Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) / Criminology & Criminal Justice
- Commencing Terms
- Term 1 & 2
- Duration
- 5 Year(s)
- Delivery Mode
- Face-to-face (includes blended)
- Campus
-
Kensington
- Codes
- UAC code 422403
- Program code 4034
-
2025 Indicative first year full fee
- $17,000*
-
2025 Indicative full fee to complete degree
- $87,000*
-
2025 Indicative first year full fee
- $45,000*
-
2025 Indicative full fee to complete degree
- $250,500*
Fees
Fees
-
Field experience
-
Work Integrated Learning
-
AASW accreditation
- Overview
- Entry requirements
- What will I study?
- Future careers
- How to apply
- Fees & Scholarships
Overview
Do you want to create lasting change in your community and tackle society’s most pressing challenges? The Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)/Criminology & Criminal Justice gives you the skills to support individuals, influence policy and promote justice. This 5-year double degree prepares you to understand both personal and societal factors that affect crime and wellbeing, empowering you to drive positive change in people’s lives.
Explore how complex social issues like poverty, mental health, discrimination and crime intersect. This program combines the expertise of UNSW Law & Justice and UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture, giving you a comprehensive education in both social work and criminology. You’ll learn through real-world experiences, critical analysis and hands-on practice, ensuring you're career-ready from day one.
Through a mix of classroom learning, field placements and internships, you’ll gain a deep understanding of social systems and justice processes. Your social work courses will focus on helping people through challenges like homelessness, addiction and family violence. For your honours component, you'll complete either a piece of independent research as a thesis or an advanced practice portfolio. Your criminology courses will draw on psychology, sociology, law and cultural studies to help you explore the root causes of crime and justice system responses.
Key features
Australia’s only accredited Social Work course with integrated honours
UNSW is the only university in Australia offering an accredited social work program that integrates Honours into your undergraduate degree. You’ll graduate with an advanced qualification, guided by leading academics in a program that’s dynamic, evidence-based and focused on real-world impact. Whether you're interested in counselling, advocacy, research or policy, this degree equips you to make meaningful contributions to individuals and communities.
Gain practical experience while you study
Go beyond theory with immersive learning experiences. You’ll engage with real-world case studies, visit courts and prisons and hear from professionals working in the justice system. In your social work studies, you’ll learn how to support people facing issues like mental illness, ageing and discrimination. In criminology, you’ll examine how social systems respond to crime and explore strategies to prevent it.
Work Integrated Learning (WIL)
Get hands-on experience in both fields through Work Integrated Learning (WIL). In the final two years of your degree, you’ll complete two social work placements of 70 days each in diverse settings across Australia or overseas. You’ll also have the option to undertake criminology internships with criminal justice agencies, not-for-profits and government organisations, gaining practical skills that will set you apart in the job market.
Why study this degree at UNSW?
Study at a top-ranked university
As a global top 20 university (QS World University Rankings, 2025) and member of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8), you’ll benefit from a world-class education that’s recognised globally:
- UNSW is ranked #1 in Australia and =#23 globally for social sciences and management (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025)
- UNSW Law & Justice's criminology program is ranked #1 in New South Wales for criminology (Excellence in Research for Australia Report, 2018)
- We're also ranked #4 in Australia and =#46 globally for arts & humanities (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025)
Double your impact
This criminology double degree allows you to expand your career options and make a broader impact in your community. By combining social work with criminology and criminal justice, you’ll develop a unique skill set that prepares you to address social issues from both individual and systemic perspectives. Whether you’re advocating for vulnerable populations, influencing public policy or working to reform justice systems, you’ll graduate with the tools to drive meaningful change.
Graduate career-ready with industry connections
Our strong industry links, global alumni network and practical learning opportunities ensure you’re ready to hit the ground running. With field placements in social work and criminology internships in justice organisations, you’ll gain real-world experience and build professional connections that open doors to diverse career opportunities.
Want to see more from UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture?
Entry requirements
Adjustment Factors
We offer a range of adjustment factor schemes that reward students for academic performance and extra-curricular achievements. These schemes also take into account a range of personal and educational disadvantages that may have affected your studies.
HSC Plus
This scheme rewards students who perform well in Year 12 subjects that are relevant to their preferred UNSW degree. You may be awarded up to five points.
Elite Athletes, Performers and Leaders (EAPL)
This program recognises achievements in the areas of sport, academia, leadership and music at an elite level. You may be eligible for up to five points.
Educational Access Scheme (EAS), opens in a new window
Factors such as illness, financial hardship, language difficulties or attending a particular school can mean you don't always get the best possible marks in Years 11 and 12. If one of these situations applies to you, submit an application for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) via UAC. Eligible students can receive between 1 and 10 points towards their chosen UNSW degree.
Admission pathways
Your ATAR is not the only measure of your potential to succeed, which is why we offer a range of pathways into university. Explore your options below and get in touch with our Future Student Advisers to discuss your path to UNSW.
Gateway Admission Pathway
This scheme is open to students who attend Gateway schools, live in a low-socioeconomic area based on IRSAD and IEO indexes of SEIFA criteria, or are an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person. It adjusts the ATAR requirements for your preferred UNSW degree and provides early offers and early conditional offers to UNSW.
Entry programs for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
We offer entry programs for Indigenous Australians, including the Indigenous Preparatory Programs and the Indigenous Admission Scheme (IAS). The entry pathway program you apply for will depend on the degree you want to study.
