Overview
The aim of this unit is to introduce you, as a first year student, to the primary fields of social work practice where you will find yourself positioned as a practitioner on completion of Bachelor of Social Work. Each week, you will explore different fields of practice and examine the interface between the individuals and their environments fostering an understanding of the systemic factors that influence well-being and social justice. These fields of practice may include working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, social work in healthcare settings, child protection, domestic and family violence, and mental health. You will also gain understanding of ethical issues that may present in social work practice in the different fields and consider principles for working respectfully and inclusively with regard to culture and diversity.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student unit evaluation
Clarity in unit expectations could enhance student experience
Ensure clear descriptions of required activities in both unit profile and in Moodle.
Feedback from Student unit evaluation
The assessment tasks require greater connection to the unit learning outcomes and preparation for social work practice.
Review assessment tasks for strengthened connection to new learning for social work practice.
- Examine social work fields of practice within different contexts in Australia
- Describe social work processes required for effective communication, assessment, intervention and evaluation
- Explore the issues that impact on social work practice
- Reflect on the social work ethical issues that have emerged in exploring different social work fields of practice.
The Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS 2020) discuss the importance of students gaining an understanding of the experience of individuals, groups and communities within a range of different fields of practice settings (ASWEAS Appendix 2.1). This unit provides a beginning understanding of social work in general and within these practice settings. It will allow students to understand some of the complex issues that social workers are involved in within their practice. Also, it will commence the process for students to assess whether their value base aligns with that of the social work profession.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||
| 2 - Case Study - 30% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
Social Work: Fields of Practice
- Edition: 3rd (2018)
- Authors: Alston, M., McCurdy, S., McKinnon, J.
- Oxford University Press
- Melbourne Melbourne , VIC , Australia
- ISBN: 9780190309879
The prescribed textbook can be accessed online at the CQUniversity Library website. Access may be limited. If you would prefer your own copy, purchase either paper or eBook versions at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
- Binding: Paperback
The prescribed textbook can be accessed online at the CQUniversity Library website. Access may be limited. If you would prefer your own copy, purchase either paper or eBook versions at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Academic Learning Centre services
- CQUniversity Library
- Microsoft Word
- PowerPoint
- Zoom account (Free)
- Zoom app on your smart phone or access to Zoom on your laptop
- Zoom access: microphone and webcam required
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.sobolewska2@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 09 Mar 2026Module/Topic
Introduction to the Unit
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Review the Moodle site and click on all the links.
Find out what is in Student Support.
Find out how to find the Library.
Click on the link and learn what is in the Academic Learning Centre.
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch Welcome and Unit Introduction and the recorded lecture.
Go to Virtual Classes to find information about the scheduled interactive ZOOM sessions for the term.
Activity: Access the General Discussion page and introduce yourself to your peers.
Assessments: Review the assessment tasks and make a study plan.
Foundations of Academic Integrity Program: Complete your annual program.
Announcements and Discussion Forums: Check for posts and updates.
Week 2
Begin Date: 16 Mar 2026Module/Topic
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Social Work
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Complete online quiz.
Week 3
Begin Date: 23 Mar 2026Module/Topic
Child Protection
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Census Date is next week. If you are experiencing difficulties with studies, please contact your Unit Coordinator for help.
Week 4
Begin Date: 30 Mar 2026Module/Topic
Educational Settings and Social Work
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Complete online quiz.
Census Date – Tuesday Week 4
Week 5
Begin Date: 06 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Mental Health
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Please refer to Announcements on Moodle for key tasks and activities for the week.
Week 6
Begin Date: 13 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Disabilities
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Complete online quiz.
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 20 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
No timetabled learning activities. Please use this week to progress your assessments.
Week 7
Begin Date: 27 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Addictions
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Please refer to Announcements on Moodle for key tasks and activities for the week.
Case Study (Recorded Audio Presentation and PowerPoint) Due: Week 7 Wednesday (29 Apr 2026) 4:00 pm AEST
Week 8
Begin Date: 04 May 2026Module/Topic
Aged Care
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Complete online quiz.
Week 9
Begin Date: 11 May 2026Module/Topic
Health and Hospital Social Work
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Please refer to Announcements on Moodle for key tasks and activities for the week.
Week 10
Begin Date: 18 May 2026Module/Topic
Domestic and Family Violence
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Please refer to Announcements on Moodle for key tasks and activities for the week.
Week 11
Begin Date: 25 May 2026Module/Topic
Justice Systems
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings and activities.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Student Unit and Teaching Evaluation survey – We encourage you to provide feedback about your unit and teaching experiences in this unit. The survey opens Week 11 and closes one week before release of grades.
Exploring a field of practice Due: Week 11 Wednesday (27 May 2026) 4:00 pm AEST
Week 12
Begin Date: 01 Jun 2026Module/Topic
Social Work in 21st Century & Summing Up
Chapter
Please refer to Moodle for unit readings.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Complete online quiz.
Student Unit and Teaching Evaluation survey – Please complete the unit evaluation survey.
Congratulations on completing this unit. Don’t forget to check your unit enrolments for next term.
Exam Week
Begin Date: 08 Jun 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation/Exam Week
Begin Date: 15 Jun 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
As this unit is offered online, students are asked to prepare their own individual study plan to undertake self-led and self-directed study throughout the term. A key to your success is a strategic self-directed approach to learning and regular contact with your Unit Coordinator. Please check the Announcements and Discussion forums at least once a week – there will be regular announcements about assessments and unit resources throughout the term and reviewing this information is essential to unit knowledge and your success. CQUniversity communicates with students through CQUniversity email. We recommend that you access your CQUniversity email at least twice a week so that you do not miss vital information about your studies.
