Overview 2022
This course may not be available to international students. Please see the list of distance courses (i.e. online and taken outside Australia) that are offered to international students
View archived years for this course
For years prior to 2015, please view the Course and Unit Handbook Archive
View the current year's course page
Recent systemic failures of care, particularly in aged care and disability support, have come to the forefront in Australia. The Undergraduate Certificate in Social Care will provide you with a critical perspective of responsible care: you’ll develop a greater understanding of the vulnerability of people who access support services and how you can help them to overcome social and personal issues.
Your studies will focus on practical skills that can improve the quality of care provided to people by emphasising their strengths, promoting their sense of dignity and self-worth, and enabling their autonomy. This course is relevant for anyone working with people in sensitive situations as well as those wanting to progress their studies to obtain a professional qualification in Social Work.
Please visit our Certificates page for answers to frequently asked questions about the Job Ready Certificates.
Tuition Fee Discount Semester 2 2022
This semester we are offering new students a 50% discount on tuition fees. Apply for the Undergraduate Certificate in Social Care before 8 July 2022 and receive a tuition fee discount on all four units in this course. You will be eligible to receive this offer if you qualify for a Commonwealth Supported Place under the HECS-HELP system (this applies to most people - visit Study Assist for eligibility guidelines).
This discount is automatically applied to the student contribution amount (HECS Fee) during your admission process.
For more information please contact our friendly team on 1300 363 864.
Learning Outcomes
Career outcomes
A career in the social care sector is rewarding and challenging. Your job opportunities range from aged care and disability support to education and community development. Our graduates are equipped to shape and respond to social care opportunities and challenges through their understanding of professional practice in the community care sector, and by being culturally competent citizens in a local, national, and global society.
This is an excellent opportunity to further your career in aged care and disability support roles. You could be the support someone needs to change their path and give them the strength to address life-changing concerns.
In addition to developing job-ready skills, you'll also have the option to pursue further study in the Bachelor of Social Work with Honours, receiving full credit towards Year 1 of the bachelors course for the four units of study completed towards the certificate.
Course structure
The Undergraduate Certificate in Social Care requires the completion of 50 credit points comprising:
- 25 credit points of Core units;
- 12.5 credit points from Core Option Pair A and;
- 12.5 credit points from Core Option Pair B
Undergraduate Certificate in Social Care
Core
HGA138: Society Culture and Health explores the ways in which social and cultural factors and power relations shape the distribution of health and illness and experiences of health and illness in contemporary Australia. The unit will help you to develop…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | 11 Week Session Oct | ||||
This unit introduces you to the foundations of social work practice in human service organisations. You will develop critical analytical skills to explore historical and contemporary inequalities of power and privilege based on, for example, race, gender, sexuality, geographic location…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
| Cradle Coast | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for HGW101 Introduction to Social Work and Human Service Practice
Core Option Units
Core Option Units Pair A
Practical interventions employing arts-based activities, including music, theatre, dance and visual arts, are increasingly being employed nationally and internationally to improve mood and well-being, physical activity and cognitive processing for people with dementia. Arts-based programs have also been shown to…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
This unit will provide an introduction to existing evidence-based research on the benefits of engagement with the arts, through the lifespan and strategies employing creativity to support better ageing and mitigate risk factors for dementia. The unit offers opportunities for…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Spring school (extended) | ||||
Core Option Units Pair B
In this unit, you will explore and compare different models of service design articulation and delivery and how they influence health and wellbeing outcomes for diverse population groups. With a focus on rights, self-determination and strengths-based approaches, you will investigate…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
View all details for ZAC103 Principles of Individualised Support
Support services, both mainstream and specialised, are adopting contemporary disability practices to enable self-determination, choice and control by people with disability. This unit examines these concepts in both a historical context and in relation to the Disability Royal Commission and…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
| Cradle Coast | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for ZAC208 Contemporary Disability Practice
Entry requirements
For Domestic students
Domestic Applicants who have recently completed secondary education
- This course uses ATAR and equivalent ranks as part of the admission process.
- Applicants are ranked by ATAR and offers made based on the number of places available. Applicants who have recently completed senior secondary studies but have not received an ATAR may still be eligible for admission.
Domestic Applicants with higher education study
- Completed a course at Associate Degree level or higher at any Australian higher education provider (or an equivalent overseas qualification); or
- Completed at least two units of study (equivalent to 25 UTAS credit points) of a course at Associate Degree level (or an equivalent overseas qualification). If you have failed any units your application may be subject to further review before an offer is made; or
- Completed the UTAS Diploma of University Studies; or
- Completed the UTAS University Preparation Program, or an equivalent enabling program offered by another Australian university.
Domestic applicants with VET / TAFE study To be eligible for an offer, you must have completed:
- A completed VET Certificate III or higher.
Domestic Applications on the basis of work or life experience
If you have not successfully completed senior secondary, tertiary or TAFE/VET study, but have relevant work and life experience you can complete a personal competency statement. You may be eligible for an offer if you have work and life experiences that demonstrate a capacity to succeed in this course.
Special consideration
If your ability to access or participate in education has been affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can apply for special consideration as part of your application. We will consider a range of factors for special consideration, including economic hardship, a serious medical condition or disability.
We can only approve applications for special consideration where we are confident that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in your studies. If your application is not approved, the admissions team will work with you to find the best alternative pathway to your chosen course. Special consideration is not available for international applicants.
International applicants
This course is currently not offered to international students.
Articulation
Students who complete the Undergraduate Certificate in Social Care will be guaranteed entry into A4S Bachelor of Social Work with Honours, with credit for equivalent first year units (50 credit points). The certificate also provides a pathway to the Diploma of Creative Arts and Health.
Detailed Admissions Information
Detailed admissions information and advice for all undergraduate courses, including comprehensive, course-level student profiles, is available from UTAS Admissions.
Fees & scholarships
Domestic students
Cost shouldn’t get in the way of you studying.
If you’re a domestic student, you may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place in this course. This means your fees will be subsidised by the Australian Government. You’ll only need to pay the student contribution amount for each unit you study within the course.
You may also be able to defer payment of the student contribution amount by accessing a HECS-HELP loan from the Government. If eligible, you’ll only have to pay your tuition fees once you start earning above a specific amount.
Further information is available at Scholarships, fees and costs.
Student contributionStudent contribution amounts are charged for each unit of study. This means that how much you’ll pay will depend on which units you choose. Find out more about student contribution amounts.
Further informationDetailed fee information for domestic students is available at Scholarships, fees and costs, including additional information in relation to the compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
Scholarships
HECS Fee waiver semester 2 2022
If you choose to study the Undergraduate Certificate in Social Care in Semester 2 2022 and meet the eligibility criteria for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), you will receive a 50% HECS fee discount. For more information including eligibility details please visit Fee Waivers.
For information on general scholarships available at the University of Tasmania, please visit the scholarships website.
How can we help?
Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.
- Domestic
- 13 8827 (13 UTAS)
- International
- +61 3 6226 6200
- Course.Info@utas.edu.au
- Online
- Online enquiries