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Monash University

Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Social Work

Course code: 3870 ~ Course abbreviation: BHlthSc/BSW ~ Total credit points required: 192 ~ 4 years full-time, 8 years part-time ~ Managing faculty: Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Study mode and course location

On-campus (Peninsula)

Course description

This double degree course allows students to qualify with both the Bachelor of Health Science and Bachelor of Social Work degrees. This course equips students for careers in social work with specialised knowledge of the health and social care system. Although the course is principally intended to prepare graduates for a career in social work, the health science major sequence completed by all students also provides a grounding in health promotion and community capacity building.

Course objectives

Course objectives for the Bachelor of Health Science and the Bachelor of Social Work are listed under `Single degrees' in this section of the handbook.

Special requirements

Police Checks and Working with Children Checks

Organisations that host clinical and community placements require students to have current Police and Working with Children checks regarding their suitability to undertake such placements. All enrolled and prospective students are advised that they will be required to obtain Police and Working with Children checks prior to undertaking their course. Working with Children checks are valid for five years and are available free. Police checks must be applied and paid for annually. However, in some community partnered programs there may be a requirement to have a police check renewed every six months.

Health requirements

In order to meet health requirements for working in the healthcare facilities and for the protection of other students, and themselves, students may need to comply with certain precautionary procedures. These may consist of confidential tests for immune status (including blood tests and skin tests), receiving vaccines and having x-rays where the evidence indicates that these are appropriate.

Vaccinations

The faculty recommends that all students accept responsibility for having up-to-date immunisations before commencing this course. Recommended immunisations include diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, tuberculosis and hepatitis B.

Course structure

The normal pattern of study is for students to study 24 points per semester. Depending on the point value of units, this may equate to three or four units per semester, or in semesters where a field placement is undertaken, this is reduced to two units plus the placement.

The course is undertaken in the following sequence:

  • the first year is comprised of health science units only
  • the second year is comprised of five health science units and three social work units
  • the third year includes three health science units (that complete the health science major sequence); the remainder are social work units (including the first field placement)
  • the final year is comprised of social work units only, including the second field placement.

All units are compulsory core units.

Course requirements

First year

Semester 1
Semester 2

Second year

Semester 1
Semester 2
  • HSC2042 Population health and diversity
  • HSC2062 Communicating health
  • SRH2002 Indigenous health and well-being
  • SWK3260 Social policy and social justice 1

Third Year

Semester 1
  • HSC2051 Health promotion 2
  • HSC3011 Contemporary health challenges
  • SWK3240 Working with individuals: theory and practice
  • SWK3250 Social work perspectives on human development
Semester 2
  • HSC3032 Community partnerships and capacity building
  • SWK3120 Working with families and groups: theory and practice
  • SWK3180 Fieldwork skills and practicum 1

Fourth year

Semester 1
  • 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
Semester 2
  • SWK4450 Social policy and social justice II
  • SWK4460 Critical and creative social work theory and practice
  • SWK4560 Fieldwork skills and practicum II

Contact details

Telephone: +61 3 9904 4466, email: healthsciences@med.monash.edu.au or visit http://www.med.monash.edu.au/healthsciences/