Bachelor of Social Work

Course code: 0004 ~ Course abbreviation: BSocWk ~ Total credit points required: 96 ~ 2 years full-time, 4 years part-time ~ Managing faculty: Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Study mode and course location

On-campus (Caulfield)

Off-campus (Caulfield; Singapore)

Course description

The course aims to provide professional education for the practice of social work. It covers social work principles and methods of intervention relating to individuals, families, groups and communities. It also includes social work research, social policy and management. Field work is interwoven with class work during the course.

Course objectives

On completion of this course students should be able to: understand and critically analyse the historical, political and social context of the social services; have an understanding of and be able to critically analyse the nature and role of social work, its values, ethical base, and sources of knowledge; understand, critically analyse, and apply a variety of social work theories and models of intervention to the solution of individual, family and community problems; understand and be able to apply an understanding of factors affecting people's functioning - their life stage, health, and mental health - to the solution of their problems; understand the organisational context of human services, how this affects the workings of human services, and how to develop and change organisation; have a beginning understanding of the processes of planning and evaluating the effectiveness of human services; deepen existing skills of written and oral presentation, argument and analysis, and be able to apply these effectively in practice; develop the skills to function as a graduate in employment in the human services; to develop their understanding of themselves as individuals and as professionals, critically analyse the way their experiences can affect their work with clients, learn to handle these constructively, and learn to use their personal capacities effectively in helping clients resolve problems; in carrying out the above, to ensure that the delivery of the course meets the requirements of the Australian Association of Social Workers for social work courses.

Special requirements

Police checks

Organisations that host field/community placements require students to have a current police check regarding their suitability to undertake such placements. All enrolled and prospective students are advised that they will be required to obtain and pay for a police check prior to being accepted in this course. Police checks need to be renewed annually. However in some community partnered programs there may be a requirement to have a police check renewed every six months.

Course structure

Course requirements

All units are compulsory.

Third-year level

First semester

SWK3220 Social work in society
SWK3230 Social work research
SWK3240 Working with individuals: theory and practice
SWK3250 Social work perspectives on human development

Second semester

SWK3120 Working with families and groups: theory and practice
SWK3180 Fieldwork skills and practicum I
SWK3260 Social policy and social justice I

Fourth-year level

First semester

SWK4410 Community work: theory and practice
SWK4420 The individual, health and society
SWK4430 Cross-cultural social work: theory and practice
SWK4440 Social work management: theory and practice

Second semester

SWK4560 Fieldwork skills and practicum II
SWK4450 Social policy and social justice II
SWK4460 Critical and creative social work: theory and practice

Professional recognition

Graduates will qualify for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Contact details

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