Bachelor of Social Work
at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia.
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 Edith Cowan University 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 | TISC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | TISC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | TISC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official TISC 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 at ECU's Joondalup campus introduces the foundations of social work: human development across the lifespan, sociology, social policy, ethics and the values that underpin the profession, and an introduction to communication and interviewing skills. You begin to understand the social, economic and structural factors that shape people's lives. Second and third year build practice skills and knowledge: working with individuals, families, groups and communities; mental health, child protection and family violence; working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; and social-research methods. ECU emphasises field readiness, and your first supervised field placement typically falls in this period, applying classroom skills in a real agency. Fourth year centres on advanced practice and field education. Across the degree you complete the 1000 hours of supervised placement required by the AASW, usually across two placements in different settings such as health, child and family services, or community organisations, alongside capstone units on professional practice. On graduation you are eligible for AASW membership.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Social Work
- Human Development Across the Lifespan
- Sociology and Society
- Social Policy and Welfare
- Communication and Interviewing Skills
- Ethics and Professional Values
How you will be assessed
- Supervised field-education placement assessments
- Case studies and intervention plans
- Reflective practice journals
- Essays on social policy and theory
- Role-plays and recorded interview skills
- Research and community-project 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-protection or child-safety officer in WA government
- Hospital or health social worker
- Mental-health support or case worker
- Family-support or domestic-violence caseworker
- Community-services or not-for-profit program worker
- Disability or aged-care support coordinator
- Youth or homelessness support worker
Graduate starting salary
$60,000 - $70,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-24.
After graduation
Most graduates enter direct-practice roles in child protection, health, mental health, family support or community services across WA government and not-for-profit agencies, with AASW membership supporting their professional standing. With experience, social workers can move into accredited mental-health social work, clinical specialties, supervision, policy or management. Postgraduate options include a Master of Social Work, and graduate study in areas such as counselling, family therapy or social policy.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- People who want to help others through structural and personal challenges
- Empathetic listeners who can also set professional boundaries
- Students comfortable with emotionally demanding situations
- Those who can balance care with policy and ethics
- People willing to do extended unpaid placements
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a quantitative or lab-based degree
- Those uncomfortable with distressing or high-conflict situations
- People seeking a primarily office-based or research-only role
- Students unwilling to complete 1000 hours of placement
Related courses at ECU
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the Edith Cowan University handbook and on TISC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/ecu/bachelor-of-social-work.