Bachelor of Social Work
at CQUniversity Australia, Queensland.
An AASW-accredited four-year social-work degree. Includes 1000 hours of supervised field education and leads to eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the CQUniversity Australia Bachelor of Social Work. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official QTAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
First year introduces the foundations of social work and human services: human development across the lifespan, social policy and the welfare system, communication and interviewing skills, and an introduction to social-work ethics and values. CQUniversity delivers the degree on campus and largely online, so many mature-age and regionally based students study by distance while working, with field placements arranged in their own communities across regional Queensland. Second and third years build practice theory and methods: working with individuals, families, groups and communities, mental health, child protection and family violence, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, and research and evaluation. The first supervised field-education placement introduces real casework under professional supervision. Fourth year deepens advanced and specialised practice and completes the second, longer field placement. Across the degree students complete around 1000 hours of supervised field education. The program is AASW accredited, making graduates eligible for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers and to practise as a qualified social worker.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Social Work and Human Services
- Human Development Across the Lifespan
- Social Policy and the Welfare System
- Communication and Interpersonal Skills
- Social Work Ethics and Values
- Working in Diverse Communities
How you will be assessed
- Supervised field-education placement assessments
- Case studies and practice-scenario assignments
- Reflective practice journals
- Essays on policy, theory and ethics
- Role-plays and interviewing-skills assessments
- Research and program-evaluation reports
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as registered social workers in child-protection, mental-health, hospital and family-support settings.
- Common destinations include state-government child-safety roles, community-health centres and not-for-profit support agencies.
- Many alumni progress into clinical specialty practice, policy roles or accredited mental-health social work after further study.
Professional accreditation
- AASW accredited
Typical first jobs
- Child-safety or child-protection officer
- Hospital or health social worker
- Mental-health or community-services worker
- Family-support or domestic-violence caseworker
- Disability or aged-care support coordinator
- Case manager in a not-for-profit agency
Graduate starting salary
$62,000 - $72,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-24.
After graduation
Graduates are eligible for AASW membership and move into frontline roles in child protection, mental health, hospitals, family support, disability and community services, with strong demand in regional and remote Queensland. Because the degree is offered online with local placements, many stay and work in their own communities. Further study and accreditation include the AASW Mental Health Social Worker credential, the Master of Social Work, and specialist or research masters and higher-degree pathways for clinical, policy and research careers.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Empathetic people committed to social justice
- Strong communicators who can build trust and listen
- Self-directed learners suited to online study with local placements
- Mature-age students with life or community-work experience
- Resilient people who can manage emotionally demanding work
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a desk-based or non-people-facing career
- Those unwilling to complete lengthy unpaid placements
- People who find emotionally heavy casework overwhelming
- Students seeking a fast or high-earning corporate path
Related courses at CQU
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the CQUniversity Australia handbook and on QTAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/cqu/bachelor-of-social-work.