- Attendance type
- Full- or part-time
- Delivery mode
- Multi-mode
- Standard full-time completion
- 4 years
- Standard part-time completion
- 8 years (maximum 12 years)
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth), Albany, UDRHs across WA
- Majors available
MJD-SOCWK Social Work
- Domestic fee type
- Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP
- 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.
Example Study Plan
See study plans for more information.
Course structure
Rules
Title
1. These rules are the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) Course Rules.
Terms Used
2. The Glossary provides an explanation of the terms used in these rules.
Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures
3.(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 module
4.(1) Except as stated in (2), a student who enrols in an undergraduate degree course of the University 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), Communication and Research Skills (the CARS module) and Indigenous Studies Essentials (the ISE module) in the teaching period in which they are first enrolled.
(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.
(3) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACE module, the CARS module or the ISE module is not required to repeat the relevant module.
English Language competency requirements
5.(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 presenting with IELTS require a score of 7.0 with no individual band less than 7.0, or equivalent, is required.
(3) Applicants presenting with iBT require a score of 94 overall with 27 for writing, 23 for speaking, and 24 for reading and listening.
(4) Applicants presenting with PTE: require a score of 70 with nothing below 70.
Admission requirements
6.(1) To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—
(a) achieved an ATAR of at least 75, or equivalent as recognised by UWA; and meet the additional requirements stated at (2) below
or
(b) an assured pathway offer;
or
(c) Achieved a score of at least 100 in UWA's experienced based entry assessment;
or
(d) a place in a relevant UWA access program.
and
(2) For indigenous students, entry via an indigenous pathway
Admission ranking and selection
7. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.
Transfer Requirements
8.(1) A student enrolled in an undergraduate degree course at UWA may apply to transfer into this course if they satisfy the following conditions:
(a) the student has not commenced their final semester of enrolment;
and
(b) the course transfer is undertaken within the specified transfer windows in each academic year;
and
(c) there are no quotas preventing the student from enrolling in a major or unit in which the student seeks to enrol; and
(2) the student has completed a minimum of 24 points of study in their current course and achieved a WAM of at least 60
and
(1) A student enrolled in an undergraduate degree course at UWA may apply to transfer into this course if they satisfy the following conditions:
(a) the student has not commenced their final semester of enrolment;
and
(b) the course transfer is undertaken within the specified transfer windows in each academic year;
and
(c) there are no quotas preventing the student from enrolling in a major or unit in which the student seeks to enrol; and the proposed transfer WAM threshold.
Course structure
9.(1) An integrated Honours Degree Course consists of 192 credit points (normally 32 units), comprising:
(a) 144 credit points (normally 24 units) of an undergraduate component, including:
(i) no more than 72 credit points (normally 12 units) at Level 1; and
(ii) at least 72 credit points (normally 12 units) at Level 2 and Level 3, including at least 18 credit points (normally 3 units) at Level 3; and
(iii) at least 24 credit points (normally 4 units) outside the student's degree-specific major to provide breadth of study; and
(iv) a degree-specific major chosen from the list below:
MJD-SOCWK Social Work
and
(v) any relevant foundation units.
and
(b) 48 credit points (normally 8 units) of an Honours component, including:
(i) at least 36 credit points (normally 6 units) at Level 4 and Level 5; and
(ii) at least 12 credit points (normally 2 units) of Dissertation or equivalent units at Level 4 and/or Level 5; and
(iii) at least 12 credit points (normally 2 units) of the 48 credit points are undertaken at Level 4.
(2) Students may choose to undertake an additional major and/or up to two minors from any undergraduate degree, provided the student will be able to complete all nominated majors and minors within 192 credit points.
(1) A student enrolled in an undergraduate degree course at UWA may apply to transfer into this course if they satisfy the following conditions:
(a) the student has not commenced their final semester of enrolment;
and
(b) the course transfer is undertaken within the specified transfer windows in each academic year;
and
(c) there are no quotas preventing the student from enrolling in a major or unit in which the student seeks to enrol; and the proposed transfer WAM threshold.
Satisfactory progress
10.(1) 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.
(2) This rule is intentionally blank.
(3) A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) in any one or more of the CARS module or the ISE module when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress.
(4) A student who fails a unit twice is not permitted to enrol again in that unit unless the relevant board approves otherwise.
(1) To make satisfactory progress a student must pass all units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.
(2) For the dissertation component of the honours degree course the relevant board determines whether satisfactory progress has been made having regard to the report of the student's supervisor.
(3) A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) in one or more of the ACE module, the CARS module or the ISE module when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress.
Progress status
11.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.
(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances —
(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 10(1) is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';
(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 10(1) is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';
(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 10(1) is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded';
(d) a student who does not make satisfactory progress under Rule 10(3) is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation' unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to make satisfactory progress under Rule 10(1).
(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.
(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances —
(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress under Rule 10(1) or (2) is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded';
(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress under Rule 10(3) is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation' unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Excluded' for failure to make satisfactory progress under Rule 10(1) or (2).
(3) To progress to Honours a student must achieve a WAM of at least 75.
Deferrals
12. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).
Final honours classification
13. The final honours classification is awarded in accordance with the University Policy on: Assessment.