Bachelor of Social and Community Welfare

Course code: 1731 + Course abbreviation: BSoc&CommWelf + Total credit points required: 144 + 3 years full-time, 6 years part-time

Study mode and course location

On-campus (Gippsland)

Off-campus (Gippsland P/T only)

Multimode (Gippsland)

Course description

The course equips students for competent and ethical social welfare practice in an ever-changing social and political climate. The degree develops skills and knowledge for intervention in different fields of practice, advanced theoretical analysis and application, and social welfare practice from a management perspective.

Students complete a structured sequence in social welfare, including work placement in welfare agencies, together with support studies in public and social policy, methods of social research and Indigenous society. They may also take an arts minor in Australian Indigenous studies, community studies, psychology or sociology.

Course objectives

Students develop values, skills and knowledge appropriate to working with individuals, families, groups and communities at interpersonal, group, organisational and government levels. Graduates of this course will be qualified for employment in a wide variety of urban and rural, community and social welfare positions, in a range of fields, such as interpersonal and group counselling, crisis intervention, research and policy, casework and case management, community development, and management of human services organisations. The course also establishes a sound academic base for further study at postgraduate level.

Course structure

Course requirements

Students must complete the following:

(a) a social and community welfare sequence (84 points) comprising the following:

SCW1302 Governing inequality: foundations of social welfare provision
SCW1303 Foundations of interpersonal practice
SCW1304 Communication and counselling skills
SCW1305 Teams, groups and community networks
SCW2303 Case management theory and practice
SCW2304 Community development
SCW2310/3310* Social policy
SCW2311 Social issues and personal values
SCW2312 Welfare law, rights and ethics
SCW3303 Insights into practice
SCW3304 Paradigms of practice
SCW3306 Field education and practice
SCW3307 Human services management and practice

(b) two compulsory supporting units (12 points) – either PSS1711 (Exploring human behaviour)** or PSS1712 (Behaviour across the lifespan)** and either SCY1801 (Sociological reflections on everyday life) or SCY1802 (Global sociology)

(d) a minimum of 36 points at third-year level.

Students must select their arts elective units from the following disciplines: Australian studies, Australian Indigenous studies, communications, community studies, history-politics, journalism, philosophy, psychological studies, psychology, sociology or writing. It is recommended that students use their elective units to complete an arts major# or minor.

* These units can only be undertaken at either level two or level three, ie students cannot study both SCW2310 and SCW3310.

** The psychological studies units are provided to give an introduction to understanding our behaviour, which is particularly tailored to those students intending to proceed in the social and community field. Students may choose to replace the psychological studies units with psychology units PSY1011 and PSY1022.

# Students who wish to complete an arts major must complete SCW2310 instead of SCW3310.

Note that no more than 10 units (60 points) are to be completed at a first-year level.

Students have a maximum of eight years to complete this course.

Professional recognition

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

Contact details

www.arts.monash.edu.au/current/coursework/contact_us/

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