Post-Graduate Qualifying Program - Social Work (PQPSW) (117643D) + Master of Social Work (Qualifying) (S10) (116686A)

The Post-Graduate Qualifying Program (PQP) at Edith Cowan College (ECC) provides a pathway into the Master of Social Work (Qualifying) degree at Edith Cowan University (ECU). In this degree, students develop the knowledge and skills required to pursue a career as professional social work practitioners, with the ability to work both in Australia and internationally.

This tailored course integrates components from the existing PQP (Stage 2) and the Diploma of Health Science (Psychology), offering relevant discipline-specific knowledge and academic preparation for master’s-level studies. Two units from PQP (Stage 2) focus on enhancing communication and critical thinking skills, while six units from the Diploma of Health Science (Psychology) provide a deeper understanding of discipline-specific content.

Social workers are advocates for social justice, equality, and human rights. They work alongside individuals and communities to enhance overall societal well-being, with particular focus on supporting vulnerable populations.

This course, delivered by highly qualified staff with practical experience, enables students to develop the knowledge and skills required for a career as a professional social work practitioner, both in Australia and internationally. It includes 1,000 hours of supervised fieldwork placements to support the development of practical skills.

Course Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate critical systemic reflection on a complex body of social work discourse, knowledge, theory, and values, including research methods and Aboriginal cultural context, to exhibit competency in social work practice knowledge. • Apply cognitive, practical, reflective, and creative skills to investigate, evaluate, and synthesise complex ideas, concepts, and theories relevant to social work practice. • Utilise communication and collaboration skills to effect meaningful change within social work domains of practice and contribute to professional practice, scholarship, and society. • Critically reflect on and understand the use of self in social work practice, incorporating high-level self-management skills to initiate, plan, and implement significant aspects of social work practice in workplace contexts.