Bachelor of Criminal and Community Justice/Bachelor of Social Work

This is a five-year double degree at Western Sydney University that pairs criminology and community justice with social work. You graduate with two qualifications and, importantly, eligibility to apply for registration as a social worker in Australia through the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). That registration matters, it's what lets you work as a social worker in hospitals, child protection, mental health and community organisations.

What you actually study

The criminal and community justice side covers criminology theory, the Australian criminal justice system, policing, courts, corrections, youth justice and community-based responses to offending. You look at why people offend, how the system responds, and what works to reduce reoffending. The social work side is a professional qualification: human development, social policy, counselling skills, ethics, working with families and communities, mental health practice, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges and practice. Social work units include supervised field education placements, which are a requirement for AASW accreditation, you spend time in an agency under supervision, putting what you've learned into practice.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees are built on units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You typically enrol in four units per semester, with two main semesters a year. A double degree like this spreads the combined requirements across five years rather than the three years a single bachelor degree takes. The social work component includes field education placements, and the criminology component may include a research project or capstone unit in your final year. Credit points, unit lists and placement requirements are set out in the official course structure, check the current handbook before you plan your enrolment.

Who it suits

This degree suits people who want to work with people in contact with the justice system, young people, families, people leaving prison, victims of crime, communities dealing with disadvantage. If you want to be a social worker but also want a strong grounding in criminology and justice, this gives you both. It's also a good fit if you're interested in policy, advocacy or community programs rather than frontline clinical work alone.

Practical things to know

English requirements are higher for social work than for many other courses. International applicants generally need IELTS Academic 7.0–7.5 overall for social work, because registration and placement settings require a high level of communication. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and Cambridge C1 Advanced are accepted as equivalents, and the university also offers its own English programmes. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. International students on a Student visa can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while studying, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, check current conditions on the Department of Home Affairs website. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 088186B. Confirm all details, including placement requirements and registration pathways, on the official Western Sydney University page.

• Social worker in hospitals, community health, mental health services and aged care
• Child protection and family support worker in state departments and NGOs
• Youth justice caseworker or youth worker
• Corrective services officer or case manager in prisons and community corrections
• Community justice worker in diversion programmes, courts and legal services
• Policy officer in justice, social services or Aboriginal community-controlled organisations
• Family violence practitioner and refuge support worker
• Homelessness and housing support worker
• Drug and alcohol counsellor
• Research or programme evaluation officer in justice and social policy

Graduates work across Australian state and territory government departments, not-for-profits, community legal centres, hospitals and health networks, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations. Social work registration with the AASW opens professional roles that require it.