Master of Social Work
Student type:
Quick facts
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Entry score
Not applicable
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Duration
Full-time 2 years, Part-time 4 years
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Location
Melbourne city campus
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Fees
Commonwealth Supported Places
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Next intake
February
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Entry score
IELTS 7.0
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Duration
Full-time 2 years
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Location
Melbourne city campus
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Fees
AU$27,840 (2018 annual)
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Next intake
February
Program brochure
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Overview
Social workers promote human wellbeing and foster social inclusion. They mobilise the forces of individuals, the community and state organisations to transform lives and create lasting and meaningful social change.
RMIT University has been teaching social work for over 40 years and our programs continue to reflect up-to-date ideas about social work and its place in a changing world.
Our classroom is the city and our graduates are resilient, outspoken members of society who advocate a fairer world for all.
Field education forms a large component of the social work program. You'll undertake 140 days of work placements within human and community service organisations.
Details
Most of the courses are held in a group workshop format. You'll interact with others and benefit from the experience and knowledge of your peers.
RMIT offers a variety of learning and teaching approaches including:
- lectures
- seminars
- workshops
- presentations
- group discussions.
All programs are delivered in English.
You will have access to online resources through the myRMIT student portal.
Ongoing assessment throughout the semester includes:
- written exercises
- exams
- class exercises
- oral presentations
- workshop and seminar facilitation
- online activities.
RMIT University and community service organisations work together to provide field education.
You'll undertake two 70-day placements, usually within human and community service organisations. Placement helps you practise your skills so you have the confidence to apply your academic and workplace abilities to professional situations.
Placements may be arranged locally, with some opportunity for interstate or overseas placements for the final round.
You could find work placements in organisations such as:
- ASRC (Asylum Seeker Resource Centre)
- Anglicare
- Department of Human Services - child protection
- Foundations for Survivors of Torture
- Oxfam Australia
- Brotherhood of St Laurence
- Department of Education
- Salvation Army Crisis Services
- Centrelink
RMIT University is committed to providing you with an education that strongly links formal learning with professional or vocational practice.
RMIT is a world leader in social justice and homelessness research and supports a number of research projects and networks that maintain wider links with local and global communities.
The Centre for Applied Social Research (CASR) undertakes research and promotes public debate on key areas of social change and social policy. The Centre works closely with a range of community organisations, government departments, local governments and the union movement.
The Centre for Urban Research is a thriving interdisciplinary research centre with an emphasis on the intersecting streams of housing and homelessness, urban and regional planning, and sustainability and climate change.
This program is designed to develop your capacity to deliver human services and to master current and emerging policy and practice trends.
You'll critically reflect on and analyse social policy and organisational practices and develop the skills necessary for advocating change. You'll graduate with the knowledge, skills and ethical foundations to bring about individual and collective well-being from a social justice perspective.
The Master of Social Work comprises of ten 12-credit-point core courses, two 24-credit-point core courses and two 12-credit-point elective courses. Most courses are offered face-to-face.
Core courses include:
- Critical Social Work
- Casework, Counselling and Advocacy
- Group and Community Work Strategies
- Ethical, Legal and Organisational Contexts of Social Work Practice
- Discourses of Care, Control and Protection
- Field Education 1
- Research Strategies - Social Sciences
- Contemporary Themes in Professional Practice
- Social Policy
- Rights, Recognition and Social Justice
- Field Education 2
- Professional Project.
Elective courses include:
- Advanced Advocacy and Social Action
- Conflict Resolution and Mediation
- Indigenous Policy
- Loss, Trauma and Grief
- Minor Thesis
- Social and Political Theory
- Working with Violence and Abuse.
Choose a program structure
| Title | Location | Duration | Plan code | CRICOS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Social Work | City Campus |
2 years full time
4 years part time
|
2 years full time
|
MC150P15 | 058234C |
Choose a program structure
Program code: MC150
Career
Graduates are highly employable in human services organisations, community-based agencies, various levels of government, and increasingly in corporate and private enterprise.
Some graduates help to develop social policy, some engage in research, some assist communities to develop their own services and some provide services to individuals and families. In a social work career, there are ample opportunities to pursue different specialisations and interests.
With your working knowledge of social science, research and social work, you'll be eligible for a wide range of human services or community jobs in areas such as:
- child protection
- dispute mediation and industrial relations
- health services and hospitals
- human resource management
- policy and advocacy work
- community development projects
- program and organisational development
- immigration advice and referral centres
- Federal and State Government departments (Centrelink, Department of Human Services)
- youth and family services.
Admissions
You must have successfully completed an Australian bachelor degree (or equivalent overseas qualification) that includes at least one year of full-time studies in social sciences (or equivalent).
If you are applying for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) you must submit your application by 10 November. Selection for Commonwealth Supported Places is competitive, based on your grade point average (GPA) and professional experience.
You must have successfully completed an Australian Bachelor degree (or equivalent overseas qualification) in a relevant discipline which includes at least one year of full time studies in social sciences (or equivalent).
Applicants will be selected competitively based on undergraduate results and professional experience.
