Program Advisor on +61 7 4930 9862 or +61 7 4930 9095 or email ahs-program2@cqu.edu.au

The program is offered by distance education over four years full time or equivalent part time study.  Students are provided with print material for all courses.  Social work core courses also require attendance at compulsory residential schools twice a year in each year of the program.  They are each of a week's duration.  During the residential schools students have the opportunity to network, share and consolidate their small group relations.  All residential schools take place in Rockhampton.  As part of the fieldwork and residential schools, student are required to participate in group work and individual self-development exercises.  The program may challenge personal values and attitudes as social workers in training develop both personally and professionally.

Ongoing contact between student groups and university staff is maintained through email, chat lines, e.boards and other information communication technologies.

Field placements are compulsory in years 3 and 4 of the program.  Each consists of 14 weeks placement in any agency approved by the University under supervision of a qualified social worker.  Placements may be organised for participants in metropolitan, urban, regional, rural and isolated areas.  At least one rural placement is strongly encouraged.

Student should complete all courses in each term as stated.  Students studying less than a full time program in Year 1 are expected to complete the prescribed sociology and law courses before undertaking the psychology and "Introduction to Social Work" courses.

Compulsory residential school attendance

There are compulsory week-long residential schools attached to the following courses:

• SOWK11012 Introduction to Social Work A
• SOWK11013 Introduction to Social Work B
• SOWK19014 Social Work Theory & Practice 2A
• SOWK19015 Social Work Theory & Practice 2B
• SOWK11010 Social Work Skills & Methods A
• SOWK11011 Social Work Skills & Methods B
• SOWK19016 Social Work Theory & Practice 3A
• SOWK19017 Social Work Theory & Practice 3B
• SOWK13002 Field Education & Fieldwork 1
• SOWK13006 Ethical Social Work Practice
• SOWK19018 Social Work Theory & Practice 4A
• SOWK19019 Social Work Theory & Practice 4B
• SOWK14003 Field Education & Fieldwork 2

Program requirements

All students enrolled in the social work program will need to have access to a computer connected to the Internet in order to remain in contact with staff and to participate in small group learning.

Students will be expected to undertake various components of study in the degree using email, WebCT and the internet. Recommended web browsers are: Internet Explorer 5.0 or above or Netscape 4.5 or 4.7 and above (not version 6.0).

Application for credit transfer

Credit transfer will only be granted where a student is able to demonstrate that tertiary studies equivalent in content and depth to the CQU program has been successfully completed.  Students should examine the course synopses in this Handbook to determine the courses for which they may be eligible to claim exemption. Credit transfer must meet the guidelines approved by the AASW.

Social Work Degree rules

• Students must satisfactorily complete the courses outlined in the program schedule in the order and sequence stated, unless granted Advanced Standing in one or more of the courses specified.
• Students must complete no more than 10 courses at Level 1.
• A total of 192 units of credit must be achieved for eligibility for the degree to be awarded.
• Students must observe all conditions and restrictions which are listed in the footnotes to the Table of Course Availability.
• Students must satisfy all pre- and co-requisites as outlined in the Table of Course Availability.
• Field Education and Fieldwork courses which required placement in an approved social work agency are compulsory and may be undertaken only after consultation with, and approved by, the Fieldwork Coordinator of the School of Social Work and Welfare Studies.
• No student will be permitted to separately negotiate a Field Education and Fieldwork placement without consultation with the Fieldwork Coordinator.
• Unless approved by the course coordinator, students will not be permitted to proceed to the next year of the program until they have passed all requirements of the previous year of the program.

Students have the opportunity to graduate from the Bachelor of Social Work with Honours.  The Honours component of the course is integrated into Year 4 of the curriculum.  Honours enables students to learn and apply research knowledge and skills in a particular area of social work practice.  The Honours program also gives students the opportunity to qualify as candidates for Masters and Doctoral Studies at CQU and elsewhere.

The Honours program is integrated with Year 4 of the BSW.  Therefore, in order to be eligible for the Honours program students will be required to:

• Achieve a grade point average of 5.5 or higher in Introduction to Social Work and all Social Work specific courses in years two and three of the program.
• To be awarded Honours, the student must successfully complete SOWK19022 Qualitative Research Methods A and SOWK19023 Qualitative Research Methods B. This can be done on either a part-time or full-time basis.

Students will be awarded honours within the usual classes of such awards within the University.  First Class Honours is awarded to students who complete all requirements as stated and achieve an overall grade of High Distinction.  Second Class Honours Division I will be awarded to students who complete all stated requirements and achieve an overall grade of Distinction.  Second Class Honours Division II will be awarded to students completing all stated requirements and who achieve an overall grade of Credit.  Third Class Honours will be awarded to students who complete all stated requirements and achieve an overall Pass grade.