PhDPsychology

Doctor of Social Work (Professional Doctorate)

La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

About this program

La Trobe's Doctor of Social Work is a professional doctorate for experienced social work and human services practitioners, covering areas such as social policy, program evaluation, disability, ageing, youth and family welfare, and mental health. The first year combines core and elective coursework in research design, literature review, critical analysis and academic writing.

Candidates then carry out an independent, sustained investigation into a research problem, applying these skills to clinically based professional projects and culminating in a thesis of around 60,000 words. Applicants need a social work qualification accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Fees & duration

Duration4 yr
Tuition (international)A$42,600
Application feeA$0

English test scores

IELTS6 overall
PTE50 overall

Verified latrobe.edu.au ↗

Course structure

Study plan in 3 parts

  • Core research training and elective subjects (Year 1, up to 45 core plus 15 elective credit points)
  • Independent research project and thesis of approximately 60
  • 000 words
  • Examined by external examiners

Career & PR pathway

Which careers in Psychology lead to skilled migration depends on the occupation, not the degree title. See the skilled occupation lists guide for which occupations are on each list, and the points calculator to check where you stand.

Admissions

A four-year Bachelor's degree, or a Master's degree, in social work with a weighted average mark of 70 or above from the last ten years, plus at least two years of professional practice as a qualified social worker. A degree accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) is required; international applicants must meet Australian professional practice registration criteria.

More Psychology programs

All Psychology programs in Australia →

Why trust Where To Apply

  • Official sources onlyEvery deadline, fee, and requirement traces to a university, government, or admissions-body page.
  • Dated and re-checkedEach fact carries the date it was last verified, on a quarterly re-verification cadence.
  • IndependentNo university pays for inclusion, a better write-up, or a higher rank. We are not an education agent.
  • Named editor, public methodWritten and maintained by a named operator against a published methodology.
← Back to La Trobe University

We use essential cookies to run this site, and analytics cookies only if you accept them. Privacy policy