Faculty of Arts
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)

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Faculty of Arts

1. BSW course objectives
    1.1. Value objectives
    1.2. Knowledge objectives
2. BSW course structure
    2.1. The three-year program
    2.2. The two-year accelerated program
3. Further BSW course requirements
    3.1. Withdrawal from subjects/leave of absence
    3.2. Progress requirement
    3.3. Credit guidelines
    3.4. Applications and admission to the Bachelor of Social Work degree
4. Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) degree
    4.1. Honours entry
        4.1.1. BSW (Hons) three-year program
        4.1.2. BSW (Hons) two-year accelerated program
    4.2. Honours requirements
        4.2.1. BSW (Hons) three-year program
        4.2.2. BSW (Hons) two-year accelerated program
    4.3. Honours grade requirement
    4.4. Further honours requirements
5. Arts/social work combined degree
    5.1. Course structure
    5.2. Example of a combined BA/BSW degree
    5.3. Further BA/BSW course requirements
    5.4. Applications and admission to the combined degree
6. For more information
Subject Lists
    Bachelor of Social Work subjects
    Fourth year subjects

The Melbourne School of Social Work is the leading provider of professional social work education in Victoria. Melbourne is the longest established School of Social Work in the state and has strong partnership links with major health and social welfare agencies, such as the Royal Children's Hospital and Anglicare. A wide range of fieldwork placement opportunities is available for students in challenging areas such as child and family welfare, juvenile justice, mental health, aged care, rehabilitation and health. Teaching in the Bachelor of Social Work course is informed by a substantial research program and is enhanced by cutting-edge educational developments in multimedia and experiential learning. The school's extensive postgraduate program offers many opportunities for life-long professional learning as a social worker. Melbourne Bachelor of Social Work students are keenly sought by human service agencies and are quickly employed upon graduation.

Students should note that only the following five subjects are available for credit towards the Bachelor of Arts:

All other social work subjects are exclusively available to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Work course.

1. BSW course objectives

1.1. Value objectives

BSW students will:

seek to develop their practice within the framework of social work's commitment to the empowerment of individuals, groups and communities;
be able to articulate their values within the broad social context;
be able to work with conflict of values;
understand the implicit value underpinnings of the broader social institutions as well as the ethics of social work practice as expressed in the Australian Association of Social Workers' Code of Ethics.

1.2. Knowledge objectives

Theory

BSW students will develop an understanding of:

the historical and current debates in the development of welfare provisions and of social work in Australia and overseas;
the political economy of Australia as the context within which the social welfare legislation, policies and issues develop, compared with the political economy of other countries;
the fields of service within which social work operates and the client dilemmas and issues within such fields of service;
social and community service organisations, their management and the relationship between their practice and social policy formulation;
theories of human growth and development;
the characteristics and social contexts of the different target groups with which social work is concerned;
the theory and practice of social work with individuals, families, groups and communities;
the processes of social research and the theories of knowledge on which these rest.

Practice

The BSW endeavours to develop in students the ability to:

practice social work in such areas as social administration, policy formulation, social action, program planning, community organisation, group work, family work and individual casework;
acquire a range of interactional and analytical skills within the breadth of social work roles such as caseworker, advocate, mediator, activist, negotiator, service provider, policy analyst and so on;
articulate clearly the distinct nature and scope of the social work profession;
understand the obligations of work in statutory and non-statutory agencies, including working with involuntary clients within the legislative framework;
evaluate their own practice and perform practice-based research in all areas of social work.

2. BSW course structure

2.1. The three-year program

First year

Semester 1		Points
	196-001 Human Resilience across the Lifespan	12.5
	196-003 Theorising Social Inequality	12.5
	196-007 Professional Practice Laboratory	12.5
	196-413 Practice with Diverse Populations	12.5

Semester 2
	196-002 Human Risk and Vulnerable Populations	12.5
	196-004 Contemporary Social Policy	12.5
	196-410 Social Work Practice with Communities	12.5
	196-420 The Legal Context of Human Services	12.5
Total Points		100 points

