Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)/Bachelor of Criminology & Criminal Justice

at University of New South Wales

The Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)/Criminology & Criminal Justice is a five-year program consisting of 38 courses.

The program includes:

• 23 Social Work core courses
• 6 Criminology core courses
• 6 Social Science core courses
• 3 Criminology electives

Full program structure

Each university year at UNSW has three terms and an optional summer study period.

Some courses need to be studied in your first and second year, so you’re prepared for courses that can only be studied in later years. You can study full-time or part-time. Depending on how you plan your study load, you can fit two or three courses into a term and one course in a summer term.

Below is an example of what you could study in a standard five-year, full-time study plan.

First year

• 4 Social Work core courses
• 2 Criminology core courses
• 2 Social Science core courses

Second year

• 5 Social Work core courses
• 3 Criminology electives

Third year

• 2 Social Work core courses
• 3 Criminology core courses
• 3 Social Science core courses

Fourth year

• 5 Social Work core courses
• 1 Criminology core courses
• 1 Social Science core courses

Fifth year

• 7 Social Work core courses

Admission pathways

UNSW Global has university pathway programs that provide seamless transition to UNSW Sydney so you can achieve your academic and career goals. Learn more.

English language requirements

You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.

If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:

• English language tests and university English courses
• Prior study in the medium of English
• Other qualifications

2022 Indicative First Year Fee
$42,165

You'll graduate with interdisciplinary skills applicable to a diverse range of career opportunities in government agencies, private corporations and the education sector. You'll learn to think expansively about issues and develop skills such as ethical and social responsibility, policy analysis and research methods critical to success across many fields.

UNSW's Bachelor of Social Work is one of the most highly regarded social work programs in Australia. Our graduates receive industry accreditation from the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). Studying Social Work at UNSW opens the door to a range of career options across many sectors, including private and government agencies, social welfare support organisations and community groups. Our strong partnerships and placement opportunities will elevate your industry recognition and employability upon graduation.

The Bachelor of Criminology & Criminal Justice integrates career readiness training through our Criminology Capstone course, Criminology in Practice, alongside mentoring programs, job-seeking modules, and professional career support opportunities. In this course, you'll draw together key concepts, themes and debates in criminology and apply them to current issues. You'll graduate with a portfolio of work that touches on eight contemporary themes within criminology.