If you’ve chosen social work as a career, you’ll already have a solid understanding of the different types of social workers and the important role they play in communities. Social workers help address issues like poverty, unemployment, disability and mental illness, but they strive for social justice and equality. If you’ve been wondering how you can do more and impact as many lives as you can, a Master of Social Work promises to open doors for you.
A Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) will allow you to advance into leadership roles, develop specialised skills, deepen your understanding of social work and make a meaningful impact in your community.
Graduates have skills in working with individuals, groups, communities and in research/policy settings for social justice outcomes. Social work is a growing industry driven by a greater focus on mental health and increased government funding. Although it’s a growing career area, there are still shortages in regional Victoria and multiple states and territories including South Australia and Northern Territory.
Associate Professor of Social Work, Karen Bell, gave us the lowdown on postgraduate social work degrees at Charles Sturt.
“Having a postgraduate qualification demonstrates to employers that you have high-level analytical skills, advanced communication skills, time management skills, enthusiasm for your profession and that you can develop and manage a project to fruition.”
So, straight up you’re suggesting to employers that you’re a cut above the rest!
In this article, you’ll learn:
- What makes a master’s different
- What if you don’t have a Bachelor of Social Work?
- What’s involved in a master’s
- Where a master’s could take you
- Why you should consider postgraduate study
- Why Charles Sturt
- Where to get support
- Ready to get started?
- FAQs
What makes a master’s different
There are a few differences between a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work. To start with, a bachelor’s degree is a four-year undergraduate route, while a master’s is a two-year accelerated postgraduate route that is designed especially for people who already hold an undergraduate degree in something else.
Both a bachelor’s and master’s will get you eligibility for professional registration with the Australian Association of Social Workers (ASSW), but completing your master’s will give you an extra edge. We’ve laid out the differences for you so you can decide which course suits you.
| Feature | Bachelor of Social Work | Master of Social Work |
| Target audience | School leavers, mature-aged students or those without a prior uni degree. | Career changers or working professionals that want to pivot into social work. |
| Entry requirements | Completed Year 12 (or equivalent) with a competitive ATAR or via a vocational pathway. | A completed bachelor’s degree in a different field, including at least one year of social or behavioural science unit (e.g. psychology). |
| Duration | 4-years full-time or 8-years part-time. | 2-years full-time or 4-years part-time. |
| Study mode | On campus or online. | Online only. |
| Placement requirements | 1,000 hours of supervised practice, usually split into two blocks in your third and fourth years. | 1,000 hours of supervised practice, usually split into two blocks within the two years. |
| AASW Eligibility | Fully accredited – you’ll graduate with the minimum educational requirements for full professional membership with the AASW eligibility. | Fully accredited – you’ll graduate with the same professional standing and AASW eligibility. |
What if you don’t have a Bachelor of Social Work?
You don’t need to have a Bachelor of Social Work to join the masters. Although, to get entry into the course, the AASW requires you to complete one full year of study in either social or behavioural science.
If your previous degree gives you a background in other areas such as business or IT, don’t worry, there are alternative pathways to get you in!
There are three options to help you meet the prerequisites – we’ve listed them below so you can see all your options.
- Single subject study*
This means you’ll enroll in individual subjects, not a whole course. This would be the best option if there were only a couple of subjects away from meeting the prerequisite.
- Graduate Certificate in Human Service*
This graduate certificate is a postgraduate qualification which can be used to complete remaining prerequisites while also earning a recognised qualification.
- As part of another qualification at undergraduate or postgraduate level
This means you’ll add social and behavioural science subjects to another degree that you might already be completing, like an ‘Intro to psychology’ elective!
*These options can only be used to meet prerequisite content, not replace the required AQF Level 7 bachelor’s degree.
If you want to check your eligibility, you can submit your past transcripts to our admissions team for a free eligibility check.
What’s involved in a master’s
Our master’s course is delivered fully online, with full-time or part-time study options. It’s designed with flexible options to allow you to balance study with existing work or family commitments.
Full-time study is typically around two years of accelerated study. Part-time study is completed in three to four years, giving you more flexibility to balance your other commitments. Both study options are delivered fully online but will require 1,000 hours of supervised field placements.
These placement blocks are an AASW requirement and are the best opportunity for you to put your theory into practical work experience. Charles Sturt coordinates your placements locally to help maintain flexibility and convenience.
There are multiple specialisations and areas of study that you’ll be able to choose from once you start the course. They include:
- Child protection and family social work
- Mental health practice
- Cross-cultural and First Nations studies
- Policy development and systematic advocacy.
