Social Work
At the University of Newcastle, career-ready placements enable you to work directly with industry and community partners by undertaking a placement relevant to your area of study through your degree.
Placements, sometimes referred to as practicums, are a compulsory requirement for graduation for the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours), which is accredited by the Australia Association of Social Workers (AASW).
Placements provide an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on training and experience in real world situations. Additionally, through exposure to current practice, you can reflect on and appreciate the link between curriculum and practice. Placement is a compulsory requirement for graduation.
For further details, please refer to the Student Professional Experience Policy and the compulsory program requirements as outlined in your program handbook.
What you need to do
You will undertake a 500 hour field placement during the third and fourth year of your degree, totalling 1,000 hours of supervised experience.
The Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) requires you to participate in placements located in NSW services or facilities (including NSW Health facilities). There are also opportunities to complete placements in interstate and international locations.
As a Social Work student, you will benefit from:
- Practical experience that meet eligibility requirements laid down by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). Membership is often a requirement for many jobs in the field.
- Rewarding fieldwork opportunities such as the annual Law on the Beach series – a student-run program providing free legal advice to hundreds of clients. University of Newcastle Social Work students have joined to provide a richer service, helping members of the community while also gaining real-world experience.
- Diverse work placements through which you may undertake practical experience locally within NSW, interstate or internationally.
- Strong practical experience support system with our dedicated Professional Experience Unit managing your work placements and finding great opportunities for you.
Application and Approval
Having a successful placement is an important step in completing your degree. During placement, you will be subject to the policies and procedures of the placement facility.
The Clinical Placement page has everything you need to know about applying and going on placement.
SONIA
SONIA is The University of Newcastle’s placement management system. The software supports you in managing your placement quickly and easily.
Log into SONIA using your student login details and select ‘Social Work and Speech Pathology’ to find relevant information to your Social Work placement. For any enquiries related to SONIA, contact the Professional Experience Unit for the College of Human and Social Futures (peu@newcastle.edu.au).
Insurance
If you are undertaking approved, unpaid workplace experience, you are covered personal accident and public liability insurance under university insurance. For further clarification, please contact the University’s Insurance Team (insurance@newcastle.edu.au).
Support and resources
While the Professional Experience Unit (PEU) will ultimately assist with sourcing your placement, the Careers Service is also available to provide support during or after your placement, if required. Make the most of the services they provide which include:
- Access to CareerHub, an online portal with discipline-related work and work experience opportunities
- Information about job and placement searching strategies
- Assistance aligning your studies and interests with industry opportunities
- Drop-in and appointment-based resume and application checking, plus an interview preparation service
Explore job vacancies in CareerHub
Learn more
Access job application and interview resources
Learn more
Professional Bodies
Professional Associations are a great way to stay connected with industry. Below is a lit of most major social work associations available in Australia:
Contact us
If you have any questions regarding your placement, please contact:
Field Education Coordinator (Social Work) – School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences
Email: SW.FieldEC@newcastle.edu.au
For all other enquiries, including SONIA enquiries, please contact:
Professional Experience Unit - College of Human and Social Futures
Email: peu@newcastle.edu.au
Need extra help?
The Careers Service offers free support to all current and past students of the University of Newcastle. Visit Careers to learn more and to get in touch.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.