Diploma of Arts (Social Welfare)

• General information
• Entry requirements
• Professional recognition
• Course structure
  • First year
  • Second year

General information

Course code: 1826
This diploma is designed to provide students with the skills, knowledge and value base for competent welfare practice in a wide range of settings. It emphasises the practical and vocational elements of professional welfare practice. On completion, students may apply to upgrade to the Bachelor of Social Welfare or the double degrees.

Entry requirements

In addition to meeting standard entry requirements, all applicants are required to complete a social welfare course administration form. This form can be obtained from the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences. Applicants will be short-listed on the basis of information contained in this form, for a more detailed selection process. Applicants are strongly advised that academic criteria are not the only ones for entry into the course. Factors such as work and life experience, personal qualities and maturity are also taken into account. The course of study is normally a minimum of two years full-time or four years part-time or by off-campus distributed learning and normally cannot extend beyond seven years

Professional recognition

The course is recognised by the Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers.

Course structure

A candidate for the diploma must complete the following requirements to receive the award of Diploma of Arts (Social Welfare):
(a) complete a total of 96 points of study
(b) three core units (18 points):

• GSC1201 Sociological reflections on everyday life
• GSC1202 Sociological issues
• AIS1010 Introduction to Australian Indigenous societies

or

• GSC1611 Understanding university learning

(c) a prescribed sequence in social welfare (72 points)

First year

• GSC1201 Sociological reflections on everyday life
• GSC1202 Sociological issues
• AIS1010 Introduction to Australian Indigenous societies^#
• GSC1303 Foundations of interpersonal practice: casework and group work
• GSC1304 Communication and counselling skills
• GSC1305 Human services organisational practice
• GSC1306 Introduction to understanding human behaviour*
• GSC1307 Human behaviour across the lifespan*

Second year

• GSC2303 Case management theory and practice
• GSC2304 Community development
• GSC2310 Social policy: developing the links
• GSC2311 Social welfare issues
• GSC2306 Field education and practice (full-year)
• GSC2307 Advanced human services organisational practice
• Elective

THE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR UNITS ARE PROVIDED TO GIVE AN INTRODUCTION TO UNDERSTANDING OUR BEHAVIOUR, WHICH IS PARTICULARLY TAILORED TO THOSE STUDENTS INTENDING TO PROCEED IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIELD. STUDENTS WHO WISH TO UNDERTAKE FIRST-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY WILL NEED TO COMPLETE THE GENERAL LEVEL 1 PSYCHOLOGY UNITS PSY1011 (PSYCHOLOGY 1A) AND PSY1022 (PSYCHOLOGY 1B) INSTEAD OF GSC1306 (UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOUR) AND GSC1307 (HUMAN BEHAVIOUR ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN).
^# THIS UNIT MAY BE REPLACED WITH GSC1611 (UNDERSTANDING UNIVERSITY LEARNING). STUDENTS WISHING TO UNDERTAKE THIS OPTION WILL NEED TO REVISE THEIR FIRST-YEAR STUDY PROGRAM AS GSC1611 MUST BE UNDERTAKEN IN YOUR FIRST YEAR OF STUDY. PLEASE CONTACT A COURSE ADVISER FOR ASSISTANCE.

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