Please note complete applications must be submitted by 1 November (in any given year) in order to be considered.
Entry requirements
To have your professional experience considered you must include with your application:
- a CV
- a personal statement detailing your relevant professional experience.
Non-academic abilities you’ll need to complete this program
Some inherent requirements for this program include:
- reading and writing skills for understanding and contributing to client case notes and producing client reports
- managing your behaviour and emotions to provide safe and competent client care
- time-based problem-solving when working with clients
Visit the Master of Social Work inherent requirements.
Who are they for?
Inherent requirements apply to every applicant and may be worth considering if you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition.
Why do you need to know?
By understanding the types of activities you’ll participate in, and the non-academic abilities you may need in this program, you can:
understand more about the program
determine if you may need support during your studies
make an informed decision about whether the program is suitable for you.
What support is available?
If there are any activities that may be difficult for you to undertake, please discuss this with RMIT program staff or Equitable Learning Services (ELS).
If you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition, we may be able to support you by making adjustments to activities in your program so that you can participate fully in your studies.
To receive learning adjustments, you need to register with ELS.
To study this program you will need to complete one of the following English proficiency tests:
- IELTS (Academic): minimum overall band of 7.0 (with no individual band below 7.0)
- TOEFL (Internet Based Test - IBT): minimum overall score of 100 (with minimum of 24 in all sections)
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) (PTE (A)): minimum score of 65(with no communication band less than 65)
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) 185 with no less than 185 in any component
For detailed information on English language requirements and other proficiency tests recognised by RMIT, visit English language requirements and equivalency information.
Don't meet the English language test scores? Complete an Advanced Plus Certificate at RMIT English Worldwide.
Non-academic abilities you’ll need to complete this program
Some inherent requirements for this program include:
- reading and writing skills for understanding and contributing to client case notes and producing client reports
- managing your behaviour and emotions to provide safe and competent client care
- time-based problem-solving when working with clients
Visit the Master of Social Work inherent requirements.
Who are they for?
Inherent requirements apply to every applicant and may be worth considering if you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition.
Why do you need to know?
By understanding the types of activities you’ll participate in, and the non-academic abilities you may need in this program, you can:
understand more about the program
determine if you may need support during your studies
make an informed decision about whether the program is suitable for you.
What support is available?
If there are any activities that may be difficult for you to undertake, please discuss this with RMIT program staff or Equitable Learning Services (ELS).
If you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition, we may be able to support you by making adjustments to activities in your program so that you can participate fully in your studies.
To receive learning adjustments, you need to register with ELS.
Pathways
Fees
In 2018, if you are enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place, the annual student contribution amount (tuition fee) you will pay for a standard year of full-time study is between AU$6,444 and AU$10,754.
The indicative annual tuition fee for full-fee places in 2018 is AU$21,120.
How much you’ll pay will depend on whether you’re offered a Commonwealth supported place or a full-fee place. Entry for this program is primarily through Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs). Government financial assistance is available to eligible students regardless of the type of place you enrol in.
Fees shown above apply to 2018 only and are based on an annual full-time study load of 96 credit points unless otherwise noted. A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load. Tuition fees are adjusted on an annual basis and these fees should only be used as a guide.
For more information and to learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees see postgraduate study fees.
If you are offered a Commonwealth supported place, your tuition fees are subsidised by the Australian Government.
Your share of the fee (student contribution) is set on an annual basis by the government and is determined by the discipline areas (bands) of your individual enrolled courses, not the overall program.
In 2018, the annual student contribution amount you will pay for a standard year of full-time study is between AU$6,444 and AU$10,754. As a CSP student, you may be eligible to apply for a HECS-HELP loan, which allows you to defer payment of up to 100% of your student contribution.
For further information and to learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees see Fees for Commonwealth supported students.
How does a HELP loan work?
If your FEE-HELP, HECS-HELP and/or SA-HELP loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT, on your behalf, up to 100% of your fees. This amount will become part of your accumulated HELP debt.
You will only start repaying your accumulated HELP debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is set each year by the Australian Government (this also applies if you are still studying).
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.
For more information about loan repayment options see Commonwealth assistance (HELP loans) or Study Assist.
This program is approved for income support.
You may be eligible for student income support payments from the Commonwealth Government if you are undertaking a graduate certificate, graduate diploma or an approved professionally oriented masters by coursework program. For more information see Income support for Masters students.
If you are enrolled in an eligible program you will also need to satisfy all other student payment eligibility requirements. You can contact Centrelink or the Department of Human Services for further information about student income support entitlements, your eligibility and how to apply.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student. The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2018 is $298.
You may be eligible to apply to defer payment of the SSAF through the SA-HELP loan scheme. If you use SA-HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP debt.
For more information about calculating your actual SSAF see Paying SSAF.
You may also be required to purchase other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These additional fees and expenses vary from program to program.
The annual tuition fee for 2018 is AU$27,840.
The total indicative tuition fee for 2018 commencement is AU$57,600.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) in each calendar year.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) - Student visa holders must have cover for the total duration of their visa.
- Some programs incur additional expenses.
You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.