Undergraduate - Course0004 - Bachelor of Social Work

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. Fieldwork is interwoven with class work during the course.

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 organisations
• 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.

Special requirements

Police 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 will be required to obtain these 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.

Fieldwork practice units

This course requires students to undertake off-campus fieldwork placements. In the fieldwork setting students will have an opportunity to apply theory to practice under supervision. Attendance is mandatory for the fieldwork component of each unit.

Where a student's skill or knowledge is found to be inadequate, access to the fieldwork component of the unit will be denied. A student may be withdrawn from a fieldwork practicum if required skills and knowledge are deemed inadequate, or on other grounds deemed appropriate by the head of school.

Fieldwork expenses

Students are responsible for all travel and accommodation expenses during fieldwork placements.

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

This course comprises 12 compulsory units.

Level one

First semester

• SWK3220 Social work in a globalised world
• SWK3230 Social work research
• SWK3400 Critical social work 1- Individuals and families: Context and practice

Second semester

• SWK3440 Leadership in social work and human services
• SWK3180 Supervised professional practice 1
• SWK3410 Critical social work 2: Community work, context and practice

Level two

First semester

• SWK4030 Human rights, law and ethics contexts for social work practice
• SWK4031 Working with complexity
• SWK4410 Community work: Theory and practice
• SWK4440 Social work leadership and policy

Second semester

• SWK4401 Critical social work 4: Individual, health and society: context and practice
• SWK4560 Supervised professional practice 2

Bachelor of Social Work