Social work

Accreditation

La Trobe designs its courses with your future career in mind and we partner with a range of professional organisations for accreditation and registration. Refer to the detail for each course below to see what professional registration and membership options exist.

Career opportunities in social work

Our domestic social work graduates have higher employment outcomes than the national average – 93.3% of postgraduates and 89.2% of undergraduates found employment within four months of graduation.*

You can expect to work in schools, hospitals, community health centres and government departments in the areas of child and family services, counselling, child protection, disability, ageing, mental health, refugees and settlement, youth, substance abuse, mediation and rehabilitation.

* Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT), 2024, ComparED: Social Work (Postgraduate) | Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT), 2024, ComparED: Social Work (Undergraduate)

Your study experience

Alternative pathways

We offer flexible entry and exit pathways to current and prospective students. You may enter the program at different year levels depending upon your qualifications.

Social work placements

Working alongside experienced professionals is a critical part of your Social Work education. During placements, you will be supervised by a qualified and experienced social worker as you work towards developing the skills required for professional practice.

You will have the opportunity to work in diverse and challenging fields of practice including community development, advocacy, research, mental health, education, child and family, disability, health and youth.

Overseas study opportunities

You may be eligible for our student exchange program.

We have an extensive network of prospective employers in Australia and overseas - we have community services partners in the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, China and across Europe - which offers a greater diversity of practical work placement opportunities as part of your studies.