Unit Synopsis
Social work operates at the critical interface between social concerns and individual problems. Social workers must navigate this complex landscape by analysing and evaluating the policy context in which they work, guided by the AASW Code of Ethics (2020). This unit explores the historical, political and structural dimensions of social policy and policy-making in Australia and internationally. A significant focus will be examining the impact of historical and contemporary social policies on First Nations communities. You will critically examine key concepts and debates in contemporary social policy and alternative ideologies underpinning the allocation and distribution of resources, such as the welfare state and neoliberalism. Additionally, you will analyse the role of social workers in interpreting and implementing social policy decisions and develop skills essential for advocating for those adversely affected by policies and influencing the broader social policy environment.
Details
| Level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 9 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 4 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
Pre-requisites: SOWK29001 Ethical and Legal Issues in Practice SOWK28005 Social Work Field Education 1 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). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School | No Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 2 - 2027
Term 2 - 2027 Profile
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 Postgraduate 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.
Assessment Tasks
To see assessment details from an earlier availability, please search via a previous term.
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%).
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web 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.
Source: SUTE
Clear unit requirements and learning materials.
Will continue to deliver this unit in an accessible manner for students.
In Progress
Source: SUTE
Useful assessments.
Will continue to deliver assessments that are relevant to social work practice.
In Progress
Source: Conversations with students.
Opportunities for in-person discussion were helpful.
SOWK29003 is offered online, however students took opportunities for in-person learning from the unit of study coordinator who was also delivering an in-person unit of study being taken by the same cohort of students. In future, it will be useful to consider opportunities to consider if it is necessary to formalise this arrangement.
In Progress
To see Learning Outcomes from an earlier availability, please search via a previous term.