BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK
A practice-led, values-driven degree at IHM’s Lonsdale Melbourne campus.
THE DEGREE AT A GLANCE
Delivered by the Institute of Health & Management, a TEQSA-registered Institute of Higher Education. The course holds provisional accreditation with the Australian Association of Social Workers (2022 – December 2026).
Graduates of provisionally accredited programs are not disadvantaged. On completion you are eligible to apply for AASW membership on the same basis as graduates of fully accredited programs.
See placement partnersLEARNING & TEACHING
We offer a nurturing, inclusive and supportive educational atmosphere that fosters confidence, skills and the professional ethics essential for a prosperous career in social work.
Our practitioner-scholars bring academic expertise and practical knowledge. A social work simulation lab will let students practise assessment, communication and intervention skills in realistic scenarios.
FIELD EDUCATION
The course includes 1,000 hours of supervised field education across at least two distinctly different practice settings, in line with AASW Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS 2024).
Placements involve a lot of paperwork and coordination between three groups: you, IHM and the organisation hosting you. Fielda, developed internally by IHM specifically for IHM, replaces that paper trail of forms, documents and emails with one connected system where everyone sees what they need and signs off where they're required.
One place to log placement hours, record supervision sessions, track learning goals, build a portfolio, complete learning modules and get help from a built-in assistant that knows the placement manuals and policies, plus a community space and a mobile app for placements on the go.
A dashboard overseeing every student's placement, including who's placed where, how hours are tracking, meeting and progress reports, with tools to publish learning content and communicate with students and partner organisations.
Supervisors at your host organisation get simple access to see your records, sign off on hours and respond to meeting invitations, without needing accounts or training.
Placement information and student placement photos · coming soon
INNOVATION AT IHM
The IHM AI Study Companion is an interactive learning tool built into our Learning Management System. It helps clarify difficult concepts, engage more deeply with unit content and build confidence applying professional frameworks.
It supports learning; it does not complete assessments, write submissions or replace supervised placement experience. Your lecturers, tutors and professional supervisors remain central.
Available 24/7
Study on your schedule, while keeping academic integrity and your own original thinking at the centre.
ACE LMS is IHM's Canvas-based Learning Management System, the digital home of your Bachelor of Social Work. Every unit has its own course site with learning materials, recorded lectures, readings, discussion boards and assessment submission in one place.
ACE LMS also hosts the IHM AI Study Companion, connects you to the virtual classroom and keeps announcements, grades and feedback at your fingertips, on campus, at home or on placement.
STUDENT SUPPORT
IHM offers a wide range of student support services - from online resources and peer forums to personalised counselling - all designed to help you make the most of your study experience.
Dedicated advice is available for international students, alongside credit and recognition of prior learning, fees and payment guidance, and the Student Success (GCAN) program.
Student support & services at IHMVishwa is an ACA Registered Counsellor with over 15 years' experience supporting diverse student populations. She provides client-centred counselling for anxiety, stress, emotional distress, relationship challenges and life transitions - practising from a trauma-informed, strengths-based and person-centred framework, with particular experience supporting domestic and international students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
