Program Overview

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Bachelor of Social Work

Programme Overview

The Bachelor of Social Work degree equips students with the knowledge and skills to work with individuals, whanau/families, and communities to address social problems and promote well-being. Students will be able to advocate for social justice, support people in crisis, and help them access resources and services when needed.

Programme Details

Level

7

Campus

Porirua

Start Date

16/02/2026

Duration

4 years, full-time. Part-time available

Domestic Fees

TBA

Programme Outline

This programme is designed to meet the professional and educational requirements of the Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) and Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) Code of Ethics. It provides students with a sound social work education, a recognised qualification, and a pathway to higher qualifications.

Teaching and Learning

The course is made up of both on-campus learning days and online tutorials. The online tutorials will take place on the non-campus days and are an essential part of the learning journey. They will include course content and Tūāpapa tautoko.

Year One

The foundations for social work education are established and begin to be contextualised. Students start to develop an awareness of their personal practice base and can see how theory informs social work practice and can apply knowledge of professional and legal responsibilities.

Year Two

Students' understanding of social worker identity opens them to communication skills for different audiences, gain knowledge and practices that inform them of safe social work practices, and become more aware of the social work context they are developing.

Year Three

Year three continues to prepare students to develop more specialist social work knowledge and skills. It contains the first 12 weeks of social work field placement where they will be aware of themselves and the ‘others’ with whom they engage on placement. Maintaining safe practice for themselves, their clients, and the organisation by drawing on their knowledge of ethics, law, and social work practice theory.

Year Four

Students are enabled to prove the competencies expected of them as new social work practitioners. They take responsibility for their actions, are informed by the many dimensions of social work knowledge, and can critically reflect on their actions and responses, as well as those of others. They are able to demonstrate an integrated philosophical approach to, and critical thinking about, Te Tiriti o Waitangi in a variety of work situations, ranging from the governance and management levels of an organisation to their own personal supervision and practice theory with clients in their last 12 weeks of placement.

Fieldwork Placements

Students must complete their fieldwork placement experience of 12 weeks (60 days) in both Years 3 and 4. Over this 12-week period, students can expect to complete 60 days full time, with varied hours of work.

Please note, fieldwork placements may not be in the area that you live.

The cost of transportation to and from fieldwork placements is the student’s responsibility. If students are working part-time, priority must be given to attending fieldwork placements.

Course Related Costs

The following costs are approximate. Confirmed costs for next year and first day information will be emailed to students.

• Health screening*: $250
• Computer/laptop: varies

*Health Screening: In years three and four, health screening/vaccinations may be a prerequisite for attendance at some of the fieldwork placements. Students will be advised whether this is a requirement when their placement is confirmed. Please note students are responsible for any costs involved.

Entry Requirements

Whitireia degree entry requirements: or equivalent academic/work experience; evidence of suitability based on interview, health screening, safety check, and referee reports.

Applicants for whom English is an alternate language and who have not undertaken secondary education in English Māori or New Zealand Sign Language.

International

International: IELTS 6.5 academic in each band.

Find your country's equivalent academic entry requirements here

*For fee exclusions, please see our terms and conditions.

Interview/Evidence of Suitability

The interview determines the applicant's preparedness for study and ability to meet the Health Practitioner's Competence Assurance Act 2003, as well as any registration board requirements in terms of being fit for registration. Applicants must be able to demonstrate the following qualities:

• Effective interpersonal communication skills
• Appropriate presentation
• Maturity and a positive attitude
• Commitment and motivation to succeed

Once course numbers are met, students are wait-listed in order of the date on which their application was submitted.

Safety Check

The Children's Act (2014) requires all students, who may work with children during the course of their study, to be safety checked. Safety checking includes reference checking, work history, identity check, police vetting, and an overall assessment of the applicant's safety to work with children.

Health Screening

Students may be required to complete health screening to provide current evidence of their immunisation status, required by Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health and health organisations offering clinical learning experiences. These requirements would be discussed with students attending one of these fieldwork placements.

Credit Recognition

If you have relevant skills and knowledge through study or experiences in work or other activities, you may be able to receive credit for them. This is done through a process called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).