HSM4302 - Management and leadership in the human services

Leader(s): Marg Lynn

Offered

Gippsland Second semester 2009 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

This unit will provide students with the opportunity to explore and critique current theory and practice in the management, leadership and administration of human service organisations. Students will be encouraged to develop awareness of their own management practice and leadership style in their chosen field. Students will critically examine the meaning of continuous quality improvement in the human services, and then use this understanding to inform the design of an appropriate framework for ensuring quality standards and service delivery in a particular area of the human services.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. identify and critically discuss various management theories, models and approaches specific to the human services;

2. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the distinctions between the concepts of management and leadership;

3. critically reflect on their own management and leadership style and practice;

4. demonstrate a critical appreciation of how management is applied and operationalised at various levels in human service organisations;

5. demonstrate knowledge, understanding and skills in a range of approaches to continuous quality improvement in the human services and how these might be applied in a particular organisational context.

Assessment

Written work: 100% (9000 words)

Off-campus attendance requirements

Students will be expected to participate for a minimum of 1x 1 hour per fortnight on-line discussions.