Program Overview

Bachelor of Community Welfare

The Bachelor of Community Welfare provides students with the theoretical and practical foundations for work in the community welfare and human services sectors. Students gain skills in case management, community development, counselling, social research, advocacy, and organisational practice.

Course Overview

The course places particular emphasis on social justice, human rights, and collaboration as the basis for contemporary community welfare practice. It aims to enhance students' empathy and communication skills to deliver great outcomes across diverse areas of community welfare practice.

Core Units

The course comprises 20 core units and 4 university-wide elective units, including:

• Introduction to Sociology
• Australian Politics
• Create: Innovate: Change
• Indigenous World-Views
• Introduction to Social Welfare
• Community Development
• Counselling Theory and Practice
• Social Policy
• Field Education I
• Doing Social Research
• Case Management and Care Planning
• Trauma Informed Practice
• Youth Work
• Issues of Protection
• Disability and Community Practice
• Planning and Delivering Human Services
• Mental Health
• Field Education II

Learning Outcomes and Graduate Attributes

Upon completion of the course, graduates will be able to:

• Analyse the social, cultural, economic, and political contexts of social welfare practice
• Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate programs with clients
• Practise social welfare in an ethical manner
• Use skills and knowledge appropriately and reflectively
• Become reflective practitioners and lifelong learners
• Communicate with a broad spectrum of people and organisations
• Demonstrate cultural competence

Placements, Work Experience, and Study Hours

The course includes 400 hours of supervised Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in two separate organisations in different fields of practice. Placements may involve working with various client groups, such as older people or young people and families.

Availability

The course is available at the Gold Coast and online, with teaching periods in Term 1 and Term 3.

Career Outcomes

Graduates are eligible to join Community Work Australia and may pursue careers in social welfare, community development, counselling, and case management.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English, with an IELTS overall score of 6.5 and no less than 6.0 across each band. The course has inherent requirements, including compulsory participation in work-integrated learning and professional behaviour.

Course Structure

The course comprises 24 units, including core and elective units, and can be completed in 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time. Students must complete 288 credit points, including 240 credit points of core units and 48 credit points of university-wide elective units.

Course Requirements

To be eligible to receive the Bachelor of Community Welfare, students must complete the equivalent of 24 units, comprising 20 core units and 4 university-wide elective units. The course includes work-integrated learning, and students must meet mandatory fit-to-practice obligations prior to attending placements.

Professional Accreditation

The course is accredited by Community Work Australia, and graduates are eligible to join the organisation.