Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

During this course, students will:

1. Investigate, describe and critically analyse the origins, purpose and nature of social work at local, national and international levels.
2. Locate, synthesise, and apply an advanced, integrated understanding of evidence-informed concepts and theories from other disciplines to social work issues and practice.
3. Independently employ professional methods and expert practice skills in a variety of settings to promote health and well-being across the life cycle for individuals, groups, communities and organisations.
4. Exercise specialised cognitive skills of critical thinking, reflection, expert judgement and complex problem solving to generate holistic social work actions which take account of social, cultural, political, economic, environmental and global contexts.
5. Identify, interpret and adaptively respond to ethical issues in practice, including the challenge of balancing the social, economic and environmental factors essential for ecological sustainability, utilising the Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics.
6. Articulate the principles of social justice, human rights and non-oppressive practice that inform professional social work and apply these adaptively in practice to address discrimination, oppression and exploitation.
7. Use decolonising frameworks for culturally-safe and culturally-secure practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, grounded in an advanced and integrated understanding of the process of colonisation as the ‘lived experience’ of Indigenous Australians.
8. Communicate effectively and professionally in social work settings, applying a range of specialised technical skills – including the sharing of multimodal information in digital environments – to adapt to the needs of culturally diverse, specialist and non-specialist audiences.
9. Practise critical appraisal, incorporating collective and systemic approaches to self-reflection and professional self-care as a basis for ongoing development and lifelong learning.
10. Undertake a range of research activities, including critical appraisal of diverse research methodologies and existing research.

If you have an undergraduate degree in an area other than social work, but want to move into this rewarding career, our Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) is ideal. You can study this social work master's degree online, and because it's accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), you can be confident you'll have the skills to make a difference when you graduate.

Achieve an internationally recognised qualification

Charles Sturt University's Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) has full Australian Association of Social Workers accreditation, meaning your qualification is recognised throughout Australia. As a graduate, you'll also be eligible for membership of the International Federation of Social Workers.

Gain authentic experience

You'll develop strong practical skills and hands-on learning through 1000 hours of supported workplace learning, offering unique opportunities to observe, question and model social work behaviour. If you choose, you can broaden your horizons by embarking on a two-week social work tour in a country such as India, China or Indonesia.

Learn from leading educators

Whether you're undertaking online study full-time or part-time, you can be assured of quality learning support and personal contact from dedicated staff who have extensive industry experience and are leaders in their profession. Charles Sturt University's award-winning academics have contributed to the development of social work education in Australia and are continuously engaged in extensive education-based research to inform Charles Sturt University's field education and international programs.

Recommended study pattern

The course utilises single-session and full-year subjects:

Year-long Period 1 subject enrolments are completed over the period commencing February/March and concluding in October;

• Session 1 study covers the period February/March to June, and
• Session 2 study covers the period July to October.

Part-time Pattern

SESSION 1 Intake

YEAR 1

Year 1 - Session 1

HCS507 Social Work Theory and Practice 1 - Foundations of Practice

HCS518 Social Work Fields of Practice 1

Year 1 - Session 2

HCS508 Social Work Theory and Practice 2 - Micro Practice

SWK504 Human Services Research Methods

YEAR 2

Year 2 - Year-long Period 1

HCS525 Social Work Field Education 1 (16) *

Year 2 - Session 1

HCS519 Social Work Fields of Practice 2 - Mandated Practice

Year 2 - Session 2

SWK423 Ethics and Social Work Practice

YEAR 3

Year 3 - Session 1

HCS509 Social Work Theory and Practice 3 - Mezzo Level Practice

SPE502 Social Work and Social Policy Practice

Year 3 - Session 2

HCS406 Social Work and Human Rights

Restricted Elective**

YEAR 4

Year 4 - Year-long Period 1

HCS526 Social Work Field Education 2 (16) *

Year 4 - Session 1

​HCS532 Law for the Human Services

Year 4 - Session 2

HCS511 Social Work Theory and Practice 4 - Macro Practice and Professional Identity

Part-time

SESSION 2 Intake

YEAR 1

Year 1 - Session 2

HCS406 Social Work and Human Rights

SWK504 Human Services Research Methods

YEAR 2

Year 2 - Session 1

HCS507 Social Work Theory and Practice 1 - Foundations of Practice

HCS518 Social Work Fields of Practice 1

Year 2 - Session 2

HCS508 Social Work Theory and Practice 2 - Micro Practice

SWK423 Ethics and Social Work practice

YEAR 3

Year 3 - Year-long Period 1

HCS525 Social Work Field Education 1 (16) *

Year 3 - Session 1

HCS509 Social Work Theory and Practice 3 - Mezzo Level Practice

Year 3 - Session 2

Restricted Elective**

YEAR 4

Year 4 - Year-long Period 1

HCS526 Social Work Field Education 2 *

Year 4 - Session 1

​HCS519 Social Work Fields of Practice 2 - Mandated Practice

Year 4 - Session 2

HCS511 Social Work Theory and Practice 4 - Macro Practice and Professional Identity

YEAR 5

Year 5 - Session 1

SPE502 Social Work and Social Policy Practice

HCS532 Law for the Human Services

Award requirements

Students are required to complete 128 points.

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.

Indicative total fee $18,624

The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.

Fees may vary depending on:

• the subjects you choose
• credit from previous work experience
• your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.

To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.

Charles Sturt University is Australia’s most experienced online uni, and has the country’s highest graduate employment rate. From agriculture, arts, healthcare and IT, to business, law, social work and teaching—you’ll get the latest skills in your field, and learn from academics who are connected to industry. Add in 24/7 IT support, scholarships and a vibrant student community, and you can take your next, or first, career step with confidence.

Learn more about CSU.

Explore CSU courses.

QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

34

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

37

Successful completion of a relevant three-year AQF Level 7 degree course that contains at least one year, or the equivalent, of full-time studies in the social and behavioural sciences, including content in each of the following areas:

• Communication for human services/critical thinking,
• Human development or life span psychology, and
• Sociology/social theory.

Please Note: The full year of prerequisite study and/or specified content must be completed prior to commencing study.

Where prerequisite study has not been met, it can be completed:

• by single subject studies, and/or
• through the Graduate Certificate in Human Services, for students who are assessed as having already completed six months/four subjects of relevant content, and/or
• as part of another qualification at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

International students who have not completed a Certificate IV or higher qualification in the English language consistent with the requirements for admission to an AQF Level 9 degree course in Australia must have a minimum score of 7.0 or higher in each component (listening, reading, writing and speaking) of the Academic IELTS test upon application.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) and credit for current competencies will be granted to eligible applicants.

Please note that the following subjects have a Workplace Learning component:

• HCS525 Social Work Field Education 1
• HCS526 Social Work Field Education 2.

Intensive schools offer face-to-face, tutorials and practicals to give you a deeper understanding of your subject content. The following subjects in this course contain an intensive school:

• HCS507 Social Work Theory and Practice 1 - Foundations of Practice
• HCS508 Social Work Theory and Practice 2 - Micro Practice
• HCS509 Social Work Theory and Practice 3 - Mezzo level Practice
• HCS511 Social Work Theory and Practice 4- Macro Practice and Professional Identity.