Bachelor of Social Work
at Queensland University of Technology, 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 Queensland University of Technology 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: human development across the lifespan, social policy and the welfare system, communication and interpersonal skills, and the values and ethics of the profession. QUT grounds this in real-world Queensland service contexts from the start. Second and third years build practice knowledge and skills: working with individuals, families, groups and communities, mental health, child protection, First Nations perspectives, trauma-informed practice and research methods. The first major supervised field placement (typically several hundred hours) usually falls in this period. Fourth year focuses on advanced and specialist practice, leadership and a second extended field placement, completing the AASW requirement of 1000 hours of supervised field education. Capstone and integration units help you consolidate theory and practice and prepare for professional registration.
Example first-year subjects
- Introduction to Social Work
- Human Development and the Lifespan
- Social Policy and the Welfare State
- Communication and Interpersonal Skills
- Social Work Values and Ethics
- First Nations Peoples and Social Work
How you will be assessed
- Supervised field-placement assessment and supervisor reports
- Case studies and practice scenarios
- Reflective practice journals
- Essays on social policy and theory
- Role-plays and interviewing-skills assessments
- Group projects on community and service issues
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
- Social worker in Queensland child-safety and family services
- Hospital or health social worker
- Mental-health support and clinical social worker
- Community-services or case worker in not-for-profits
- Family-support or domestic-violence practitioner
- Youth or homelessness support worker
Graduate starting salary
$65,000 - $72,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-24.
After graduation
Graduates of the AASW-accredited degree are eligible for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers, the recognised professional qualification for practice in Australia. After experience, social workers can gain Accredited Mental Health Social Worker status, move into clinical, supervisory or policy roles, or specialise through postgraduate study in fields such as mental health, family therapy or social policy. Many alumni progress into team-leader and management positions in government and the not-for-profit sector.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- People with strong empathy and interpersonal skills
- Students motivated by social justice and helping others
- Those resilient enough for emotionally demanding work
- Learners willing to commit to extended unpaid placements
- Reflective practitioners who can examine their own values
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a desk-based or technical career
- Those uncomfortable with distress, conflict and crisis work
- People unwilling to do long supervised placements
- Anyone who dislikes reflective and self-examining work
Careers this leads to
Australian career pathways that name this Bachelor of Social Work as an entry route. Each page shows uni, TAFE and apprenticeship alternatives.
Related courses at QUT
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the Queensland University of Technology handbook and on QTAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/qut/bachelor-of-social-work.