Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
at The University of Newcastle, New South Wales.
A four-year social work honours degree at Newcastle City Precinct and Gosford, accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers, with more than 1,000 hours of supervised field placement. No prerequisites.
Lowest selection rank
The lowest selection rank (LSR) is the lowest ATAR plus adjustment factors (equity, subject and regional bonuses) that received an offer to the UoN Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) for that intake. Universities publish it in their admissions student profiles. Only intakes with a published figure are listed.
| Intake | Lowest selection rank | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 67.50 | uac.edu.au |
| 2024 | 54.35 | uac.edu.au |
A lowest selection rank describes a past intake, not a guaranteed entry score. Check the current entry requirements on the official course page before you apply through UAC.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
No formal Year 12 subject prerequisites; assumed knowledge may still apply.
What you will study
Study areas are Aboriginal studies, law for social work, psychology, social policy and planning, social work, social work practice skills, social work ethics and sociology. All students who complete the program graduate with honours; graded honours is awarded on the honours research and thesis components.
Placement and industry experience
Students complete more than 1,000 hours of supervised field placements in social work settings, working on real social work practice under qualified supervisors.
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as social workers in hospitals, child protection, mental health, family support and community services.
- Common employers include NSW Health, the Department of Communities and Justice and not-for-profit organisations.
- Many progress into specialist practice, policy or management roles.
Professional accreditation
- Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
Typical first jobs
- Social worker at NSW Department of Communities and Justice (child protection, OOHC)
- Hospital social worker in NSW Health (acute, oncology, palliative care, mental health)
- Family and domestic-violence caseworker at NGOs
- Mental health social worker in community and inpatient settings
- School-based social worker (under NSW Education)
- Aboriginal community-controlled organisation caseworker
Graduate starting salary
$70,000 - $80,000 per year
Source: jobsandskills.gov.au. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
The degree is accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers, so graduates are eligible for AASW membership and work as social workers in health, child protection, mental health and community services.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students with high emotional resilience and people skills
- Those willing to engage with violence, child protection and trauma material
- People comfortable with reflective writing and supervision
- Students happy to do 1000 hours of unpaid placement
- Those committed to a regulated, values-driven profession
It is probably not for you if
- Students who avoid emotional content and difficult conversations
- Those unwilling to take unpaid full-time placement blocks
- Anyone hoping to maximise starting salary out of undergraduate study
Related courses at UoN
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and selection ranks on the University of Newcastle website and on UAC before applying.