TAFE Pathways Program
This degree is eligible for the TAFE Pathways Program. If you've completed a qualification under a relevant TAFE Training Package, you may be eligible for credit transfer. For more details, including this program's TAFE Pathway study plan, visit UNSW TAFE Pathways Program.
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 you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove 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
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College’s Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
For more details, visit the English Language Requirements page.
International direct entry
| Qualifications | Direct entry requirement |
|---|---|
|
International ATAR
|
75.0
|
| UNSW Foundation Studies GPA |
6.9
|
|
Great Britain General Certificate of Education (GCE A levels)
|
10.0
|
|
International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)
|
27.0
|
|
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) (after 2016)
|
1130.0
|
We do not accept secondary qualifications from this country. We may accept tertiary study results, please contact us for more information.
Please contact us for direct entry requirements.
Admission pathways
If you do not meet the requirements for direct entry into your chosen degree, you may be eligible for a pathway program with UNSW College. UNSW College provides alternative entry options using university-approved content so that you can start your UNSW journey with confidence.
English language requirements
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. 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
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College’s Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
For more details, visit the English Language Requirements page.
Check the specific English language requirements for this program
Program structure
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
Future careers
The Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) / Bachelor of Criminology & Criminal Justice prepares you for diverse and rewarding careers across the social work and criminal justice sectors. You’ll gain critical skills in ethical decision-making, policy analysis, research and advocacy – making you highly employable in government agencies, non-profits, private organisations and community groups.
UNSW’s Bachelor of Social Work is professionally accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), ensuring you’re recognised for roles in social welfare, mental health and community development. The Criminology & Criminal Justice component integrates practical learning and industry placements, helping you build a professional network and graduate career-ready.
Potential careers
- Community Development Officer
- Correctional Services Officer
- Crime Prevention Specialist
- Criminal Justice Researcher
- Mental Health Professional
- Policy Analyst or Adviser
- Project Manager or Research Designer
- Social Policy Advocate
- Social Worker (AASW accredited)
- Youth or Family Support Worker
Accreditation & Professional Recognition
Graduates of the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) qualify for membership in the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
Our reputation can open doors
At UNSW, we believe that university is about more than what you learn in the classroom. Through immersive learning, you’ll become equipped to debate tomorrow’s problems and become a beacon of support in the communities you feel drawn to work with.
The Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)/Criminology and Criminal Justice degree focuses on balancing theoretical studies and hands-on learning in the criminal justice system to ultimately prepare you for the workforce.
When you enrol in this course you’ll be joining UNSW Law & Justice, ranked #1 in Australia for law (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025), where you’ll gain first-hand experience being led by academics who teach industry-aligned coursework designed to cultivate future leaders in the sector.
UNSW has been awarded Most Employable students for six years in a row (Australian Financial Review (AFR) Top100 Future Leaders Awards, 2020-2025). Our students build professional portfolios through proximity and partnerships with some of Australia's most influential figures in crime and justice.
Graduating from the widely respected Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)/Criminology and Criminal Justice at a prestigious Go8 university like UNSW will open up a world of opportunity that could take you anywhere — Australia and beyond.
How to apply
Applications for undergraduate study from domestic students (Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders and New Zealand citizens) are processed by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
Visit the Apply section of the UAC website, opens in a new window and you can nominate up to five degrees in order of preference, with the first being your most desired degree and university.
On-time applications for admission usually close at the end of September each year for Term 1 admission. Late applications can be submitted, but a late fee will apply. For study starting in Term 1, the majority of offers are made in December and January. Visit the UAC website, opens in a new window for key dates for admission outside of Term 1.
Ready to apply?
For most international students, applications are submitted via our Apply Online service. We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term.
Some high-demand programs with limited places, may have an earlier application deadline or may have an earlier commencement date. For more information visit our international applicant information page.
*If you are an international student studying an Australian qualification, go to the Universities Admission Centre (UAC), opens in a new window for application and UAC key dates. Note: If you are under 18 years of age, you need to make special arrangements. Read more.
Ready to apply?
Fees & Scholarships
Commonwealth Supported Place: Student Contribution Band 4
*The student contribution for a Commonwealth Supported Place is an indication only of the amount payable in Year 1 based on a standard full-time load of 48 credit points (1.0 EFTSL). The actual student contribution you will be liable for depends on your individual program of study and the calendar year in which you enrol. Actual fees are calculated upon enrolment. Student contribution amounts are subject to annual review by the university and may increase each year during your studies (subject to caps determined by the Australian Government), effective at the start of each calendar year.
The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only - other fees and charges are not included.
*Fees are subject to annual review by the University and may increase annually, with the new fees effective from the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only, other fees and charges are not included. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year to enrol, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (8 courses per year).
Indicative fees are a guide for comparison only based on current conditions and available data. You should not rely on indicative fees. More information on fees can be found at the UNSW fees website.
Indicative fees to complete the program have been calculated based on a percentage increase for every year of the program. Fee increases are assessed annually and may exceed the indicative figures listed here.
Indicative fees to complete the program include tuition plus an estimate of study-related costs of approximately $1,000 per year. To find out more about other costs, visit UNSW International.
Scholarships
At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether you’re a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes and awards can support your journey.
QS World University Rankings, 2025
AFR Top100 Future Leaders Awards, 2020-2025
#1 Australian uni attended by start-up founders
"I chose social work, despite having the marks to get into Psychology, or Medicine, or Law, because it was something I really cared about. I really liked that the UNSW degree was so practical and skills based."
