Honours Degree of the Bachelor of Social Work

Course code: 3864 + Course abbreviation: Hons of BSW + Total credit points required: 120 + 2.5 years full-time, 5 years part-time

Study mode and course location

On-campus (Caulfield)

Off-campus (Caulfield, Singapore)

Course description

The Honours Degree of the Bachelor of Social Work aims to develop skills necessary for research by studying the methodological, theoretical and ethical issues that underpin social work research. Students are provided with the same learning opportunities as the Bachelor of Social Work. However, the honours program also aims to reward academic excellence. It provides opportunities for those students who receive high marks at third year level in Bachelor of Social Work or Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Social Work and who wish to pursue research studies within the structure of the Bachelor of Social Work. Students in the honours program are expected to develop and complete a research project which will include a critical literature review and ethics approval where indicated.

Course objectives

On completion of the honours program students are expected to be able to: have an understanding of the theoretical, methodological and ethical issues that underpin research; have developed the skills and knowledge students need to develop a research project and write a research report; understand the nature of the research process including the formulation of research questions and the development of an appropriate research paradigm; be able to articulate a range of quantitative and qualitative research frameworks utilised in social research; utilize data analysis methods associated with the various research framework; developed a completed relevant ethics application; understand the structure needed to write a research report; present a research proposal to other students and staff and learn from the feedback received; complete a thesis of approximately 10,000 words; develop the ability to undertake further research in other contexts.

Course structure

Course requirements

All units are compulsory and in addition to the units for the Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Social Work.

First semester

SWK 4001 Honours research methods

Second semester

SWK4002 Honours project seminar
SWK4003 Social work honours dissertation

Contact details

Telephone: +61 3 9903 2610, email: social.work@med.monash.edu.au or visit www.med.monash.edu.au/bsw/

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