Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)
Postgraduate
CSU-SOC-MAS 2025Course information for 2025 intake
Shape the future of social work
Your love of social justice is the perfect prerequisite for this course. This masters opens doors to high-level work in human rights, policy development, and more. Take an in depth study of social work methods and theories.
- Study method
- Online & on-campus
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 24 months
- Total subjects
- 14
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)
About this degree
During this course, students will:
- Investigate, describe and critically analyse the origins, purpose and nature of social work at local, national and international levels.
- Locate, synthesise, and apply an advanced, integrated understanding of evidence-informed concepts and theories from other disciplines to social work issues and practice.
- Independently employ professional methods and expert practice skills in a variety of settings to promote health and well-being across the life cycle for individuals, groups, communities and organisations.
- Exercise specialised cognitive skills of critical thinking, reflection, expert judgement and complex problem solving to generate holistic social work actions which take account of social, cultural, political, economic, environmental and global contexts.
- Identify, interpret and adaptively respond to ethical issues in practice, including the challenge of balancing the social, economic and environmental factors essential for ecological sustainability, utilising the Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics.
- Articulate the principles of social justice, human rights and non-oppressive practice that inform professional social work and apply these adaptively in practice to address discrimination, oppression and exploitation.
- Use decolonising frameworks for culturally-safe and culturally-secure practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, grounded in an advanced and integrated understanding of the process of colonisation as the ‘lived experience’ of Indigenous Australians.
- Communicate effectively and professionally in social work settings, applying a range of specialised technical skills – including the sharing of multimodal information in digital environments – to adapt to the needs of culturally diverse, specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- Practise critical appraisal, incorporating collective and systemic approaches to self-reflection and professional self-care as a basis for ongoing development and lifelong learning.
- Undertake a range of research activities, including critical appraisal of diverse research methodologies and existing research.
If you have an undergraduate degree in an area other than social work, but want to move into this rewarding career, our Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) is ideal. You can study this social work master's degree online, and because it's accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), you can be confident you'll have the skills to make a difference when you graduate.
Achieve an internationally recognised qualification
Charles Sturt University's Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) has full Australian Association of Social Workers accreditation, meaning your qualification is recognised throughout Australia. As a graduate, you'll also be eligible for membership of the International Federation of Social Workers.
Gain authentic experience
You'll develop strong practical skills and hands-on learning through 1000 hours of supported workplace learning, offering unique opportunities to observe, question and model social work behaviour. If you choose, you can broaden your horizons by embarking on a two-week social work tour in a country such as India, China or Indonesia.
Learn from leading educators
Whether you're undertaking online study full-time or part-time, you can be assured of quality learning support and personal contact from dedicated staff who have extensive industry experience and are leaders in their profession. Charles Sturt University's award-winning academics have contributed to the development of social work education in Australia and are continuously engaged in extensive education-based research to inform Charles Sturt University's field education and international programs.
Recommended study pattern
The course utilises single-session and full-year subjects:
Year-long Period 1 subject enrolments are completed over the period commencing February/March and concluding in October;
- Session 1 study covers the period February/March to June, and
- Session 2 study covers the period July to October.
