Master of Social Work

A worthwhile career awaits those who undertake this challenging and rewarding course. The University of Melbourne’s Master of Social Work has been specifically designed to equip graduates with the skills to work in various facets of social work practice, including casework, counselling, advocacy and community engagement. Expert staff and industry mentors will guide you to achieve your ambitions as a social worker and an ambassador for change.

This qualification can also assist those working in periphery fields, such as law or education, better comprehend the different and specialised needs of their clients or students.

Two highlights of the MSW

Career opportunities

Whether you want to work directly with individual clients or with communities more broadly, the Master of Social Work can prepare you to address societal disadvantages and develop solutions.

Extremely high employment prospects await graduates of this in demand course. Large numbers of students secure employment during or soon after graduation from the course. Graduates of this course also often experience rapid career advancement and promotion to senior positions.

Previous graduates of this program have progressed to rewarding careers in a range of human service contexts around Australia and the world. Graduates have been employed in key roles within health and mental health facilities, the criminal justice system, disability services, child protection and family violence, as well as in human service design and government policy. Some graduates also move into private practice and become registered with Medicare to provide mental health counselling services.

Students seeking a career change experience great success in this course. Those already working within the sector leave the degree with a greater possibility of a promotion to higher level positions and new specialisations within international and national NGOs and the government sector.

An internationally recognised qualification

Graduates of the University of Melbourne’s Master of Social Work are in high demand around the world.

Specialised skills and knowledge will steer you toward exciting local and international opportunities in human services organisations, community-based initiatives, government and private practice. Students of this course can also take advantage of placements around Australia, or internationally within the United States, Canada, Hong Kong and India.

Completion of this qualification also means graduates are eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). The degree is also recognised by professional social work associations and regulatory bodies in a number of countries.