Courses & Units
Contexts of Social Work Practice HGW516
Introduction
The unit focuses on key contexts of social work practice in the human services. By developing this understanding, you will gain knowledge of how you can practice effectively and influence these contexts to enhance outcomes for social work clients. Through a critical lens, you will examine ethical decision-making models, policy frameworks, legal and justice models and organisational theory. You will consider their relevance to contemporary human service organisations and for informing social work practice. Importantly, the unit emphasises lived experience and cultural diversity as key considerations for all practice contexts. This includes examining the need to decolonise institutional arrangements and on-the-ground practices using a diverse range of knowledge, including First Nations perspectives. Critical analysis and reflection is consistently used throughout the unit to challenge you to work respectfully with each other and in culturally relevant ways as a part of team projects. At all times, you are expected to demonstrate your commitment to professional standards that are presented in the Australian Association of Social Work (AASW) Practice Standards and the AASW Code of Ethics.
Summary
| Unit name | Contexts of Social Work Practice |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HGW516 |
| Credit points | 12.5 |
| College/School | College of Arts, Law and Education School of Social Sciences |
| Discipline | Social Work |
| Coordinator | Doctor Kate Vincent |
| Delivered By | University of Tasmania |
| Level | Postgraduate |
Availability
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | On-Campus | International | Domestic | |
| Launceston | Semester 1 | On-Campus | International | Domestic | |
| Cradle Coast | Semester 1 | On-Campus | International | Domestic | |
Key
- On-campus
- Off-Campus
- International students
- Domestic students
Key Dates
| Study Period | Start date | Census date | WW date | End date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 21/2/2022 | 22/3/2022 | 11/4/2022 | 29/5/2022 |
* The Final WW Date is the final date from which you can withdraw from the unit without academic penalty, however you will still incur a financial liability (refer to How do I withdraw from a unit? for more information).
Unit census dates currently displaying for 2022 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2022 will be available from the 1st October 2021. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).
Learning Outcomes
- Appraise relational and self-reflective practices that facilitate respectful access and application of culturally relevant knowledge in social work.
- Experiment with creative, ethical and responsible ways of using digital technology to progress the goals of social work in all practice domains and settings
- Evaluate the use of ethical decision-making models by engaging in reflective practices that are culturally and professionally relevant.
- Recommend reforms to discriminatory social policies, laws, service systems and service delivery methods that are informed by the diverse range of lived experience knowledge.
- Suggest ways to resolve experiences of ethical and moral dissonance that occur in organisational, policy and legal settings that are supported by a range of knowledge sources including theoretical, research, professional and culturally relevant knowledge.
Fee Information
| Field of Education | Commencing Student Contribution 1,3 | Grandfathered Student Contribution 1,3 | Approved Pathway Course Student Contribution 2,3 | Domestic Full Fee 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 090501 | $1,828.00 | $858.00 | $1,002.00 | $2,108.00 |
1 Please refer to more information on student contribution amounts.
2 Please refer to more information on eligibility and Approved Pathway courses.
3 Please refer to more information on eligibility for HECS-HELP.
4 Please refer to more information on eligibility for FEE-HELP.
If you have any questions in relation to the fees, please contact UConnect or more information is available on StudyAssist.
Please note: international students should refer to What is an indicative Fee? to get an indicative course cost.
Teaching
| Teaching Pattern | Each week, you will complete an hour of online learning activities (including lectures, videos, podcasts and other activities). You will also have approximately one hour of prescribed reading to complete each week. In addition, you will attend weekly 2-hour face-to-face tutorials. In total, you will need to allow 8-10 hours per week to complete all of the learning and assessments for this unit, including independent study. There is an 80% attendance requirement to meet accreditation standards. |
|---|---|
| Assessment | Blog post of social policy analysis (40%)|Class presentation and written summary of agency visit (30%)|Class discussion of an ethical dilemma (30%) |
| Timetable | View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable |
Textbooks
| Required |
Required readings will be listed in the unit outline prior to the start of classes. |
Links | Booktopia textbook finder |
|---|
The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.