Master of Social Work
2023 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2023 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Social Work |
| Course Map | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2023. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Campus | This course is only offered Online. Attendance at a minimum of 20 days of face to face time delivered during the two-year degree. |
| Online | Yes |
| Duration | 2 years of full-time study or 4 years part-time study |
| Deakin course code | H703 |
| Approval status | This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Pathways
- Fees and charges
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
Course overview
With a Master of Social Work, you’ll have the skills, experience and platform to protect the vulnerable, fight social injustice and help those from disadvantaged circumstances turn their lives around. Seek membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) when you graduate and set yourself up for senior roles in a rapidly growing sector.
Want to discover how your care for others, compassion and empathy can translate into a rewarding and successful career?
You will study this course alongside a group of students that, while diverse, all share a common passion for helping others. Many join the course after completing a bachelor degree in a cognate discipline, such as psychology, allied health and nursing. Master of Social Work students who are working in the field are looking to develop advanced skills – skills that allow them to address more complex issues and have an even more profound impact on the people they work with. No matter where you come from, you’ll be joining a group that shares your values, and you’ll be given a platform to do more of what you love each and every day.
Choosing social work at Deakin means you get to study specialised units that focus on the most significant social challenges in the world today. These include:
- Addressing Violence and Abuse
- Responding to Trauma, Grief and Loss
- Challenging Poverty and Social Exclusion
Your studies will extend to other key areas of social work that give you a national and global perspective of the work currently being done in the field, such as:
- social and community development
- race and gender issues
- critical social work perspectives
- equity, power and diversity issues
- anti-oppressive and empowerment approaches to social work practice and policy.
Another benefit of the course is our unique unit, Collaborative Practice in Healthcare. The unit includes students from social work, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, optometry, medical imaging and medicine, giving you the chance to work alongside health professionals from different areas. Not only is this a great networking opportunity, it also provides a blueprint of what it takes to work effectively in a healthcare team. Develop skills in leadership, interprofessional conflict resolution, communication and patient-centred care, and graduate ready to thrive in team environments.
The course is delivered on our flexible online learning platform, but that doesn’t mean you will miss out on practical learning opportunities. In fact, you will undertake at least 1000 hours of professional placement preparing you for all the challenges you’ll face in your future role. You can take on placements at a variety of organisations, broadening your experience and professional networks, and you’ll be supervised by qualified social work practitioners who can give you feedback and expert guidance along the way.
The Master of Social Work is accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and has even been recognised by the AASW for its commitment to ‘critically reflective practice’. That means you’ll graduate with a sought-after qualification and all the right skills for a rewarding career built on helping others.
Indicative student workload
As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of learning activities each week. This may include a combination of self-paced study, classes, seminars, simulations and online interactions. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Attendance requirements
Students are required to attend a minimum of 20 days of face to face time delivered during the two-year full-time (or 4 year part-time) degree. View Trimester 1 2023 attendance dates.
Please note that in the case of a COVID lockdown for any of these scheduled face to face days, classes will be delivered online.
Professional recognition
The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) has fully accredited the Master of Social Work. The AASW has also singled out Deakin for our ‘critically reflective practice’, setting us apart from other social work programs in Australia.
Note: All information regarding professional recognition is accurate at the date of publication. Enquiries regarding accreditation and professional membership should be directed to the School of Health and Social Development in order to ascertain the current status of accreditation at any future point in time beyond publication. Representations about accreditation apply only to the course, and the AASW retains discretion as to who they admit as members of their association. Deakin University cannot exercise any control over membership of an external body.
Career opportunities
The Master of Social Work prepares you for work in a broad range of areas, from mental health and human rights, to family violence and disability services. Within these areas, you’ll also have options around the types of roles you explore. You can work one-on-one with clients, building lasting relationships and providing guidance at a very personal level. Or you can help shape policies, services and health systems that impact whole communities and even countries. The health care and social assistance industry is Australia’s fastest-growing*, so you’ll have no shortage of opportunities once you graduate.
