Social work courses

Choose a career that helps your community

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Introduction to Social work

Work to address social problems and human rights issues in your community.

Understand the underlying ethical foundations you’ll require as a social worker. Get set for work with community groups, government departments and not-for-profits.

Study advocacy and leadership, social justice, applied counselling, law and social policy.

Studying social work online means that you can fit your study around your job, whether that’s existing work in the field, or something you’re looking to transition from.

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Debbie studied community development with Murdoch University, through Open Universities Australia

Discover social work courses

Online social work degrees

Charles Sturt University

UndergraduateCSU-SOC-DEG

Bachelor of Social Work

Southern Cross University

UndergraduateSCU-SWK-DEG

Bachelor of Social Work

Griffith University

PostgraduateGRF-SWK-MAS

Master of Social Work

Flinders University

PostgraduateFLI-MSW-MAS

Master of Social Work (Graduate Entry)

Online social work subjects and short courses

Discover 21 ways to study social work with leading Australian universities.

Explore social work courses

Social work study FAQs

  • Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.

    When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.

    Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.

    If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.

    You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.

  • Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we can help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study. Chat with us to find out more.

  • There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.

    • You can enrol without entry requirements 
      We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for a degree, we’ll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
    • You have total control over how you study
      Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We’ll introduce you to flexible study options you didn’t even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.
    • You’ll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
      Once you enrol through us, you’ll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you’ll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.
    • We’ll help you navigate the university world
      Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.

Social work highlights

  • Develop your communication skills.
  • Work to improve the lives of people in your community.
  • Engage with behavioural science.

Social work specialisations

  • Dispute resolution and mediation.
  • Analyse policies and services.
  • Build your project management skills.

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We’re here to guide you to the right uni course

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Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation helping every Australian to access thousands of university courses.

Over 497,000 students have enrolled in university through us since 1993.

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We’re here to support your studies from enrolment to completion 7 days a week.

How we can help you

Studying through Open Universities Australia means we take care of the guesswork and administration of university study, so you can focus on learning.

You don't need a strong academic history to go to uni

We make it possible for everyone to start university through single subjects, regardless of ATAR or study experience. These subjects are covered by government loans, and can be used to upskill or gain entry into a qualification.

You have the flexibility to start at multiple points during the year

We’re not restricted by a traditional academic calendar, so you can enrol when it suits your life. You also have total control over how you study. You can scale up (or down) your study load and even pause your course if you need to.

You can rely on us as an unbiased destination for online tertiary education

As a not for profit, we have your best interests at heart. Our advisors are here 7 days a week to guide and support you. It’s our priority to get you qualified with the university of your choice.

Enrol in courses from 27 of Australia's leading universities

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Flinders University logoCharles Sturt University logo
La Trobe University logoRMIT University logo
Edith Cowan University logoJames Cook University Australia logo
Torrens University Australia logoUniversity of New England logo
Australian National University logoBond University logo
Victoria University logoThe University of Newcastle logo
University of New South Wales logoSwinburne University logo
Griffith University logoCurtin University logo
Murdoch University logoUniversity of Southern Queensland logo
University of Adelaide logoUniversity of South Australia logo
Australian Catholic University logoThe University of Queensland logo
Macquarie University logoThe University of Notre Dame Australia logo
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Our friendly student advisors are here to help

We're here to guide you every step of the way with expert advice on:

  • Choosing a course that suits you best
  • Enrolling, and planning your studies
  • Understanding your funding options

Chat with an advisor today.

Talk to a student advisor

We'll be in touch to answer your questions, usually within 30 minutes during business hours.