Bachelor of Social Work
at University of South Australia, South 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 University of South 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 | SATAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official SATAC 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 and behaviour, the social policy and welfare context, social justice and human rights, and communication and interviewing skills. You learn the values, ethics and theoretical base that underpin practice. UniSA's strong practice focus means applied learning starts early. Middle years cover social-work practice methods (working with individuals, families, groups and communities), mental health, child and family welfare, working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, social policy and research methods. You begin supervised field-education placements in human-services settings, building toward the required hours. Final year focuses on advanced and specialist practice, professional supervision and a major field placement, alongside research and a capstone. Across the degree you complete around 1000 hours of supervised field education as required by AASW accreditation. Graduates are eligible for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers and to practise as qualified social workers.
Example first-year subjects
- Foundations of Social Work
- Human Development and Behaviour
- Social Policy and Welfare
- Social Justice and Human Rights
- Communication and Interviewing Skills
- Introduction to Australian Society
How you will be assessed
- Supervised field-education placement assessments
- Case studies and practice-skills demonstrations
- Reflective practice journals from placement
- Policy analysis and research essays
- Role-play and interviewing exercises
- Group projects and presentations
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 child protection or family services
- Hospital or health social worker
- Mental-health support and case worker
- Community-services or not-for-profit caseworker
- Family-support or domestic-violence worker
- Disability or aged-care social worker
- 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 enter practice as qualified social workers in government, health and community settings, and can join the AASW. With experience and further study, they can become Accredited Mental Health Social Workers, move into supervision, management or policy, or specialise in areas like child protection, family therapy or trauma. Postgraduate options include the Master of Social Work, mental-health and counselling masters, and research degrees.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- People committed to social justice and helping others
- Empathetic, resilient communicators
- Students comfortable with extended unpaid placements
- Reflective learners who can handle emotionally heavy work
- Those who can balance care with professional boundaries
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a corporate or office-only career
- Those uncomfortable with distressing or high-emotion situations
- People unable to commit to 1000 hours of placement
- Students who dislike reflective and policy-based writing
Related courses at UniSA
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the University of South Australia handbook and on SATAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/unisa/bachelor-of-social-work.