Passionate about helping others but not sure which role is right for you just yet? The 1000 hours of professional placement you undertake throughout the course allows you to sample the many different facets of social work before making your choice.
Some of the roles you’ll be ready to thrive in include:
- social worker
- policy officer
- community development worker
- case manager
- counsellor
- human rights advocate.
With a Master of Social Work, after further training and supervised practice, you may be eligible to apply for Accredited Mental Health Social Worker status with the AASW and then apply for a Medicare provider number, which allows you to offer mental health counselling services in a private practice setting. The course also sets you up for research opportunities.
*Industry Employment Projections 2019 Report, Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business
Participation requirements
During the academic and placement components of a social work degree, students are expected to attend seminars and classes, and/or participate in online learning activities. In-person attendance for some activities, including placement, is compulsory for all students including those enrolled as online students.
In accordance with the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS) online students are required to attend on campus intensive seminars for a total of 20 days throughout their course. Intensive seminars are linked to individual units of study. Refer to the individual unit details in the University Handbook for more information about attendance requirements for specific units.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Any adjustments need to reflect the understanding of social work and requirements for social work education as spelt out in the (ASWEAS). For example, it is not possible to exempt a student from all group work activities in their degree as students must be able to demonstrate their ability to work collaboratively with others. However, there may be scope to make adjustments to this requirement on particular occasions, provided there are sufficient other situations when the student has the opportunity to demonstrate this requirement. More information available at Disability support services.
Mandatory student checks
In accordance with the policies of health and human services organisations, all students are required to undertake a Police Record Check prior to professional placements in each calendar year that they are enrolled in a placement unit. Students who fail to obtain a Police Record Check prior to the commencement of a professional placement will not be able to undertake their mandatory placement units and this will impede progress in the course.
Students with a criminal record are not precluded from enrolling in social work degrees at Deakin but may face difficulties in obtaining placements which are required to complete the degree. Many agencies are reluctant to place students whom they perceive may place service users staff or the organisation itself at risk, e.g. when offending has involved crimes of violence against children or adults, or crimes of deception such as fraud and embezzlement.
Working With Children Check (or State/Territory equivalent)
In accordance with the Worker Screening Act 2020, all students are required to undertake a Working with Children Check at the commencement of their course. Students who fail to obtain a Working with Children Check prior to the commencement of professional placement will not be able to undertake their mandatory placement units and this will impede progress in the course.
NDIS Worker Screening Check
Students may be required to undertake a NDIS Worker Screening Check to comply with any requirements as specified by a particular placement organisation. This is an assessment of whether a person poses risk to NDIS participants. A placement organisation may refuse to accept a student for placement if they fail to obtain a NDIS Worker Screening Check. This may impede progression in the course.
Immunisation Status
Students are a potential source of infection for service users and colleagues and may be required to comply with any requirements for immunisation as specified by a particular placement organisation. Students are required to declare their immunisation status to satisfy the requirements of health and human service organisations where they will be undertaking their professional learning experience. A placement organisation may refuse to accept a student for placement if the student’s immunisation status is not satisfactory to the placement organisation. This may impede progression in the course.
Pathways
This course provides a pathway to higher degree by research courses.
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. Further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods is available on our Current students fees website.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Critically apply understanding of the histories, aims, values, ethics, theories and practice approaches of social work in contemporary Australian contexts, across all domains including working with individuals, families, groups, communities, management, research education and social policy. Practice social work reflectively in line with the code of ethics and professional practice standards of the Australian Association of Social Workers. |
| Communication | Evaluate and apply appropriate communication and interpersonal skills in a broad range of social work practice contexts and with a diversity of people, communities and organisations. |
| Digital literacy | Use digital technology in social work practice ethically and appropriately, including service provision and management, information acquisition and dissemination, and research and evaluation. |
| Critical thinking | Critically analyse, synthesise and apply knowledge of social work theories, methods and skills to promote positive social change. Engage in reflective and responsive practice that considers the social context, and the positioning of self and others. Evaluate and apply knowledge and understanding of a range of research paradigms and methods to the design and conduct of research relevant to the practice and evaluation of social work. |
| Problem solving | Apply social work knowledge and intervention skills to appropriately and creatively respond to the needs of individuals, groups and communities in diverse settings, client groups and geographic locations. |
| Self-management | Demonstrate a sense of identity, integrity and self-management as a professional social worker in all areas of practice. |
| Teamwork | Work and learn respectfully and inclusively across diverse social, discipline, cultural and political contexts. |
| Global citizenship | Ability to evaluate and apply local and global knowledges social work practice to respond effectively within a human rights and social justice framework. |
Course rules
To complete the Master of Social Work students must attain 16 credit points. All units are core (these are compulsory).
