Social workers can be a lifeline for people facing difficulties related to financial, medical, mental health or relational circumstances. This course enables you to develop the skills, knowledge and values to become a strategic, ethical and reflective social work practitioner.
Our accredited Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) is suited to applicants with previous experience in the study of the social sciences, social welfare, psychology or related fields.
In this program, you'll examine child protection, social policy and law, mental health, health issues impacting Indigenous communities, and leadership in social work organisations. You'll also undertake practice under the supervision of an experienced social worker. As a graduate, you'll be ready for a career as a professional social worker in Australia and may also be eligible for employment overseas.
Please note: All students, including those enrolled online, are required to participate in on-campus learning for a minimum of 20 days/150hrs over the duration of the course. This requirement is stipulated by the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS). Students meet this requirement by attending compulsory residential schools conducted at the Gold Coast campus.
Potential occupations
Graduates of this degree will qualify as social workers in Australia. Graduates may also be eligible to apply to work as social workers overseas.
Graduates will be suited to employment in a wide range of jobs in the health and community services sectors. These include positions that are designated solely for social work-qualified staff (e.g. in hospitals), as well as other human services jobs that are open to other graduates. Graduates may be employed in organisations such as Centrelink, public and private hospitals, child protection agencies, Australian Defence Force, domestic violence services, housing and homelessness agencies, aged care and disability services, mental health agencies, family counselling agencies, rehabilitation services and private practice.
10 March 2025, 27 October 2025
Gold Coast Campus
Southern Cross Drive,
BILINGA,
Queensland,
4225, GOLD COAST, Australia
Students admitted to the MSW(Prof Qual) are required to have completed 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.
To be accepted into the program, international students who have not completed a Year 12 or equivalent secondary school level qualification or higher qualification in the English language consistent with the requirements for admission to 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 International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (or equivalent) test upon application.
English language requirements
The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this course are as follows
IELTS: Overall Score 7.0 minimum in all bands
Reading 7.0
Writing 7.0
Listening 7.0
Speaking 7.0
TOEFL iBT: 94 with no less than 24 in writing
PTE: 65 with no communicative score less than 58
CAE: 67
ISPLR - 4 in all 4 skill areas.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.