PATHWAYS WITH PURPOSE
A social work degree for people who want to meet the world with skill, courage and care.
OUR PURPOSE
The IHM BSW program focuses on transforming individuals by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, values and confidence to practice and advocate meaningfully for human dignity, human rights and social justice for all - while emphasising the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and diverse communities in Australia and beyond.
VISION STATEMENT
IHM offers a distinctive social work program. It is shaped by the remarkable diversity of dedicated social work academics and a cross-disciplinary team, with an unwavering commitment to practice-led, values-driven education. We are led by practitioners who have come to academia from industry in Australia and beyond, bringing practical insights into our program. Our academic team enhances our practice-teaching ethos through scholarly teaching grounded in professional experience, and we build on this real-world practice experience to develop practice-based research projects that build social work knowledge for practice. This ethos is central to what makes IHM's program different.
We are equally shaped by our students. The vast majority come from international backgrounds, bringing diverse cultural knowledge, lived experience of inequality and a profound personal motivation to contribute. IHM's mission is to transform them into local and global change-makers by equipping them with knowledge and understanding of Australian social systems, legislation and global systems - enabling them to support the people they serve and advocate for social change that benefits the most disadvantaged communities.
Our social work education is not a transaction. It is a self-transformational journey - one that calls students to discover who they are, what they believe, and how they can contribute. We walk that journey with them, with passion and purpose, every step of the way.
+Maintaining a dual focus of individual needs and structural critique.
+Nurturing a student-centred environment where every person is genuinely understood and supported.
+Cultivating culturally sensitive and globally aware practice.
+Developing the whole person through wellness, reflection and ethical formation.
+Producing graduates who enter the profession as lifelong learners committed to ongoing growth, professional supervision and ethical accountability.
PATHWAYS WITH PURPOSE
Social work is one of Australia's fastest growing and most rewarding professions. Built on the principles of human rights, social justice, ethical practice, integrity and accountability, social workers empower individuals, families and communities to overcome challenges, improve wellbeing and create positive social change.
Social work is founded on the understanding that every person's wellbeing is influenced by a combination of biological, psychological, social, cultural and environmental factors. Social workers collaborate with individuals, families, communities and other professionals to build on strengths, navigate challenges and achieve meaningful, sustainable outcomes.
THE PROFESSION
Social work combines psychology, sociology, health, law, policy and community practice. It supports people through life’s challenges while promoting inclusion, equity and social justice.
Social workers collaborate with individuals, families, communities and other professionals to build on strengths, navigate challenges and achieve meaningful, sustainable outcomes.
Understand the professionTHE IHM DIFFERENCE
Critical understanding of contemporary social work theory, research and practical skills.
The ability to assert your social worker identity and stand your ground in challenging environments.
A genuine, human-centred understanding of people as persons of inherent worth and dignity.
A DEGREE THAT OPENS DOORS
LEARN ALONGSIDE OTHERS
Our program keeps the human relationship at the heart of practice - even as systems, technology and communities change.
WHAT IS THE AASW?
The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) is the professional representative body for social workers in Australia. Established in 1946, the AASW promotes excellence in social work education, practice, research and professional development while advocating for social justice and human rights.
Australian Association of Social Workers
Graduates from AASW-accredited programs are eligible for AASW membership, subject to meeting the Association's membership requirements.
+Accrediting Australian social work programs.
+Setting professional practice standards.
+Developing and maintaining the AASW Code of Ethics.
+Supporting continuing professional development (CPD).
+Advocating for the profession and the communities that social workers serve.
+Providing resources, networking and career support for members.
ARE YOU REGISTERED?
Unlike other professions like medicine, nursing and mental health, social work in Australia is governed by a framework of professional self-regulation instead of governmental registration. The AASW establishes national education, ethics and professional practice standards. This means social workers are legally not required to carry government registration for practice in Australia. Most employers in Australia acknowledge AASW membership or membership eligibility as credentials for completing an accredited social work course and meeting the professional standards. This membership demonstrates commitment to professional ethics, continuing professional development and high-quality practice.
The IHM BSW is provisionally accredited by the AASW. This means the program has been assessed against the ASWEAS and is recognised as an entry-level qualification into the social work profession while the first cohort progresses through the program. Students enrolled at IHM have the same eligibility and standing as students enrolled in fully accredited programs, and our graduates are eligible to apply for AASW membership upon completion of the degree.
To become eligible for AASW membership, IHM graduates must successfully complete the BSW program, meet the educational requirements specified in the ASWEAS and provide evidence of graduation. New graduates must apply for Graduate Membership within two years of BSW completion. Upon gaining professional experience, they may apply for additional AASW credentials that recognise advanced areas of practice.
BENEFITS OF AASW MEMBERSHIP
As the peak professional body for social work in Australia, the AASW's role in guiding accreditation requirements makes this one of IHM's most significant relationships. Alignment with the AASW's expectations gives IHM's Social Work program the professional legitimacy needed for graduates to be recognised as eligible for AASW membership - a marker that carries real weight with employers across the health, welfare and community sectors.
This relationship keeps IHM directly connected to the professional body shaping ethical standards, practice frameworks and workforce expectations nationally, ensuring the program design stays current with the profession's evolving direction. It also reinforces IHM's credibility and trustworthiness as a provider genuinely embedded within the professional social work community, rather than operating at arm's length from the body that ultimately defines professional identity in this field.
Apply for AASW membershipYOUR NEXT STEP
Explore a four-year Bachelor of Social Work at IHM Melbourne.
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