The Bachelor of Community Services is a fully accredited Australian higher education program that aims to provide you with the necessary skills for ethical and culturally sensitive community service practice, focusing on individuals, families, groups, and communities. The course covers areas such as child welfare, hospice care, juvenile justice, and advocacy. You will gain knowledge of human services theory and values while developing the managerial skills required for professional practice in the community services sector. This foundational knowledge also prepares you for post-graduate programs at universities or private education providers.
Course Description
The Bachelor of Community Services includes teacher-led classroom instruction in the form of lectures and tutorials. Most modules entail a two-hour lecture and a one-hour tutorial. The program is structured into trimesters, with three trimesters each academic year.
Modules are taught simultaneously within the trimester, allowing for completion of the course within three years. It consists of 24 units spread over eight trimesters covering community services, counselling, systems and policy, coordination and support, specialist skills, and fieldwork.
Additionally, students are required to complete two separate work placements in a community welfare agency amounting to 400 hours combined which aligns with the standards of the Australian Community Workers Association.
Course Structure
To qualify for the Bachelor of Community Services, you must complete 24 units (360 credit points) from the options provided. Each trimester, you will take three units, which usually consist of a two-hour lecture and a one-hour tutorial each week.
In addition to these classes, each unit requires seven hours of personal study per week. The number of days needed for attendance varies based on your timetable but is typically two to three days per week with potential evening classes offered at some campuses.
For placement units (FLD202 and FLD304), you will coordinate your work schedule with both the placement agency and the AE placement team in accordance with ACWA requirements.
Course Outcome
Upon finishing the course, graduates can qualify for full membership of the Australian Community Workers’ Association.
Possible job titles for those with this qualification include:
- Manager of Welfare Centers
- Coordinator of Programs
- Worker in Communities
- Counsellor
- Manager of Cases
- Youth Worker
- Officer in Juvenile Justice
- Practitioner working with Children and Families
- Developer of Communities
- Health Workers in Communities
