Social Work

Become an agent of positive change in diverse communities with UNE's accredited Bachelor of Social Work. With an emphasis on social work in rural and complex community environments, our flexibly delivered course will equip you with the practical skills to work with and empower individuals, groups and communities who experience marginalisation, isolation or discrimination. In our complex world, skilled social workers are valued and in high demand. You'll be choosing a rewarding profession, with the qualifications to work in a range of professional environments.

This course is accredited with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and graduates are eligible to become a member of the AASW.

The health and social care sector in Australia is rapidly growing, creating a high demand for professionals equipped with foundational skills in evidence-based, interdisciplinary practice. The Diploma in Health and Social Care (Social Work) at UNE provides you with the opportunity to develop these essential skills, along with theoretical knowledge and introductory skills specific to social work. This course is ideal for individuals currently working in the health and social care sector who want to complement their existing experience with a tertiary qualification, as well as those considering a future career in health and social care, including social work.

Explore the social contexts of welfare, community service and health work with UNE’s Diploma of Community Welfare and Wellbeing. Build on your existing industry experience, vocational qualifications, or interest in welfare and community service work and healthcare with this course—you’ll be future proofing your career and ensuring you are ready to adapt to changes in the workplace.

In the human and community services sector, research plays a critical role in identifying gaps in service delivery, evaluating program effectiveness, and developing evidence-based policies and interventions. Having a strong understanding of research is now essential for success, with employers increasingly seeking employees who are not only proficient in their field, but also possess research skills that can be applied to solve complex problems.

UNE's Bachelor of Human and Community Services with Honours offers a dynamic blend of theoretical and practical learning that prepares you to fill these needs, with the opportunity to work with industry partners and receive guidance from experienced supervisors. This comprehensive course will be your gateway to a career path focused on senior human and community services sector roles.

Build on your existing knowledge and passion for social justice and human rights with practical experience and flexibly delivered case-based learning. Gain the skills necessary to address barriers, inequality and injustices faced by marginalised and disadvantaged groups in Australia's socially and culturally diverse society. With a focus on rural and regional communities, UNE's Master of Social Work (Qualifying) will provide you with the tools to thrive in this rewarding and rapidly-evolving profession.

Design a bespoke course and prepare for a rapidly evolving workplace with the UNE Graduate Diploma in Professional Practice. Whether you want to advance your career, hone your skills or embark on a new career direction, we'll work with you to design a course to match your skills and aspirations.

You will have the freedom to assemble your course from a full breadth of subjects, play to your strengths and draw from your experience to achieve your goals. Learn in a way that suits your timeframe and do it all with the support of an expert academic success advisor — with one-on-one guidance from start to finish. You'll be paving your pathway to the next stage of your career.

Adapt to an evolving workplace and open the door to new career opportunities with UNE's Graduate Certificate in Professional Practice. Whether you want to create more career choices, hone your specialist skills, or take a new career direction, we will work with you to customise a course to match your skills and aspirations.

Choose from a full breadth of subjects. Avoid getting bogged down in a lengthy, traditional course, and instead, play to your natural strengths, refine your skills and draw on your experience to prepare for the future. And do it all with the support of an expert academic success advisor with 1:1 guidance from start to finish.

In today's educational landscape, the demand for effective wellbeing support in schools is on the rise. The UNE Graduate Certificate in School Wellbeing Support equips you with the specialised skills and knowledge needed to meet this demand.

This course is ideal for allied health professionals (such as community and social workers), teachers and teacher aides, who wish to develop their expertise about school wellbeing support. It is also a valuable asset if you are currently working in these roles and are ready to upskill. Delivered entirely online, you can complete this program in as little as one year while studying part-time, fitting your studies around work and life.

A Doctor of Philosophy is the pinnacle of academic study. Using rigorous and systematic research, combined with critical analysis, you will add to society's understanding of complex issues at the cutting-edge of your discipline or profession.

When you complete your PhD at UNE, you will be recognised as an expert in your area of study. Your original discoveries and innovations will be applied to benefit society and industry in Australia and worldwide.

Practice-based research drives better decisions, stronger services and measurable outcomes. UNE’s Professional Doctorate provides foundational research training with a research thesis, supporting experienced professionals to contribute to the development of original knowledge that improves professional practice in their fields.

Co-design a workplace-embedded project with your UNE supervision team and your organisation, aligning rigorous methods with real-world challenges. Your examinable output is tailored to your discipline—for example, a thesis, a dissertation with artefacts, or an exegesis with a portfolio of creative, technical or performance works.

High quality research and analysis allows us to better understand the complex issues we face in industry and society. With UNE's Master of Philosophy by research, your original findings and insights will add to the body of knowledge and inform decision-making in your specialist area.

You will work independently, with personalised support from recognised experts in your area of study every step of the way. Expand your expertise, hone your research skills, and immediately apply your knowledge in a research topic of your choice.

The world is full of possibilities, with so much to discover and learn. There are endless opportunities to enrich your knowledge to prepare for the future, but what if you don’t want to undertake a full degree? And how can you zero-in on the subjects that matter most to you? That’s what a Non-Award unit with UNE will help you to achieve.

Non-Award study means you can learn without the need to complete entire course requirements or take on a full course load. Whether it’s a language you want to learn, a business unit to enhance your career, an improvement of your IT skills, an update on education principles or developing your management style, Non-Award study gives you the flexibility and control to explore what matters to you.

If you are enrolled at another university, you can choose to study subjects at UNE that will count towards your course. Apply as a cross-institutional student directly and complete one or several individual subjects (units) from the full scope of UNE's discipline areas.