BA and Bachelor of Social Work - Socio Legal Studies in Darlington Australia | The University of Sydney

This five-year program provides an extensive and adaptable combined degree that certifies you as an accredited social worker while enabling you to broaden your expertise with complementary majors and minors alongside the Bachelor of Social Work. Although the program mandates a major or minor in Sociology, or a minor in Social Policy, you can select additional majors or minors in diverse fields like diversity studies, gender studies, Indigenous studies, or philosophy. The curriculum integrates social sciences, social policy, and social work theory and practice, with a strong focus on Australian and comparative social welfare studies. During the final two years, all students complete the professional social work program, which includes two supervised fieldwork placements in various settings under the guidance of seasoned practitioners. The program establishes field education learning goals and cultivates values, skills, and knowledge, progressing students from beginners to practitioners who meet the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Practice Standards.

Socio-Legal Studies explores legal concepts, practices, and institutions within their social, cultural, and historical frameworks. Investigate law-making and enforcement bodies—such as parliament, courts, and police—and analyze legal practices and their societal effects, including arrest and imprisonment, CCTV surveillance, legal influences on the LGBTIQA+ community, Indigenous interactions with law enforcement, human rights advocacy, and international war crime prosecutions. Reflect on broader questions of justice. First-year units introduce foundational socio-legal theories and concepts, providing insight into the Australian legal system and contemporary socio-legal issues. You'll also learn research methodologies to conduct independent studies. Advanced units strengthen theoretical and methodological understanding while allowing specialization in areas like legal philosophy, evolving human rights frameworks, criminology, and forensic practices. Learning occurs through lectures, tutorials, and real-world applications, with assessments including essays, reports, group presentations, posters, debates, and digital media projects.