Students must complete two practice education units as part of the core units, each involving a minimum of 500 hours (across at least 65 days) of practicum (field placement) in a social or community service agency or program. Please note that all students will need to undertake the required field placements in order to qualify for the degree. These field placements are unpaid. It is recommended that students have planned for these periods of unpaid placement time prior to commencing the course.
Failure of a practice education placement in the Master of Social Work will normally lead to exclusion.
All commencing Faculty of Health Undergraduate and Postgraduate course work students are required to complete HAI010 Academic Integrity in their first trimester of study (0 credit point compulsory unit).
Inherent requirements
Students should also be aware of the inherent requirements of the course.
Course structure
Core units
Course structure applies for students who commenced in 2017 onwards. Students who commenced prior to 2017 should refer to previous online Handbooks or consult a student advisor.
Level 1 - Trimester 1
| HAI010 | Academic Integrity (0 credit points) |
| HSW701 | Australian Social Work in an International Context |
| HSW702 | Understanding Care and Risk |
| HSW703 | Becoming a Social Worker |
| HSW705 | Challenging Poverty and Social Exclusion |
Level 1 - Trimester 2
| HSW714 | Professional Practice in Social Work A (3 credit points) |
| HSH725 | Research Literacy |
Level 2 - Trimester 1
| HSW707 | Addressing Violence and Abuse |
| HSW709 | Practicing Social Work with Communities and Groups |
| HSW711 | Responding to Trauma, Grief and Loss |
| HBS745 | Collaborative Practice in Healthcare |
Level 2 - Trimester 2
| HSW704 | Reconstructing Professional Practice |
| HSW715 | Professional Practice in Social Work B (3 credit points) |
Work experience
Practice Education
All students are required to complete two field education placements, each involving a minimum of 500 hours (across at least 65 days) of practicum (field placement) in a health or human service organisation or program.
Students must also attend and participate in the associated pre-placement preparation seminars at the Geelong Waterfront campus in the trimester prior to the placement being undertaken - dates to be advised.
Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL) is possible for the first placement only (HSW714 Professional Practice in Social Work A) for students who are able to demonstrate that their prior work experience has provided them with the knowledge and experience that would normally be provided in the first placement. Applications for RPL are due 31 March of the year students are due to undertake their first placement. Late applications cannot be accepted.
Further information is available in the RPL Guidelines
Deakin University does not require any student to have a driver’s licence but encourages students to obtain one if possible. Many placement providers expect students to hold a full driver’s licence and students who do not have this may be limited in the placement opportunities available to them. Organisations which require students to drive as part of their placement work should provide access to an agency vehicle and not expect students to have their own car.
Income support
Domestic students enrolled in this postgraduate coursework program may be eligible for student income support through Youth Allowance and Austudy.
Further information can be found at Deakin University's Fees website.
Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.
Eligibility
This course is suitable for students who hold a related undergraduate degree (please refer to the entry requirements). If you do not hold an undergraduate degree or if your undergraduate degree does not meet the entry requirements please see our Bachelor of Social Work.
Please note: Graduates of the Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Social Work Honours will not be admitted to the Master of Social Work. Graduates of that course are already eligible to apply for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and can practice professionally throughout Australia.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central