Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

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Overview

Make a difference by helping others thrive. Life in today's world brings harsh challenges. Poverty, addiction, mental illness, domestic violence and personal crisis can severely impact a person's ability to feel safe, find a stable home and pursue opportunities. As a social worker, you'll provide support and assistance to people … For more content click the Read more button below. You'll learn from world-renowned academics about promoting human rights and the importance of social justice. Our diverse range of subjects provide foundations in both psychology and sociology. Two 14-week placements enable you to put your knowledge and skills into practice and gain professional experience within leading health and welfare organisations in Victoria. You'll learn:Sociology and societyDiscover the cultural changes that shaped Australian society and how individuals connect with each other.Foundations of psychological scienceGain the clinical knowledge and skills used to examine human behaviour and treat mental illness.Human servicesExplore the values, ethics and practice of social work and human services.Social work and inequalityStudy the issues of inequality and their impact on people's wellbeing.

Make a difference by helping others thrive.

Life in today's world brings harsh challenges. Poverty, addiction, mental illness, domestic violence and personal crisis can severely impact a person's ability to feel safe, find a stable home and pursue opportunities. As a social worker, you'll provide support and assistance to people and families in need. La Trobe's Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) gives you the clinical knowledge and hands-on skills to launch your career.

You'll learn from world-renowned academics about promoting human rights and the importance of social justice. Our diverse range of subjects provide foundations in both psychology and sociology. Two 14-week placements enable you to put your knowledge and skills into practice and gain professional experience within leading health and welfare organisations in Victoria.

You'll learn:

Sociology and society
- Discover the cultural changes that shaped Australian society and how individuals connect with each other.
Foundations of psychological science
- Gain the clinical knowledge and skills used to examine human behaviour and treat mental illness.
Human services
- Explore the values, ethics and practice of social work and human services.
Social work and inequality
- Study the issues of inequality and their impact on people's wellbeing.

Portfolio

Science, Health & Engineering (Pre 2022)

School

Course coordinator

Maureen Long

Location(s)

Bendigo

CRICOS code

0101263

Course instance contact

Fiona Gardner

Course duration (full time)

4 years

Study level

Undergraduate

AQF level

Level 8 – Bachelor Degree Honours

Available only as an exit award

Study options

Domestic

International onshore

Course structure
480 credit points

Level one120 credit points

Core120 credit points

Level two120 credit points

Core120 credit points

Level three120 credit points

Core90 credit points

Core choice30 credit points

Students to select a stream from the list below.

Industry honours30 credit points

Research honours15 credit points

Level four120 credit points

Capstone45 credit points

Core45 credit points

Core choice30 credit points

Course intended learning outcomes

On successful completion you will be able to:

Practice Social Work in a holistic, ethical and critically reflective manner

Articulate a professional social work identity, both independently and as a member or leader of a team in a multidisciplinary work environment

Apply complex theoretical and technical social work knowledge and skills to critically analyse multifaceted situations to empower individuals, groups and communities

Advocate for progressive social change including global political concerns around environmental challenges particularly as they impact human rights, social and economic justice for those most vulnerable

Articulate Western and First Nations worldviews with a critical appraisal of ongoing impacts of colonisation and identify benefits of First Nations relational ways of knowing for all

Design, implement and evaluate consumer and community informed research, projects and programs and creatively influence innovative future practice, social reform and policy

Critically evaluate knowledge and social work practice using appropriate technologies to support continued professional development and ethical practice

Communicate knowledge, research and practice effectively to a wide variety of audiences using a variety of media

Plan, execute and interpret the findings of project work or research with independence

Course features

Work based learning (placement) requirements

Compulsory placements (Work Based Learning)
During this course, you will participate in one or more supervised Work Based Learning (WBL) placements designed to allow you to practice newly acquired skills, behaviours and knowledge while integrating theory with practice. The placements will immerse you in professional work culture, enabling you to develop and further enhance your skills. WBL provides you with the opportunity to gain valuable industry experience at one or more of our local, interstate or international industry partners or agencies. WBL placements will generally be arranged by the College based Placements Operation Team or Experiential Learning Team at La Trobe University. The number of hours undertaken can vary considerably, depending on the requirements of the course. Students may incur additional costs and it may be necessary to travel or relocate to complete a specific placement. Please refer to the individual subject entries for more information.

Work integrated learning opportunities
A course that integrates theory with the practice of work.

Career development learning, Industry informed curriculum, Industry-informed projects, Professional simulations

Career outcomes

Graduates can find employment in private industries and public sectors, such as:

Community health centres and hospitals
- Work alongside other health professionals to provide practical support, counselling, information and emotional support to clients.
Government departments and non government agencies
- Provide case management, counselling and advocacy for clients including children and families.
Mental health and disability services
- Recovery oriented practice and support, advocate for policy changes, raise awareness on social issues and connect others with human services.

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) has provisional accreditation from The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). Professional membership may require an application to the professional body and may have additional or ongoing requirements beyond the completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.

Other course instances

Select a related course instance to view more information.

Internal course relationships

Replaces

Bachelor of Human Services and Master of Social Work

Core participation requirements

Behavioural and relational skills

Core requirement

Students must be able to manage their own responses and behaviour to work effectively in a range of learning environments with diverse people and tasks. This includes the capacity to be receptive and respond appropriately to constructive feedback. Students should also be able to work with others in a team or group environment and make and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals in order to complete tasks or for professional practice.

Cognition

Core requirement

Students must be able to locate, acquire, retain and apply knowledge as part of their learning and for assessment. They must have the ability to sustain their attention over a designated period, maintain their focus in a variety of learning environments and remember information long enough to complete tasks in a reasonable and safe timeframe.

Course-specific requirement

Safe and effective social work practice is based on knowledge that must be sourced, understood and applied appropriately. A demonstrated defined range of knowledge and cognitive skills is a requirement for course accreditation, field placements and professional registration by the AASW.

Handbook