Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) in Social Work

Introduction
Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) in Social Work (Year 1) - This programme aims to educate students to be an all-round social worker. They are provided with 800 hours placement, and able to be registered as registered social workers with the Hong Kong Social Workers Registration Board.
This programme is operated by HKCT Institute of Higher Education.
 
The aim of this programme (Year 1 entry) is to educate degree students to qualify for registered social workers with attributes of being practical and down-to-earth. This degree also cultivates generalist practitioners in the field of social work providing services to people with different needs, and promoting social development. Apart from Year 1 entry, this programme also provides Senior Year entry. Please click here for more details.
 

 

Professional Qualification

The course has been preliminarily approved by the Social Workers Registration Board and recognition to be reviewed in 2026/27. Graduates can apply to become registered social workers.

Contents

Programme Contents

This course facilitates students to master the knowledge base of social work and incorporate relevant social science knowledge for developing a critical understanding of social phenomena and social work intervention; equip students with the ability to analyze and practice social work, apply social development concepts and have a good judgment when serving in different organizational and service contexts. The course gives special emphasis on enhancing the personal and professional growth of students in becoming a competent and reflective professional social worker and in possessing the professional values ​​and qualities that a social worker should have.

Please click here for Featured Subjects.

 

Programme Features

Senior teaching team and rich social worker training experience

  • The programme is designed and taught by a number of senior professors in the social sciences and service fields, including the Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences and the Head of the Department of Applied Social Sciences Professor Chui Yat Hung, Consultant of CTIHE Professor Chan Yuk Chung and the Program Leader of Department of Applied Social Sciences Associate Professor CHUN Ping Kit. With the rich experience in training up thousands of social workers for over 20 years, the teaching, learning and quality of the programme are guaranteed.

Courses and graduates with professional recognition

  • The course has been approved by the Social Workers Registration Board and graduates can apply to become registered social workers.

Employment advantages and decent income

  • Graduates can serve as Assistant Social Work Officer (ASWO) or equivalent. The starting salary for the government is at point 16 on the MPS (the starting salary is $36,850 and effective in April 2024).
  • According to the 2022/23 graduate survey, the average annual salary of graduates of this programme is more than HKD$400,000.

Bilingual teaching is conducive to learning

  • Chinese and English teaching is conducive to learning Each specific module will be taught in the designated language (Chinese or English) to meet the needs of study and industry while giving chances to further develop students’ competence in both languages.

Generalist social work training that values ​​down-to-earth practice and values

  • The course aims to train students to become a practical and down-to-earth generalist social worker, who can continue to grow at the individual and professional level, while embracing the ideal of social work, affirming the value of people, tolerating differences, and exercising independent judgment with self-reflection ability and sense of responsibility when providing services for people with different needs and promoting social development.

Fieldwork placement opportunities to enhance theoretical and practical integration

  • The 900-hour internship (including 100 hours of preparatory workshops for fieldwork + 800 hours of fieldwork experience) allows each student to experience the integration of theory and practice in different fields such as services for young people, people with disabilities, the elderly and families. This will help students to gain experience and deepen their learning experience.

2+2 Articulation Scheme

  • Students who have completed the 2-year HKCT Higher Diploma in Social Work and fulfilled designated requirements will be eligible to receive admission offer of this 2-year bachelor programme of senior-year entry (i.e. direct entry to the third year of this Programme).

 

Key Training Features

It aims to cultivate students holistically with the following emphases:

Personal and professional growth

  • Personal and professional growth are our pivotal concerns. To enhance students’ personal and professional growth, four subjects with a total of 8 credits are devoted. Students will also strengthen their personal growth during co-curricular activities, such as reading the book, Choosing Civility: The Twenty Rules of Considerate Conduct by P.M. Forni, and watching the movie, Scant of Women.

Passion and compassion

  • Passion is the basic condition for achieving success but social workers need to have compassion at the same time, coupled with compassionate actions which help reduce or eliminate the suffering of the client, and prevent professional workers from the pitfalls of becoming aloft and arrogant. The programme will provide chances for students to encounter and communicate with the vulnerable groups in society like the low-income family, dwellers of partitioned flats, blinded persons, rehabilitated mental health patients, marginal youth, so that students can understand and empathize with their situation, and be compassionate when walking with them.

Innovation and creativity

  • Social workers must also think outside the box and practice their profession creatively. With the strength of the college in social innovation education, this course also trains students to be down-to-earth and accept changes so that they can solve social problems with innovative ideas. An assignment of the subject on personal growth is designed for students to move out of their comfort zone. Subjects like approaches in Globalisation and Social Development, Social Innovation and Environmental Design, Science, Technology and Society will open up students to examples of innovative solutions against the problems in the world and the state of art under the development of sciences and technology. These help students develop the innovative ideas and creativity.

Social development perspective

  • The focus of social development is to accumulate social capital on social networks and relationships through the collaboration of different stakeholders, and to respond more effectively to social needs and complex social issues. Through multi-party cooperation, sustainable social development can be achieved. Two elective subjects of the programme are under social development perspectives. To promote social justice, social development is an additional option besides social action.

Graduation Path

The Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) in Social Work is accredited by the Social Workers Registration Board. Graduates can work as assistant social work officers in the Social Welfare Department or at the same level in non-governmental organizations, serving as school social workers, outreach social workers or medical social workers.