Second year

All year		Points
	196-008 Supervised Professional Practice 1#	37.5

Semester 1
	196-005 Social Work Theory & Practice 1	12.5
	196-012 Organisational Contexts of Practice	12.5
	196-412 Social Work Practice with Groups	12.5

Semester 2
	196-006 Social Work Theory & Practice 2	12.5
	196-010 Fields of Social Work Practice A	12.5
Total Points		100 points

Third year

All year		Points
	196-419 Supervised Professional Practice 2#	37.5

Semester 1
	196-403 Social Work Practice Research	12.5
	196-405 Fields of Social Work Practice B	12.5
	196-411 Practice with Individuals and Families	12.5

Semester 2
	196-408 Advanced Practice Methods Laboratory	12.5
	196-409 Social Work Programming	12.5
Total Points		100 points

2.2. The two-year accelerated program

Approved graduates may be granted credit for up to two subjects.

First year (accelerated)

All year		Points
	196-008 Supervised Professional Practice 1#	37.5

Semester 1
	196-001 Human Resilience across the Lifespan	12.5
	196-003 Theorising Social Inequality	12.5
	196-005 Social Work Theory & Practice 1	12.5
	196-007 Professional Practice Laboratory	12.5
	196-012 Organisational Contexts of Practice	12.5

Semester 2
	196-002 Human Risk and Vulnerable Populations	12.5
	196-004 Contemporary Social Policy	12.5
	196-006 Social Work Theory & Practice 2	12.5
	196-010 Fields of Social Work Practice A	12.5
Total Points		150 points

Second year (accelerated)

All year		Points
	196-419 Supervised Professional Practice 2#	37.5

Semester 1
	196-403 Social Work Practice Research	12.5
	196-405 Fields of Social Work Practice B	12.5
	196-411 Practice with Individuals and Families	12.5
	196-412 Social Work Practice with Groups	12.5
	196-413 Practice with Diverse Populations	12.5

Semester 2
	196-408 Advanced Practice Methods Laboratory	12.5
	196-409 Social Work Programming	12.5
	196-410 Social Work Practice with Communities	12.5
	196-420 The Legal Context of Human Services	12.5
Total Points		150 points

3. Further BSW course requirements

3.1. Withdrawal from subjects/leave of absence

You should note that you require approval from the Head of the School of Social Work to withdraw from subjects, or to take leave of absence. For the important dates for changes, please refer to the introductory information at the beginning of the Handbook. A maximum of two semesters (12 months) leave of absence will be granted.

3.2. Progress requirement

Students who fail 50 per cent or more of their enrolment in any year will be required to appear before the Faculty of Arts' Student Progress Committee, see What if I fail a significant part of my studies?.

Students who fail either supervised professional practice subject, 196-008 Supervised Professional Practice 1# or 196-419 Supervised Professional Practice 2#, for the first time must have the written permission of the Head of the School of Social Work before being eligible to re-enrol in the BSW.

Students will also be required to appear before the Student Progress Committee if they fail additional prerequisite studies in their first year, or if they fail any subject twice.

3.3. Credit guidelines

Credit will only be considered where the content of former studies has direct relevance to the BSW course. Students transferring from other social work degree programs may be granted credit or exemption for completed social work subjects not counted towards another degree qualification, at the discretion of the Faculty. Students who have completed an approved course in welfare studies may be eligible for a reduction in fieldwork days in Supervised Professional Practice 1. All applications for credit must be made on the prescribed form to the BSW coordinator at the School of Social Work within the first two weeks of teaching in the relevant subject.

3.4. Applications and admission to the Bachelor of Social Work degree

Prospective students need to be aware that the course is very demanding and there is little time available to undertake employment or other study commitments while they are enrolled as full-time students in the Bachelor of Social Work.

The following categories of applicants are eligible for selection to the BSW.

Graduates with an approved degree qualification who have successfully completed:
(a) at least one semester subject in studies of contemporary society such as social inequality, deviance, cultural studies, politics, social history and social systems. Such studies are usually found within the disciplines of sociology, anthropology, political sciences, women's studies, history and philosophy of science, criminology and geography.
Undergraduates who have completed at least one full year of a course for a degree, and who have successfully completed (a) above.
Persons who have completed an approved course at the tertiary level (for instance a three-year diploma or an Associate Diploma in Welfare Studies), and who have successfully completed (a) above.

4. Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) degree

4.1. Honours entry

Entry to honours must be approved by the School of Social Work and the Faculty of Arts honours course adviser.

4.1.1. BSW (Hons) three-year program

Students will be selected into honours at the end of the second year of the BSW three-year program.

The prerequisites for entry to honours are:

an honours result in each of the subjects of the first and second years excepting the pass/fail subject 196-007 Professional Practice Laboratory, 196-008 Supervised Professional Practice 1# and;
an overall average of H2A in the first and second years.

4.1.2. BSW (Hons) two-year accelerated program

Students will be selected into honours at the end of the first year of the BSW accelerated program.

The prerequisites for entry to honours are:

an honours result in each of the subjects of the first year excepting the pass/fail subjects 196-007 Professional Practice Laboratory, 196-008 Supervised Professional Practice 1# and;
an overall average of H2A in the first year.

4.2. Honours requirements

The Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) degree requires an honours standard of performance in the final year of the program, the completion of the subject, 196-518 Critical Issues in Social Work, and the completion of a thesis of 12 000 words (37.5 points).

4.2.1. BSW (Hons) three-year program

Third and fourth year honours

All year		Points
	196-419 Supervised Professional Practice 2#	37.5

Semester 1
	196-403 Social Work Practice Research	12.5
	196-411 Practice with Individuals and Families	12.5
	196-518 Critical Issues in Social Work	12.5
	196-405 Fields of Social Work Practice B	12.5

Semester 2
	196-408 Advanced Practice Methods Laboratory	12.5
	196-409 Social Work Programming	12.5
	196-517 Social Work Thesis	12.5

Summer Semester
	196-517 Social Work Thesis	25
	Submit by the end of March
Total Points		150 points

4.2.2. BSW (Hons) two-year accelerated program

Second year (accelerated)

All year		Points
	196-419 Supervised Professional Practice 2#	37.5

Semester 1
	196-403 Social Work Practice Research	12.5
	196-405 Fields of Social Work Practice B	12.5
	196-411 Practice with Individuals and Families	12.5
	196-412 Social Work Practice with Groups	12.5
	196-413 Practice with Diverse Populations	12.5

Semester 2
	196-408 Advanced Practice Methods Laboratory	12.5
	196-409 Social Work Programming	12.5
	196-410 Social Work Practice with Communities	12.5
	196-420 The Legal Context of Human Services	12.5
Total Points		150 points

Third year (accelerated)

Summer Semester		Points
	196-517 Social Work Thesis	12.5

Semester 1
	196-517 Social Work Thesis	25
	196-518 Critical Issues in Social Work	12.5
Total Points		50 points

4.3. Honours grade requirement

A student's final examination grade will be calculated over the weighted average mark of the thesis and the final year social work subjects, excepting the pass/fail subject 197-419.

As in the Bachelor of Arts (Honours), students will be required to obtain an honours grade in each component of assessment and an overall grade of at least H3 to be eligible for an honours degree.

4.4. Further honours requirements

BSW (Hons) students should refer to Bachelor of Arts (Honours) for information regarding workload, change of enrolment, status, leave of absence, overseas study etc.

5. Arts/social work combined degree

In the combined Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Work degree, students are able to pursue their own interests in their arts degree while undertaking professional education in social work. The combined BA/BSW consists of five and a half years of full-time study, with students taking the prescribed social work subjects and a range of subjects from other departments in the Faculty of Arts. The combined degree course shares the objectives of both the BA and the BSW. Students should refer to the section on the BA for information regarding the arts component of the combined course, and the above social work entry for the social work requirements.

5.1. Course structure

The usual progression through the combined course is as follows:

Year 1: First year Bachelor of Arts (100 points of first year) including prerequisites for the BSW (i.e. studies in psychology or contemporary society).

Admission to the combined degree.

Year 2: Arts subjects: 50 points of second year; social work subjects: 50 points.
Year 3: Arts subjects: 25 points at each of second and third year; social work subjects: 50 points.
Year 4: Arts subjects: 25 points of third year; social work subjects: 75 points, including 37.5 points of supervised professional practice.
Year 5: Social work subjects: 100 points.
Year 6 (Semester 1 only): Arts subjects: 25 points at third year; social work subjects: 25 points.