We’ve broken these down so you see what these specalisations involve and which one might suit you best.
| Career area | What they involve |
| Child protection and family social work | Navigating family dynamics, safety and youth welfare |
| Mental health practice | Qualifying you for roles in psychiatric settings, counselling and therapeutic support |
| Cross-cultural and First Nations studies | Developing culturally safe frameworks for working alongside Indigenous and diverse communities. |
| Policy development and systematic advocacy | Moving away from frontline case management into senior leadership, research and government policy creation |
Where a master’s could take you
The benefit of having a master’s in social work is that you’ll have the high level experience and knowledge required for senior and leadership positions. You’ll have opportunities to advance your career, be a champion for change and prepare for the future of social work.
“We often have social workers coming into our postgraduate degrees because they are passionate about an issue. Further study gives them a chance to systematically explore it. Postgraduate study can also contribute at a broader level to the professional knowledge base. Furthermore, it’s an opportunity for senior practitioners to share their practice of wisdom. This ultimately can help make a positive difference in our communities.” Associate Professor of Social Work, Karen Bell.
There are many pathways you could take with a career in social work. You could find yourself in roles such as counselor, caseworker or as a wellbeing practitioner in schools. Healthcare and social assistance jobs account for the strongest projected employment growth over the next five to 10 years1. There are certain pathways which have the highest growth in Australia due to many social factors, including:
- Aged care and NDIS navigation: rapidly expanding due to Australia’s aging demographic.
- Mental health and counselling: highly funded sector with massive skills shortages nationwide.
- Crisis and trauma services: crucial frontline management roles that prize the transferable skills of mature-aged career changers.
Whatever pathway you choose to pursue, you can also be assured you’re in safe hands with Charles Sturt with 94 per cent of social work postgraduates finding full-time employment within four months of graduating2.
Why you should consider a postgraduate qualification
A master’s in social work will create opportunities for you to take your career to the next level. Here are a few reasons why considering postgraduate study in social work is a great idea:
- You’ve worked in the industry for a while and you’re ready for the next challenge.
- You want to upskill or reskill.
- Your experience in social work has helped you realise an area that you’re really passionate about and want to explore further.
- Your true calling is in social work policy development, education or research.
Why Charles Sturt
The demand for social workers in regional Australia is far greater than the metro areas. There are over 18 social workers per 100,000 people in metro areas, but less than seven per 100,000 people in regional areas3. Studying with a regional uni (like Charles Sturt!) will give you connections and exposure to the broad cases that regional social workers see.
Charles Sturt has extensive regional networks, which will mean you don’t need to travel into metro areas to complete placement. Due to the lack of social workers in regional communities, you will be able to progress into leadership positions faster than peers in the cities and be exposed to a wider variety of cases to meet the needs of your local community.
Charles Sturt is also recognised as a leader in social work studies with a five-star rating for social work over all educational experience and postgraduate salaries, with graduates earning a median salary of $95,0004.
Where to get support
Returning to uni to do a master’s can be daunting and a big commitment when juggling family and work commitments. That’s why Charles Sturt’s Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) is delivered fully online to provide you with the flexibility you need to be able to stay on top of life while also upskilling.
When studying online, learning what works best for you is important. Whether you’re an early morning person or night owl or studying from home or your local library. You’ll need to create a schedule that works around your life and maybe even a rewards system! Whatever works best for you. We’ve got all the most effective study from home tips.
Charles Sturt also has multiple mature-age student scholarships, equity grants and regional students’ stipends (weekly payments) to help take away the financial strain of returning to study. You never know what kind of financial help you might be eligible for, so it’s always good to enquire!
This course is also eligible for HECS-HELP, where the government will pay your fees, and you’ll make repayments once you start earning a certain threshold.
Ready to get started?
If you’re ready to take the next step up in your career or begin your transition into social work, now’s the time!
You can contact our friendly support team if you have any questions or you can your eligibility and get started on an application.
Do I have to complete a Bachelor of Social Work before doing a master’s?
Not specifically. You need to have completed a bachelor’s before entering the master’s, but it can be from any area e.g. business or IT. To gain entry into the course, the AASW has a requirement that you must complete one full year of prior study in either social or behavioural science.
How long does a Master of Social Work take to complete?
A Master of Social Work takes two years to complete full-time or three to four years part-time.
Is the whole course online?
Yes, this is a fully online course. All of the theory components are completed online. However, a big component of this course is the 1000 hours of placement – which you’ll complete in a real workplace to gain practical experience. Also, being an online student doesn’t mean you can’t visit your closest campus to study whenever you need!
- Employment Projections – Industry outlook | Jobs and Skills Australia ↩︎
- Our rankings, ratings and stats – Study ↩︎
- Workforce – Mental health – AIHW ↩︎
- Charles Sturt University | Good Universities Guide ↩︎
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