Communication and Assessment Skills in Social Work unit (HGW327)

Cradle Coast, Hobart, Launceston

Introduction

In Communication and Assessment Skills in Social Work, you will develop and extend culturally responsive, decolonising approaches to professional social work practice skills for working with people. Skills and techniques grounded in relational, strengths-based approaches and social justice principles are applied to interpersonal practices of interviewing and to written communication, including documentation. Building on key themes of deep listening and critical self-awareness, this unit focuses on developing communication and analytic skills for exploring and responding to people’s needs in a variety of settings.

Summary

Unit name	Communication and Assessment Skills in Social Work
Unit code	HGW327
Credit points	12.5
College/School	Health Social Work Program
Discipline	Social Work
Coordinator	Doctor Justin Canty
Available as an elective?	No
Delivered By	University of Tasmania
Level	Advanced

Availability

Location	Study period	Attendance options		Available to
Cradle Coast	Semester 1
Hobart	Semester 1
Launceston	Semester 1

Note

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Key Dates

Study Period	Start date	Census date	WW date	End date
Semester 1	22/2/2026	16/3/2026	19/4/2026	13/6/2026

* 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 2026 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2026 will be available from the 1st October 2025. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).

About Census Dates

Learning Outcomes

• Apply professional communication strategies that are collaborative, creative and culturally responsive.
• Facilitate inclusive, ethical and detailed social work assessments through relationship building and highly effective interpersonal communication skills.
• Compose social work documentation that melds analysis with empathy for client contexts.
• Evaluate how social work interpersonal and documentation practices can contribute to decolonising social work in local, national and international contexts.

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	$2,174.00	$1,020.00	$1,192.00	$2,562.00

• Available as a Commonwealth Supported Place
• HECS-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility³
• FEE-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility⁴

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 UniConnect 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.

Requisites

Prerequisites

100 credit points at Introductory level and 100 credit points at Intermediate level

Teaching

Teaching Pattern	You will complete one hour of online learning activities (including lectures, videos, podcasts, and other activities) and approximately one hour of required reading per week (these count towards your Independent Learning). You will also attend weekly on-campus tutorials. This unit has a compulsory attendance requirement.
Assessment	Written assignment (20%)|Written assignment (30%)|Video recorded interview 30 mins (50%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required

All required readings are available on the unit Reading List. The Reading List has been structured into weekly sections for ease of use.  You will need regular access to the following text: Maidment, J., Egan, R., Tudor, R., and Nipperess, S. 2022. Practice skills in social work and welfare: More than just common sense (4th edition). Routledge. The Library has copies of the ebook for you to access. You are able to download sections as PDF files for offline use. Links to all required reading sections appear in the Reading List. You may choose to purchase the book if you wish, however this is optional. There are paperback and ebook versions available through Booktopia.

Recommended

Recommended readings are available on the unit Reading List.

The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.