Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

at Griffith University - Logan Campus Australia

This program is designed to provide students with an opportunity to undertake advanced study and supervised research work in the specialisation defined by their undergraduate degree program within the context of a multidisciplinary cohort.

The research skills developed within this program will provide an attractive credential for students seeking employment in the public or private sectors. The program will also provide the necessary preparation for entry into a higher degree research program. The multidisciplinary context of the program, involving team-teaching of students and the sharing of coursework and seminar experiences across disciplines will be invaluable to students given the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to researchers and practitioners seeking to understand complex problems in health.

Nursing is the science of professional caring and offers opportunities to promote and restore health, prevent illness and alleviate suffering. In this degree, you will develop key skills for excellent nursing care. You will develop your skills through clinical placements across the health sector and you will have opportunities to undertake rural, remote and overseas placements.

The Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) encompasses 30 credit points of research dissertation.

As well as the opportunity for career and skill advancement, the Honours program creates a pathway for Social Work students to move into research and higher degree studies via the Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy programs.

This program prepares students to teach in primary or secondary settings. Students undertake a foundation first year and then undertake studies in either primary or secondary education from Year 1/Trimester 3. Students undertake professional practice which includes observation and participation in schools, practice teaching and community field studies.

This degree will equip you to work with individuals, families, and communities. You will learn from experts with links to health and community sectors, and government and non-government organisations. You will learn about human services in Australia and develop the knowledge and skills needed to build a better future for individuals and families in need, younger and older people, and persons living with disability. Through the course of your studies, you will develop a clear and insightful understanding of the principles of social justice, empowerment, and social inclusion. You will learn through hands-on experience as you undertake a professional placement in your final year of study.

This is your opportunity to expose yourself to an intensive research environment. You will develop expertise in research and learn the concepts, methods and skills required to apply knowledge with creativity and initiative to new situations. The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is awarded on the basis of independent supervised study that produces a substantial piece of research as judged by independent experts of international standing.

In this double degree, you'll develop an understanding of the vital importance of human services within Australia's legal and social systems.

Through the human services component, you'll learn how to build a better future for individuals and families. You'll also be empowered by a greater understanding of the principles of social justice and social inclusion. In the criminology and criminal justice component, you'll learn about the causes of crime and how society responds to them through the justice system.

Industry and expert connections:-
Your study will include courses about policing, working with offenders and victims, and analysing and preventing crimes. You'll hear from academic and professional experts about how crime can be prevented and reduced.

You'll also undertake a range of courses to prepare you as a human services practitioner to create a more socially just world.  

You'll receive plenty of hands-on experience in your final year of study. Within a genuine human services environment, you'll put theory into practice in a supervised setting. This experience will enhance your skills in the workplace and get you ready to graduate job-ready.

Graduate outcomes:-
You may find opportunities in policing and security, intelligence, probation and parole, child protection, crime analysis, courts and justice services, crime prevention and regulatory agencies.

You will be prepared for a career in areas such as law enforcement, working directly with offenders in welfare and counselling roles and in criminological research and policy roles.

This degree provides an alternative route for entry into a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) if you do not meet the entry requirements for direct admission.

When you complete this degree, you will be granted admission to an MPhil or PhD, providing you have fulfilled the entry requirements detailed in the Higher Degree Research policy and have completed the confirmation procedure. Your final grade will determine whether you are eligible for the PhD or MPhil.

You will undertake advanced study and supervised research work in the health discipline, defined by your undergraduate degree. In the coursework component, you will critically evaluate research and develop your knowledge and understanding of statistical analysis techniques as applied to health research. You will also develop an awareness of research proposal design and background. The multidisciplinary context of this degree will be invaluable to you if you are seeking to understand complex problems in health.

On your way to a satisfying career, you will study specialized social work courses, society and social arrangements, human behaviour and development, human services provision and counselling approaches and techniques to name a few core study areas.

You will complete two 500 hour field placements in your degree. Field placements give you the chance to put your academic knowledge and skills into practice, develop new ones and sample social work practice in the real world.

You will be supervised by a qualified social worker for the duration of your field placements.

In some situations, it may be possible to negotiate a workplace-based field placement.

Placements will be sourced in your area of choice where possible.

Students living in remote or rural areas may have limited choices depending on the availability of organisations within their local area and may have to travel.

You will become highly proficient in all core areas of social work theory and practice, develop critical thinking and reflective skills and be prepared for practice grounded in the values and ethics of the profession - social justice, diversity, equity and a commitment to the rights and needs of the people with whom you work.

To be awarded a Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) degree, one additional year of study is required following the successful completion of the Bachelor of Nursing.

Graduates of Griffith University's Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) degree have a competitive edge as they are equipped with practical skills, experience and attributes that employers value, coupled with highly developed research capabilities.