1 Online Quiz(zes)
The aim of the quizzes is for you to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of social work fields of practice, the role of the social work profession and the impact of broader issues on practice.
Instructions
You will be completing a total of six (6) online quizzes. Each quiz will be posted in Moodle in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.
Academic Integrity
You must abide by the principles of academic integrity (see Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure). Completion of this assessment with another party or sharing of responses is not permitted at any time. This assessment requires students to adhere to the guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence tools as specified in the Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale (AIAS). Any misuse or lack of disclosure regarding the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity. No Generative AI use is permitted in the completion of this assignment. You must not use AI tools or technology to produce substantive content. You are permitted to use technology or tools that assist with spelling, grammar or formatting.
Level of GenAI Use Allowed: Level 1: You must not use AI at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
Extensions
Extensions to this assessment are not available as per policy. The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.
Minimum Pass Criteria
· You must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 49.5% across all assessments to pass this unit.
· In the event you are eligible for a supplementary assessment, all assessment tasks must be reasonably attempted in this unit.
Learning Outcomes Assessed
1. Examine social work fields of practice within different contexts in Australia.
2. Describe social work processes required for effective communication, assessment, intervention and evaluation.
3. Explore the issues that impact on social work practice.
6
Fortnightly
Each fortnight beginning week 2, the quiz will open at 00:01 hours (AEST) Wednesday and close at 23:59 hours (AEST) Friday.
Quiz results will be available immediately after the attempt is completed.
· A total of 6 marks will be available for each quiz, with the students' best 5 out of 6 quiz scores contributing to the total assessment score. A maximum of 30 marks can be obtained for the overall assessment.
- Examine social work fields of practice within different contexts in Australia
- Describe social work processes required for effective communication, assessment, intervention and evaluation
- Explore the issues that impact on social work practice
2 Case Study
The aim of this assessment is to explore fields of social work practice. Using a case study as your guide, you will begin to develop an understanding of the various fields of practice, the presenting social issues and social work processes in these contexts.
Instructions
Please refer to the assessment task instructions on the unit Moodle site.
Academic Integrity
You must abide by the principles of academic integrity (see Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure). Completion of this assessment with another party or sharing of responses is not permitted at any time. This assessment requires students to adhere to the guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence tools as specified in the Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale (AIAS). Any misuse or lack of disclosure regarding the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity. CQUniversity Gen AI tools approved for use in this assessment are Microsoft CoPilot (protected version), Studiosity and Grammarly. You are permitted to use technology or tools that assist with spelling, grammar or formatting.
Level of GenAI Use Allowed: Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Extensions
Extensions to this assessment are available as per policy. The 72-hour grace period may apply to this assessment.
Minimum Pass Criteria
· You must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 49.5% across all assessments to pass this unit.
· In the event you are eligible for a supplementary assessment, all assessment tasks must be reasonably attempted in this unit.
Learning Outcomes Assessed
1. Examine social work fields of practice within different contexts in Australia
2. Describe social work processes required for effective communication, assessment, intervention and evaluation
4. Reflect on the social work ethical issues that have emerged in exploring different social work fields of practice.
Week 7 Wednesday (29 Apr 2026) 4:00 pm AEST
Submit your assessment via the Assessment 2 submission portal on the unit Moodle site.
Week 10 Wednesday (20 May 2026)
Refer to the marking rubric on the Moodle site for more detail on how marks will be assigned.
- Examine social work fields of practice within different contexts in Australia
- Describe social work processes required for effective communication, assessment, intervention and evaluation
- Reflect on the social work ethical issues that have emerged in exploring different social work fields of practice.
3 Written Assessment
The aim of this assessment is for you to explore a chosen field of social work practice in more depth and consider how social work lens may contribute to this field.
Instructions
Please refer to the assessment task instructions on the unit Moodle site.
Academic Integrity
You must abide by the principles of academic integrity (see Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure). Completion of this assessment with another party or sharing of responses is not permitted at any time. This assessment requires students to adhere to the guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence tools as specified in the Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale (AIAS). Any misuse or lack of disclosure regarding the use of AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity. CQUniversity Gen AI tools approved for use in this assessment are Microsoft CoPilot (protected version), Studiosity and Grammarly. You are permitted to use technology or tools that assist with spelling, grammar or formatting.
Level of GenAI Use Allowed: Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Extensions
Extensions to this assessment are available as per policy. The 72-hour grace period may apply to this assessment.
Minimum Pass Criteria
· You must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 49.5% across all assessments to pass this unit.
· In the event you are eligible for a supplementary assessment, all assessment tasks must be reasonably attempted in this unit.
Learning Outcomes Assessed
3. Explore the issues that impact on social work practice.
4. Reflect on the social work ethical issues that have emerged in exploring different social work fields of practice.
Week 11 Wednesday (27 May 2026) 4:00 pm AEST
Submit your assessment via the Assessment 3 submission portal on the unit Moodle site.
Vacation/Exam Week Wednesday (17 June 2026)
Assessment criteria will be available on the Moodle site.
- Explore the issues that impact on social work practice
- Reflect on the social work ethical issues that have emerged in exploring different social work fields of practice.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
