The Social Work Unit is located at the , offering undergraduate and postgraduate studies in social work.
The Unit services the western region of Melbourne and aims to satisfy a long-standing need in the western suburbs for the recruitment, education, employment and retention of a local, qualified work force in human services. In addition, the research and project work of the social work staff and students contribute to the development of effective human services in this region.
Bachelor of Social Work Information:
The Bachelor of Social Work course is taught at the St Albans Campus of Victoria University. The course was introduced in 1991 on the Melton campus, with an initial intake of 25 equivalent full-time students. In 2002, approximately ninety-five students are studying full-time or part-time across the three years of the course. The majority of students live in the Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne and the western part of Victoria. Substantial numbers are from non-English speaking backgrounds.
The Victoria University Social Work course is the first to be located in the Western region of Melbourne, and follows years of advocacy by human services organisations and groups in the region for the development of such a course. The BSW, in conjunction with other human services courses taught at the University, aims to satisfy a long-standing need in the Western Suburbs for the recruitment, education, employment and retention of a local qualified work force in human services. In addition, the research and project work of Social Work staff and students contributes to the development of effective human services for the people of the region.
Although the Course is firmly linked to the regional community, it has a focus and curriculum that prepares students for employment in a wide range of practice settings across Australia, and internationally. Graduates are eligible for membership in the Australian Association of Social Workers.
The Bachelor of Social Work is part of the Department of Social Inquiry and Community Studies within the Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development. The Social Work Unit has strong research and teaching interests in the areas of anti-oppressive social work, structural social work theory and practice, social policy, community development, and socio-demographic research. Since 1992, the staff of the Social Work Unit have attracted more than $250,000 in research funding for the University, from external sources. Staff in the Unit are engaged also in postgraduate supervision and teaching.
Pathways into the Bachelor of Social Work:
Bachelor of Social Work Field Education:
Recent changes to the Bachelor of Social Work course:
