Postgraduate pathways
Keen to start your masters or PhD but don't meet the entry requirements? Looking for pathways to social work or psychology? Take the route that suits you.
Take the credit
You know what you want to be. And you know which course will get you there. But if you don’t meet the entry requirements, don’t worry – there might be another way. Consider starting with a pathway course (you might even get credit that you can use to shorten future study time).
Pathway options
If you don't meet the entry requirements for a masters by research or PhD, the Graduate Certificate in Research is a fantastic alternative. This 6-month pathway course focuses on finding and analysing information and developing quantitative and qualitative methodologies appropriate to your research project and discipline area. When you graduate, you'll be ready to dive into further study.
To get into the Master of Social Work (Qualifying), you’ll need to complete either a relevant bachelor degree or a related bachelor degree with at least four relevant units and a Graduate Certificate in Social and Community Services.
A relevant degree is one with at least one year of study in any of the following areas:
- human welfare studies and services
- behavioural science
- studies in human society
- political science
- policy studies
- family law
- justice administration
- legal studies
- family and consumer studies
- education with a focus on welfare
- public health
- health promotion
- community health
- public health
- mental health nursing
- community nursing.
Relevant units are typically two units in the study of human behaviour and two units in the study of society.
If your relevant degree is a Bachelor of Community and Human Services, you’ll get credit for one semester of the Master of Social Work (Qualifying). This means you’ll get your qualification in 1.5 years instead of two.
To get into the Master of Psychology (Clinical) or the Master of Professional Psychology, you’ll need to complete either a bachelor degree and subsequent honours degree (first or second class) or honours equivalence (such as a combination of professional, qualification and research experience, including masters by coursework).
