Federation University launches Bachelor of Social Work at Mt Helen and Berwick campuses

Federation University Australia will launch the Bachelor of Social Work degree at its Mt Helen and Berwick campuses to help address skills shortages in the social and community services sector.

The Bachelor of Social Work has been co-designed with industry partners to meet workforce needs and will give students in the Ballarat and Berwick areas the opportunity to study closer to home, where they can maintain ties to their community and families. The degree will be offered at Federation’s Mt Helen and Berwick campuses from Semester 1 2026.

It comes after Federation successfully launched the degree at its Gippsland campus in 2024.

Social workers are employed in a variety of government, non-government, and community organisations that provide counselling, advocacy, community development, policy development, and research in areas like child protection and family violence, family support, community health, housing, disability, justice, and aged care.

The course expansion across Federation’s campuses follows close work with local stakeholders and industry partners to develop a program that reflects the unique needs and challenges of these communities.

The degree includes 140 days of placement, where students will be exposed to challenging real-life situations in social work settings. Experienced professionals in the field will support students who will experience working with children and families, people of diverse cultural backgrounds and gender diversity.

Students will also learn to work effectively with people with substance use issues and mental health problems, and in palliative care, child protection, youth services and much more.

For more information on the new social work programs, visit https://study.federation.edu.au.

Quotes attributable to Federation University Professor of Social Work and Human Services Jennifer Martin

“The success we experienced at our Gippsland campus demonstrated a strong demand for social work education, and we are committed to providing this opportunity to even more students across our campuses."

“These courses have been co-designed in association with our industry partners and will equip students with the skills, knowledge and real-world experience they need to meet the high demand for social work graduates.”

Quotes attributable to Senior Manager Education Early Intervention Services Berry Street Western Region Andrew McCausland

“Berry Street is proud to work with Federation University, collaborating on research projects and supporting local students to develop regionally aware perspectives about the service system.”

“Local graduates are vital, and this course will help us to ensure practical delivery reflects the regional environment, which includes high rates of family violence and specific homelessness cohorts.”

“Through this partnership, we meet with Federation students at the point of intake to prepare them for the social work challenges facing their local communities.”