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Social Work Thesis A unit (HGW414)

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Unit year 2025

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Location: Cradle Coast, Hobart, Launceston

Restricted to BSW(Hons).

Introduction

Social Work Thesis A extends your understanding of the purpose and practices of research that you gain in HGW423 Social Work Research Practice. You will do this by conceptualising and beginning to implement a research topic that focuses on improving the wellbeing and life chances of social work clients, service users and other stakeholders. You will learn advanced skills in research design and methods, and you will be required to defend the focus and methods of your research in discussion with others. Upon successful completion of this unit, you will advance the implementation of your research project in Semester 2.

Summary

Unit name Social Work Thesis A
Unit code HGW414
Credit points 12.5
College/School Health
Social Work Program
Discipline Social Work
Coordinator Doctor Campbell Tickner
Delivered By University of Tasmania
Level Honours

Availability

Location Study period Attendance options Available to
Cradle Coast Semester 1 This unit is available through on-campus delivery Available to International Students Available to Domestic Students
Hobart Semester 1 This unit is available through on-campus delivery Available to International Students Available to Domestic Students
Launceston Semester 1 This unit is available through on-campus delivery Available to International Students Available to Domestic Students
  • Key:
  • This unit is available through on-campus delivery On-campus
  • This unit is available through off-campus delivery Off-Campus
  • Available to International Students International students
  • Available to Domestic Students Domestic students
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Key Dates

Study Period Start date Census date WW date End date
Semester 1 23/2/2025 24/3/2025 13/4/2025 31/5/2025

* 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 2025 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2025 will be available from the 1st October 2024. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).

About Census Dates

Learning Outcomes

  • Devise and implement practical, informed, ethical and just responses to the tensions and dilemmas associated with the organisational, legal and policy contexts of social work practice.
  • Apply interdisciplinary research evidence and social work theories to construct clever interventions that improved the wellbeing and life chances of social work clients, service users and other stakeholders.
  • Defend chosen methods and processes for projects and research in discussion with relevant stakeholders, such as community members, co-collaborators, peers and academic supervisors.

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 $2,124.00 $996.00 $1,164.00 $2,440.00
  • 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

Entry into the Research Honours pathway

Co-requisites

HGW423

Teaching

Teaching Pattern4 x 2-hour seminars, 2 x 3-hour research workshops; weekly 1-hour individual supervision

 

AssessmentLiterature review (50%)|Presentation of topic and chosen methods (50%)
TimetableView the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required

You will need the following text:

  • Alston, M., & Bowles, W. (2018). Research for social workers: An introduction to methods (4th ed.). Allen and Unwin.

You can purchase this book from online booksellers such as Booktopia. The UTAS library will also have copies (access may be limited in times of high demand). This text is also required for the co-requisite unit HGW608 Social Work Research Practice.

You will also be required to read the following:

  • Gordon, J. (2018). The voice of the social worker: A narrative literature review. British Journal of Social Work, 48, 1333-1350.
  • Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 26, 91-108.
  • Munn, Z., Peters, M. D. J., Stern, C., Tufanaru, C., McArthur, A., & Aromataris, E. (2018). Systematic or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping approach. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 18, 143.

The above papers will help support your decision making around the type of literature review to conduct as part of your Honours Thesis and will form the basis of some of the content in this unit.

Recommended

There is no set reading list for this unit as you will be provided with resources tailored to your research topic by your unit coordinator and your thesis supervisor as required. You will need to access and reference other research texts, journal articles, and other resources beyond this to successfully complete the assessment tasks in this unit. Further information about accessing these resources will be provided on MyLO and your thesis supervisor will make suggestions. As a starting point, the following texts may be helpful and are available through the UTAS library (many as e-books). Please note that the following texts are recommended only, and you are not required to purchase these for this unit.

 

  • Aveyard, H. (2014). Doing a literature review in health and social care: A practical guide. Open University Press.
  • D’Cruz, H. & Jones, M. (2014). Social work research in practice: Ethical and political contexts (2nd ed.). Sage.
  • Flynn, C., & McDermott, F. (2016). Doing research in social work and social care: The journey from student to practitioner researcher. Sage.
  • Grinnell, R., & Unrau, Y. (2014). Social work research and evaluation (10th ed.). Oxford University Press.
  • Joubert, L. B., & Webber, M. (Eds.). (2020). The Routledge Handbook of Social Work Practice Research. Routledge.
  • Steinberg, D. (2015). The social work student’s research handbook (2nd ed.). Routledge.
  • Strega, S., & Brown, L. (Eds.). (2015). Research as resistance: Revisiting critical, Indigenous and anti-oppressive approaches (2nd ed.). Canadian Scholar’s Press Inc.

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