After completing the course, students will have the analytical skills, problem-solving skills, and the ability to collaborate or cooperate with others as expected of a university graduate. Thus, they are also capable of taking up other jobs which only require a general degree qualification. Such jobs include government posts such as disciplinary services (especially the Assistant officer II / officer of the Correctional Services Department), the Administrative Officer / Executive Officer II. For non-civil servant posts, our graduates are also qualified for jobs such as program officer, project manager and assistant to LegCo and District Council members.

Graduates can serve as Assistant Social Work Officer (ASWO) or equivalent. The starting salary for the government is at point 16 on the MPS (the starting salary is $36,850 and effective in April 2024). NGOs have their own staff establishment.

 

Student Words

LI Hang Ying, Jenny
A student who expects to obtain a professional qualification to assist her clients to develop their capability

 

Cheung Ying
"The Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) in Social Work programme I studied in the HKCT Institute of Higher Education has been accredited by the Social Workers Registration Board. We can register as a registered social worker. The teachers are passionate about their teaching and social work practice. Besides formal curriculum, they have organized different co-curricular activities for us (like reading a book and watching a film together and conducting seminars on special topics in social work). These activities strengthen our knowledge of humanistic beliefs and a more comprehensive understanding of the nature of social work, so as to prepare us to become a competent social worker in the future. The teaching quality is guaranteed because most of the teachers have had rich teaching experience in universities. They also possess years of frontline working experience before teaching."

 

The course focuses on the integration of classroom learning and social work practices. Students will experience social work practice in a real social work environment through 900 hours of fieldwork practice (400 hours for each placement and 100 hours of preparation study before placement) under the guidance and supervision of an experienced fieldwork supervisor. The placement also provides an opportunity for students to develop their abilities, practice what they have learned and improve their abilities at the practice level in different social service contexts. Graduates will have sufficient professional preparation for future employment in social work or related positions.

Mode of Study

Full Time

Teaching Mode

Face to face

Commencement of Study

September 2024

Entry Year

Year 1

Duration

4 Years

Location
Entry Requirements
  • Attained HKDSE Level 3 or above in Chinese and English; and
    • Level 2 or above in 2 subjects (including Mathematics) and “Attained” level of “Citizenship and Social Development”; or
    • Level 2 or above in 3 subjects (including Mathematics and Liberal Studies); and
    • Performance in Applied Learning subjects would be considered^; or
  • Pass in HKALE Chinese Language and Culture, Use of English and 1 A-Level or 2 AS-Level subjects; and Pass in 5 HKCEE subjects, including Chinese and English; or
  • 28 or above out of 42 points in International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme; and
    • Grade 5 or above in Standard-Level English Language Syllabus B; or
    • Grade 4 or above in Higher-Level English Language Syllabus B; or
    • Grade 4 or above in Standard-Level / Higher-Level English Language Syllabus A; or
  • Aged 21 or above with 5 years’ relevant working experience and qualifications in the field of social services; or
  • Equivalent qualifications; and
  • Pass in admission interview.

^Applied Learning Chinese (for non-Chinese speaking students) is in general accepted as Chinese Language qualification, but it is not considered as an elective subject.

Non-local Entry
Please contact us at (852) 2265 6993 or email to dss@ctihe.edu.hk for more information.
If there is any inconsistency between the English and Chinese versions, the English version shall prevail.

Prof. CHUI Yat Hung
Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences

Head, Department of Applied Social Sciences

  • Doctor of Education (Counselling Psychology) (CUHK)
  • Master of Social Sciences (HKU)
  • Chartered Psychologist, Associate Fellow, British Psychological Society, U.K.
  • Approved Counselling Supervisor, Fellow, Hong Kong Professional Counselling   Association
  • Global Career Development Facilitator Accredited Trainer, National Board for   Certified Counselors, U.S.
  • Registered Social Worker, Social Worker Registration Board, H.K.
  • Past President of the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association

Assoc Prof. CHUN Ping Kit, Roxco
Program Leader, Department of Applied Social Sciences

  • Doctor of Philosophy (HKU)
  • Master of Social Sciences (HKU)
  • Bachelor in Social Sciences in Social Work (HKU)
  • Registered Social Worker, Social Worker Registration Board, H.K.
  • Chairperson, the Marriage Enrichment Network
  • Chairperson, the Kornhill Alliance Church Family Service Centre Committee
  • Committee Member, Christian Fellowship of Pastoral Care for Youth
  • Member, Fullness Christian Vocational Training Centre

Year 1: $87,885 Year 2: $87,885 Year 3: $91,909 Year 4: $94,494

The tuition fee above is under 2024/25 Cohort.
This programme is subsidised under Non-means-tested Subsidy Scheme (NMTSS). In the 2024/25 academic year, a subsidy of up to $34,390 per academic year will be provided to each eligible local student admitted to this programme. The first-year tuition fee after subsidy is $53,495.

QF Level
The qualification of this programme is recognised under the Qualifications Framework in Hong Kong.
QF level:5
QR Registration No.:19/000651/L5
Registration Validity Period:1/9/2019 to 31/8/2029

Tuition fees and subsidies are to be reviewed and adjusted annually on various factors.
Non-means-tested Subsidy Scheme for Full-time Self-financing Undergraduate Studies in Hong Kong ($34,390 subsidy annually)