Bachelor of Human Services

The Bachelor of Human Services at EQUALS International is a three-year Australian bachelor degree for people who want to work with individuals, families and communities. It sits in the social work and human services field, so much of what you study is about how people move through hard times and what actually helps. You will look at case management, counselling skills, community development, social policy, ethics and the law as it applies to practice, and working with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees are made up of units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You usually enrol full time across two semesters a year, sometimes three trimesters, and build up enough credit points to graduate. First year tends to cover the foundations: human development, sociology, welfare systems and communication. Later years move into specialist practice units and supervised field education, which is the placement component. Human services is a field where placement is standard, so expect to spend time in a community organisation, a government service or an agency working alongside experienced staff. Many degrees finish with a capstone unit that pulls your learning together, often a practice-based project or a substantial piece of written work.

Skills you build

You learn how to interview and assess a person's situation, write case notes and reports that stand up to scrutiny, refer people to the right services, and work within professional boundaries. Group work, advocacy and community consultation come into it too. By the end you should be able to plan a service response, explain your reasoning, and work with people who may not trust institutions easily.

Who it suits

This degree suits school leavers and mature-age students alike, including people already working in community services, aged care, disability support or youth work who want a qualification behind them. It also suits career changers who want a role with meaning and steady demand. International students should note the English requirement: IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common undergraduate standard, but social work sits with teaching, nursing, medicine and law at 7.0–7.5. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents, and the Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. While studying, a Student visa allows 48 hours of work per fortnight. After graduating, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Check the official CRICOS listing and the university's page for current structure, fees and intake details.

• Case worker or case manager, government and non-government services supporting people with housing, income, family or health issues.
• Community services officer, local councils and community organisations running programmes and connecting residents to support.
• Youth worker, youth services, schools and outreach programmes.
• Family support worker, family services, child protection and early intervention teams.
• Disability support coordinator, NDIS providers and disability services.
• Aged care coordinator, aged care providers and community aged care organisations.
• Tenancy or housing support worker, social housing providers and homelessness services.
• Programme officer, charities, not-for-profits and government departments delivering social programmes.

Graduates work across the Australian community services sector, which includes government departments, local councils, not-for-profits, NDIS providers, aged care and disability organisations, and family and youth services. Some roles require further study or registration, so check the requirements of the specific job you are aiming for.