The order of the subjects in years four and five can be changed. The course includes at least 140 days of fieldwork practice, as for the BSW.

5.2. Example of a combined BA/BSW degree

First year

Bachelor of Arts		Points
	First year subjects including psychology or studies of contemporary society
Total Points		100 points

Second year

Semester 1		Points
	196-003 Theorising Social Inequality	12.5
	196-001 Human Resilience across the Lifespan	12.5
	Second year arts subjects	25
	Sub total	50 points

Semester 2
	196-004 Contemporary Social Policy	12.5
	196-002 Human Risk and Vulnerable Populations	12.5
	Second year arts subjects	25
	Sub total	50 points
Total Points		100 points

Third year

Semester 1		Points
	196-007 Professional Practice Laboratory	12.5
	196-012 Organisational Contexts of Practice	12.5
	second/third year arts subjects	25
	Sub total	50 points

Semester 2
	196-410 Social Work Practice with Communities	12.5
	196-420 The Legal Context of Human Services	12.5
	second/third year arts subjects	25
	Sub total	50 points
Total Points		100 points

Fourth year

All year		Points
	196-008 Supervised Professional Practice 1#	37.5

Semester 1
	196-005 Social Work Theory & Practice 1	12.5
	third year arts subjects	25

Semester 2
	196-006 Social Work Theory & Practice 2	12.5
	196-010 Fields of Social Work Practice A	12.5
Total Points		100 points

Fifth year

All year		Points
	196-419 Supervised Professional Practice 2#	37.5

Semester 1
	196-411 Practice with Individuals and Families	12.5
	196-413 Practice with Diverse Populations	12.5
	196-405 Fields of Social Work Practice B	12.5

Semester 2
	196-408 Advanced Practice Methods Laboratory	12.5
	196-409 Social Work Programming	12.5
Total Points		100 points

Sixth year

Semester 1		Points
	196-403 Social Work Practice Research	12.5
	196-412 Social Work Practice with Groups	12.5
	third year arts subjects	25
Total Points		50 points

5.3. Further BA/BSW course requirements

For information about further course requirements for the BSW, see Further BSW course requirements. For information about course requirements for the arts component, see Further requirements for the BA.

5.4. Applications and admission to the combined degree

For entry to the combined course, current University of Melbourne students must have successfully completed at least one full-time year of their BA course including:

at least one semester subject in psychology, sociology, anthropology, political sciences, women's studies, history and philosophy of science, criminology, or geography. Students will be accepted in accordance with the normal selection procedures to the BSW course.

Applicants seeking to transfer into the BA/BSW from other University of Melbourne courses or from other institutions must satisfy the entry requirements for both the BA and BSW courses.

6. For more information

Contact the Faculty of Art office on +61 3 8344 5235, or:

The School of Social Work
234 Queensberry Street
Carlton Victoria 3053
Tel: +61 3 8344 9400
Fax: +61 3 9347 4375
Web: http://www.socialwork.unimelb.edu.au

Bachelor of Social Work subjects

196-001 Human Resilience across the Lifespan
196-002 Human Risk and Vulnerable Populations
196-003 Theorising Social Inequality
196-004 Contemporary Social Policy
196-005 Social Work Theory & Practice 1
196-006 Social Work Theory & Practice 2
196-007 Professional Practice Laboratory
196-403 Social Work Practice Research
196-420 The Legal Context of Human Services
196-012 Organisational Contexts of Practice
196-409 Social Work Programming
196-408 Advanced Practice Methods Laboratory
196-410 Social Work Practice with Communities
196-412 Social Work Practice with Groups
196-008 Supervised Professional Practice 1#
196-010 Fields of Social Work Practice A
196-405 Fields of Social Work Practice B
196-413 Practice with Diverse Populations
196-411 Practice with Individuals and Families
196-419 Supervised Professional Practice 2#

Fourth year subjects

196-517 Social Work Thesis
196-518 Critical Issues in Social Work