Undergraduate - CourseBachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Work

The degree not only provides a sound foundation for social work practice but also develops knowledge and skills in critical analysis in various arts disciplines.

Refer to the degree entries for 0002 Bachelor of Arts and 0004 Bachelor of Social Work.

Special requirements

Students must refer to the information available on the special requirements outlined below. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they have the correct documentation.

Police checks

Students must have a current Police check regarding their suitability to undertake placements. Refer to the faculty's Police checksPolice checks (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/police-checks.html) webpage.

Working with Children checks

Students must have a current Working with Children check regarding their suitability to undertake placements. Refer to the faculty's Working with Children checksWorking with Children checks (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/wwc-check.html) webpage.

Immunisation and infection requirements

In accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council recommendations, this course requires that students comply with the faculty's Immunisation and vaccination policy and procedures. These are designed to provide maximum protection against the increased risk of some vaccine preventable diseases for students, patients and workers in a health care setting.

This policy, and the associated procedures require that students have certain specified vaccinations, and have their blood borne virus status determined, before they commence a clinical placement. Students who have not complied with this policy may not be able to undertake clinical placement, with the attendant academic consequences.

Prospective students are provided detailed information on the effect of blood borne virus infection on the scope of practice of health care workers. Students who test positive to a blood borne virus (including HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C) will be required to consult a specialist medical practitioner approved by the faculty to provide advice on any necessary restrictions on work practices to protect patients and others from infection.

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.

This course has been accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers. Graduates will qualify for membership of this association.

This course consists of 78 points of arts units, an additional 12 points of behaviour or psychology units and 102 points of social work units, including study of 'the individual' (psychology or behavioural studies), study of 'society' (sociology) and at least one unit in Australian Indigenous studies.

The course is undertaken in the following sequence:

(a.) first year is composed of seven arts and one social work unit (48 points)

(b.) second year is composed of five arts units and three social work units (48 points)

(c.) third year includes three arts units (which complete the arts major); the rest are social work units (including the first field placement)

(d.) the final year is composed of social work units only, including the second field placement.

Arts component

The arts component must include a major and minor study as follows:

• arts discipline major (48 points)
• arts discipline minor in a different area of study (24 points)
• additional arts units (18 points)

The APAC accredited psychology major is available for students who wish to complete a further two psychology units Refer to the Psychology areas of studyPsychology areas of study (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2013handbooks/aos/psychology/ug-med-psychology.html).

Social work component

All social work units are compulsory core units.

First year

Semester one

• ATS1365 Introduction to sociology 1
• PSY1011 Psychology 1A or ATS1261 Understanding human behaviour
• SWK1011 Introduction to human services practice
• one first-year arts unit

Semester two

• ATS1254 Culture, power and difference: Indigeneity and Australian identity
• ATS1366 The individual and society
• PSY1022 Psychology 1B or ATS1262 Introduction to social behaviour
• one first-year arts unit

Second year

Semester one

• SWK3220 Social work in a globalised world
• SWK3230 Social work research
• 12 points of second-year arts units

Semester two

• SWK3440 Leadership in social work and human services
• 12 points of second-year arts units
• one second or third-year arts unit*

Third year

Semester one

• SWK3400 Critical social work 1 - individuals and families: Context and practice (12 points)
• 12 points of third-year arts units

Semester two

• SWK3180 Supervised professional practice 1 (12 points)
• SWK3410 Critical social work 2 - community work: Context and practice
• one third-year arts unit

Fourth year

Semester one

• SWK4030 Human rights, law and ethics contexts for social work practice
• SWK4031 Working with complexity
• SWK4400 Critical Social Work 3 - Group work and community engagement: Context and practice
• SWK4450 Social policy and social justice

Semester two

• SWK4401 Critical social work 4 - individual, health and society: Context and practice (12 points)
• SWK4560 Supervised professional practice 2 (12 points)

* Requirements for majors/minors can vary. Students should refer to the 'Areas of study'.

Arts majors, minors and sequences

For the specific requirements of arts majors and minors and information on other arts units refer to the arts areas of studyareas of study (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2014handbooks/aos/index-byfaculty-arts.html) section in this Handbook.

Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Social Work