Master of Social Work (Qualifying)

Masters (Coursework)

Become a social worker in just two years* with UniSQ and embark on a career as a change agent in society. You'll be prepared to enter an in-demand profession and work with people who are experiencing emotional, social, and economic challenges.

Key details

Degree Type

Masters (Coursework)

Study Mode

In person

Intake Months

Feb, May

Domestic Fees

$26,640 per year

About this course

Overview

Become a social worker in just two years* with UniSQ and embark on a career as a change agent in society. You'll be prepared to enter an in-demand profession and work with people who are experiencing emotional, social, and economic challenges.
The Master of Social Work (Qualifying) can be the start of a new career in social work and can build on your existing skills to make a difference in society.
Develop effective communication, creative thinking, and solution-based skills and get 1000 hours of hands-on experience during field placements to prepare you for professional practice. Graduates can work clinically with individuals and families or in counselling, advocacy, community engagement, disability services, social action, and international development.
You will be able to practice as a critical ally with marginalised people and communities, and foster cultural safety, be culturally responsive and be able to work alongside First Nations peoples.
Choose either a professional or research pathway in your final year to tailor the Master of Social Work (Qualifying) to your desired career path.
- The professional pathway is unique to the UniSQ MSW(Q) degree and allows you to select between bespoke social work elective courses to gain deeper knowledge of particular areas of interest.
- The research pathway advances your research capability and involves an independent research project that produces a thesis and the possibility of undertaking a PhD in the future.

* If studying full-time.

Further study

Upon successful completion of the UniSQ MSW(Q) degree (Research pathway), you can apply to study a PhD to gain further research experience.

Professional accreditation

The Master of Social Work (Qualifying) is accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). UniSQ graduates will be eligible for membership with AASW.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Completion of an Australian university three-year bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with a minimum of one year of Social Science subjects.
Participate in an interview with a panel of staff from the Social Work and Human Services discipline in the School of Psychology and Wellbeing.
Additional requirements apply before you start any industry placements.

Inherent requirements

There are inherent requirements that must be met in order to successfully complete this degree. Inherent requirements are fundamental skills, capabilities and knowledge that students must be able to demonstrate in order to achieve the essential learning outcomes of the degree, while maintaining the academic integrity of the degree.

English language requirements

You are required to satisfy the applicable English language requirements and this degree requires a minimum of IELTS 7.0 or equivalent. If you do not meet the English language requirements you may apply to study a University-approved English language program.

Recognition of prior learning or work experience

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of courses that you need to study to finish your program.

Pathways

If you don't meet the entry requirements, we have several bachelor degrees for you to choose from to start your journey towards your chosen degree.

Study locations

Ipswich

Career pathways

Career outcomes

Graduate with the specialised knowledge and skills that enables you to deliver social work services across diverse fields of practice, including disability, health, research, child, youth and family wellbeing, education, community services and criminal justice.
You'll be prepared to step into leadership roles and positioned to work towards societal change through policy advocacy

Course structure

Degree structure

To complete this degree students must complete 16 units. Most courses (similar to 'subjects') are valued at 1 unit. To study full-time you would usually complete 4 units per study period.

Courses to be studied Units Core courses 8 2 x placement courses 6 2 x Professional Pathway elective courses
or
2 x Research Pathway dissertation courses

2 Total 16

Refer to the UniSQ Handbook for courses to be studied and recommended enrolment patterns.

Professional experience / placements

You'll undertake 1000 hours of placements in this degree.

All students will need to comply with UniSQ's Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Compliance requirements and provide the following prior to commencing field education courses:

Blue Card or Working with Children Check
Criminal History Check (Australian Police Certificate)
UniSQ Mandatory Compliance form
Evidence of required vaccinations.

How to apply

How to apply

Complete your online application directly to UniSQ.

Apply direct to UniSQ

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You can select to start your study in Trimester 1 or 2.


Study period	Application closing date	Orientation	Study period s tart date	Finish date
Trimester 1, 2025	Monday 10 February	Monday 3 February	Monday 10 February	Friday 9 May
Trimester 2, 2025	Monday 26 May	Monday 19 May	Monday 26 May	Friday 22 August

More information on applying key dates is available.

Further information

Discover further information on applying to study at UniSQ that is relevant to you.

Graduate outcomes

Graduate satisfaction and employment outcomes for Social Work courses at University of Southern Queensland (USQ).

84.6%

Overall satisfaction

73.1%

Skill scale

69.2%

Teaching scale

77.5%

Employed full-time

Data source