Part-time Pattern
SESSION 1 Intake
YEAR 1
Year 1 - Session 1
HCS507 Social Work Theory and Practice 1 - Foundations of Practice
HCS518 Social Work Fields of Practice 1
Year 1 - Session 2
HCS508 Social Work Theory and Practice 2 - Micro Practice
SWK504 Human Services Research Methods
YEAR 2
Year 2 - Year-long Period 1
HCS525 Social Work Field Education 1 (16) *
Year 2 - Session 1
HCS519 Social Work Fields of Practice 2 - Mandated Practice
Year 2 - Session 2
SWK423 Ethics and Social Work Practice
YEAR 3
Year 3 - Session 1
HCS509 Social Work Theory and Practice 3 - Mezzo Level Practice
SPE502 Social Work and Social Policy Practice
Year 3 - Session 2
HCS406 Social Work and Human Rights
Restricted Elective**
YEAR 4
Year 4 - Year-long Period 1
HCS526 Social Work Field Education 2 (16) *
Year 4 - Session 1
HCS532 Law for the Human Services
Year 4 - Session 2
HCS511 Social Work Theory and Practice 4 - Macro Practice and Professional Identity
Part-time
SESSION 2 Intake
YEAR 1
Year 1 - Session 2
HCS406 Social Work and Human Rights
SWK504 Human Services Research Methods
YEAR 2
Year 2 - Session 1
HCS507 Social Work Theory and Practice 1 - Foundations of Practice
HCS518 Social Work Fields of Practice 1
Year 2 - Session 2
HCS508 Social Work Theory and Practice 2 - Micro Practice
SWK423 Ethics and Social Work practice
YEAR 3
Year 3 - Year-long Period 1
HCS525 Social Work Field Education 1 (16) *
Year 3 - Session 1
HCS509 Social Work Theory and Practice 3 - Mezzo Level Practice
Year 3 - Session 2
Restricted Elective**
YEAR 4
Year 4 - Year-long Period 1
HCS526 Social Work Field Education 2 *
Year 4 - Session 1
HCS519 Social Work Fields of Practice 2 - Mandated Practice
Year 4 - Session 2
HCS511 Social Work Theory and Practice 4 - Macro Practice and Professional Identity
YEAR 5
Year 5 - Session 1
SPE502 Social Work and Social Policy Practice
HCS532 Law for the Human Services
Award requirements
Students are required to complete 128 points.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative first year fee
$9,312
Indicative total fee $18,624
The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
Charles Sturt University is Australia’s most experienced online uni, and has the country’s highest graduate employment rate. From agriculture, arts, healthcare and IT, to business, law, social work and teaching—you’ll get the latest skills in your field, and learn from academics who are connected to industry. Add in 24/7 IT support, scholarships and a vibrant student community, and you can take your next, or first, career step with confidence.
Learn more about CSU.
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- QS Ranking 2024:
- 31
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 37
How to apply
Charles Sturt University manages enquiries and applications for this degree.
Complete your details and we'll make sure your enquiry is sent to Charles Sturt University who will contact you to discuss this degree.
Don't worry, we're still here to help you - you'll receive a personalised follow-up from an Open Universities Australia student advisor to make sure you have found the right degree for you.
Entry requirements
Successful completion of a relevant three-year AQF Level 7 degree course that contains at least one year, or the equivalent, of full-time studies in the social and behavioural sciences, including content in each of the following areas:
- Communication for human services/critical thinking,
- Human development or life span psychology, and
- Sociology/social theory.
Please Note: The full year of prerequisite study and/or specified content must be completed prior to commencing study.
Where prerequisite study has not been met, it can be completed:
- by single subject studies, and/or
- through the Graduate Certificate in Human Services, for students who are assessed as having already completed six months/four subjects of relevant content, and/or
- as part of another qualification at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
International students who have not completed a Certificate IV or higher qualification in the English language consistent with the requirements for admission to an AQF Level 9 degree course in Australia must have a minimum score of 7.0 or higher in each component (listening, reading, writing and speaking) of the Academic IELTS test upon application.
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) and credit for current competencies will be granted to eligible applicants.
Study method requirements
Please note that the following subjects have a Workplace Learning component:
- HCS525 Social Work Field Education 1
- HCS526 Social Work Field Education 2.
Intensive schools offer face-to-face, tutorials and practicals to give you a deeper understanding of your subject content. The following subjects in this course contain an intensive school:
- HCS507 Social Work Theory and Practice 1 - Foundations of Practice
- HCS508 Social Work Theory and Practice 2 - Micro Practice
- HCS509 Social Work Theory and Practice 3 - Mezzo level Practice
- HCS511 Social Work Theory and Practice 4- Macro Practice and Professional Identity.
Career opportunities
The Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) opens up the potential to pursue a diverse range of roles. You could work in counselling, case management, social administration and policy formation, social action and program planning, family work and rehabilitation, health, community services and corrections, disability advocacy, legal aid or research. If you're already employed in the human services sector, upgrading your qualifications can provide new opportunities to advance your career. While Charles Sturt University social work graduates can travel the world and work anywhere, they are often found at the heart of communities in rural and regional areas.
Professional recognition
Charles Sturt University's Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) has full Australian Association of Social Workers accreditation.