Bachelor of Social Work
at The University of Notre Dame Australia, 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 The University of Notre Dame 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 | 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 introduces social work theory, human development across the lifespan, social policy and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, alongside Notre Dame's Core Curriculum units in philosophy and ethics that ground practice in human dignity and social justice. You begin developing communication and helping skills in small classes. Second and third year cover mental health, child protection, family and domestic violence, ageing and disability, and case-work and group-work methods. AASW accreditation requires two supervised field-education placements totalling at least 1000 hours, usually in community health, hospitals, child protection, mental health or family services. Fourth year is the consolidation year: a longer field placement, a research-methods unit, advanced practice electives and a capstone. On graduation you are eligible for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers and can practise as a qualified social worker.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Social Work
- Human Development Across the Lifespan
- Social Policy and the Welfare State
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives
- Communication for the Helping Professions
- Introduction to Ethics (Core)
How you will be assessed
- Supervised field-education placements with formal evaluations
- Case studies and case formulations
- Reflective practice journals from placement
- Policy and research essays
- Role-play and simulated counselling assessments
- Capstone research project
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 practitioner with a state department
- Family or domestic-violence case worker
- Hospital social worker
- Mental-health clinician in community services
- NDIS support coordinator or local-area coordinator
- Youth or homelessness case worker
- Aged-care or disability social worker
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
Most graduates step straight into front-line social work roles. Postgraduate options include the Master of Social Work (advanced practice), Mental Health Accredited Social Worker status through the AASW, the Master of Counselling, Master of Public Health and research masters or PhD pathways for those moving into policy or academia.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students with lived or volunteer experience in community services
- Empathic listeners who can hold difficult conversations
- People with strong self-awareness and capacity to debrief
- Patient writers who can produce reflective and case-based writing
- Learners who value small classes and close staff support
It is probably not for you if
- Students seeking a corporate or desk-only role
- Those uncomfortable with emotional content and vicarious trauma
- People wanting a maths-heavy or lab-based course
- Students unable to complete 1000 hours of placement
Related courses at UNDA
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The University of Notre Dame Australia handbook and on TISC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/notre-dame/bachelor-of-social-work.