Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
at UNSW Sydney, New South Wales.
A four-year social work degree with integrated honours at UNSW Kensington, accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers. Students complete two field placements totalling 980 hours. No assumed knowledge; English Advanced is recommended.
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 UNSW 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 | 83.00 | uac.edu.au |
| 2024 | 80.00 | uac.edu.au |
| 2023 | 80.50 | 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 include child and family welfare; culture, identity and diversity; First Nations people and social work; mental health and trauma; and social work practice, with electives from the Arts, Social Sciences and Criminology programs. The honours component is integrated into the four-year degree.
Placement and industry experience
Students complete two field placements totalling 980 hours, supervised by qualified social workers in health, government and community organisations.
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as social workers in hospitals, child and family services, mental health and community organisations.
- Common employers include NSW Health, the Department of Communities and Justice and not-for-profit agencies.
- The integrated honours component also supports moves into research and policy 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 and meets the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards, so it is an entry qualification into the profession. Graduates work in health, child and family services, mental health and policy.
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 UNSW
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and selection ranks on the UNSW Sydney website and on UAC before applying.