Graduate Certificate in Social and Community Services
Become a critically reflective and ethical practitioner that can make lasting change to the lives of people in need.
Course essentials
Entry requirements
Credit
Study mode
Online
Duration
Start dates
01 March 2027
19 July 2027
Locations
Mt Helen (on campus)
Online
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Social and Community Services is designed for community and human services professionals looking to advance their careers or those seeking a new career in this growing sector. Many social problems, including poverty, conflict, family violence, growing social and economic disparities in health, education and mental health, are challenges confronting the welfare sector in Australia and around the globe. You will learn theories and practice frameworks that underpin community service work and develop skills to undertake complex case work, group work and social advocacy.
This course provides you with the skills to work in a broad range of human services settings including government, non-government welfare organisation and community groups.
IT requirements
To do this course you’ll need a fast and reliable computer and access to high-speed internet. Expect to use about 5GB of data per month for every unit you’re doing. Find out more about the minimum IT requirements for studying with us.
Got questions?
Call us on 1800 333 864, start a live chat or submit an enquiry.
Student support
The support we offer is second to none. Need academic help? No problem. Extra access or financial assistance? Let’s see what we can do. View our student services.
The fine print
The commencement of all courses is subject to available funding and enrolment quotas.
Everything in this course overview is correct at the time of being published. However, the University reserves the right to alter any course, procedure or fee. Please check for changes before you apply or enrol.
Federation University uses Victorian and Commonwealth Government funding (for eligible students) to deliver training.
School department
Social Work, Community & Human Services
Course co-ordinator
Lauren Zeuschner
Career paths
Work in a broad range of human service settings, including government, non-government welfare organizations and community groups.
Fees and scholarships
Tuition fee information
Commonwealth Supported Places are subsidised by the Australian Government. The tuition fee is called the student contribution amount. The indicative fee above is based on a typical first-year enrolment for this course and should be used as a guide only. For 0.5 EFTSL (60 credit point) courses the certificate fee is displayed. Your fee will depend on the units you chose, your study load, the time it takes to complete your course and any approved credit you receive.
How it's calculated
The government sets the fee each year. The amount depends on the discipline area and band of each unit. 2026 annual student contribution amounts for 1 EFTSL (equivalent full-time student load) range from $4,738 (Band 1) to $17,399 (Band 4). The sample course structure below link to the EFTSL, Band and fee for each unit or you can use our unit search to find these details.
Other fees
You will also need to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
Fee assistance
If you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan, you can defer the payment of all or part of your student contribution fee. If you’re also eligible for a SA-HELP loan, you can defer your SSAF payment too. You won’t have to start paying either loan back until your income reaches the compulsory repayment threshold.
Scholarships
There’s a range of scholarships and grants available. Find out what you can apply for.
Course details
Start dates
Semester 2, 2026
20 July 2026
Locations
Berwick (on campus)
Online
Semester 1, 2027
1 March 2027
Locations
Berwick (on campus)
Mt Helen (on campus)
Online
Semester 2, 2027
19 July 2027
Locations
Berwick (on campus)
Online
Information
- Our Mt Helen, SMB, Camp St and Gillies St campuses are located in Ballarat. Testing.
- Online learning is only an option if you’re not studying on an international student visa. Testing
Contact hours
Students attend 3 fortnightly seminars of 3 hours each per subject (36 hours in total).
Sample course structure
Here’s what the course structure could look like. It’s just an example (so don’t use it for enrolment). Interested in the details? You can find current course structure or select a single unit name below to find out what it’s about and how much it costs.
- Theoretical Models for Practice: Assessment and Intervention15 credit pointsGCSCS6001
- Historical and Contemporary Themes in Social and Community Services15 credit pointsGCSCS6006
- Ethics for Professional Practice15 credit pointsGCSCS6003
- Family Violence Risk Assessment and Management15 credit pointsGCSCS6005
Meet us at Open Day
Open Day is your chance to explore all that Federation has to offer. Meet current lecturers and students, ask course questions, learn about our support services and explore campus spaces.
We’ve got heaps of activities, tours and presentations planned. Basically, we want you to get a real feel for Federation. The atmosphere. The opportunities. The community.
Oh – and there’s no need to pack a sandwich. Lunch is on us.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements (non year 12)
Completed a Bachelor’s Degree AQF Level 7 in any discipline. OR Completed a Diploma VET/TAFE or Associate Degree qualification in a related discipline AND a minimum of three years full-time professional experience in the related community and human service fields, such as disability studies, community development, youth work, child protection, family violence, homelessness, housing, humanitarian organisations.
English language requirements
Academic IELTS of 6.5 overall with no band less than 6.5, or equivalent
If you’re only applying for this course, do it via direct application.
Ready to fill out your application?
You'll need this code:
Direct application
Federation University code
- Direct application
- Yes
- Federation University code
- GC4
To this course: Pathways into this course may include a Bachelor Degree or a combination of study and work experience.
Please contact the university for further details and to discuss your current academic qualifications.
From this Course:
Successful completion of a related Bachelor degree with four relevant* courses (equal to 0.5 EFTSL) AND successful completion of Graduate Certificate in Social and Community Services are eligible for direct entry to the Master of Social Work (Qualifying).
*Relevant courses are typically two units in the study of human behaviour and two units in the study of society