Master of Social Work
The course is designed to allow social work practitioners to reflect on and formulate their practice; read about and appraise alternative practices and theories; and assess their work problems and clients' needs in new ways.
The aim is to evaluate existing practice and provision critically, with a view to promoting change and improvement in services offered and outcomes effected in the lives and situations of clients. It offers opportunities for the analysis and investigation of theories and initiatives in social policy and their impact.
Outcomes
The coursework program has a strong focus on critical reflection on practice, research skills and theory development. At the conclusion of this designated degree students should be able to:
- examine and develop their practice
- critically evaluate existing practice and provision
- study and appraise alternative practices and theories
- investigate initiatives in social policy and their impact
- apply new knowledge and create new knowledge for practice and social provision
- become familiar with practice research, and
- assess their workplace and citizen needs in new ways.
Course convenor
Ms Denise Lynch
T 02 9351 3410
Rm 731
E
Course rules
Graduate Diploma in Social Work
These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2000 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Resolutions of the Faculty, the University of Sydney (Student Appeals against Academic Decisions) Rule 2006 (as amended) and the Academic Board policies on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism.
Course resolutions
1 Course codes
|
Code |
Course title |
|---|---|
|
ZC031 |
Master of Social Work |
|
ZF001 |
Graduate Diploma in Social Work |
2 Attendance pattern
3 Master's type
The master's degree in these resolutions is a professional master's course, as defined by the Coursework Rule.
4 Embedded courses in this sequence
Providing candidates satisfy the admission requirements for each stage, a candidate may progress to the award of any of the courses in this sequence. Only the longest award completed will be conferred.
5 Admission to candidature
Available places will be offered to qualified applicants based on merit, according to the following admissions criteria. In exceptional circumstances the Dean may admit applicants without these qualifications who, in the opinion of the faculty, have qualifications and evidence of experience and achievement sufficient to successfully undertake the award.
the Bachelor of Social Work degree of the University of Sydney, or equivalent qualification recognised by the Australian Association of Social Workers; and
both the four year Bachelor of Social Work degree of the University of Sydney, or equivalent qualification recognised by the Australian Association of Social Workers; and
6 Requirements for award
The units of study that may be taken for the courses are set out in the Graduate Diploma in Social Work and Master of Social Work Table of Units of Study.
To qualify for the award of the Graduate Diploma of Social Work a candidate must complete 36 credit points, comprising:
To qualify for the award of the Master of Social Work a candidate must complete 48 credit points, comprising:
7 Course transfer
A candidate for the master's degree may elect to discontinue study and graduate with a shorter award from this embedded sequence, with the approval of the Dean, and provided the requirements of the shorter award have been met.
8 Transitional provisions
These resolutions apply to students who commenced their candidature after 1 January, 2011 and students who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January, 2011 who elect to proceed under these resolutions.
Candidates who commenced prior to 1 January, 2011 may complete the requirements in accordance with the resolutions in force at the time of their commencement, provided that the requirements are completed by 1 January, 2016 and provided that there is no suspension of candidature, in which case the candidature for any period shall proceed under the by-laws and resolutions in force at the time of re-enrolment. The Faculty may specify a later date for completion or specify alternative requirements for completion of candidatures that extend beyond this time.
Units of study table
| Unit of study | Credit points | A: Assumed knowledge P: Prerequisites C: Corequisites N: Prohibition | Session |
|---|---|---|---|
Master of Social Work |
|||
Core Units |
|||
| SCWK6902 Social Research |
6 | Semester 2 |
|
| SCWK6943 Practice: Theory Development |
6 | Semester 1 |
|
Elective Units |
|||
| SCWK6908 Authorised Independent Study and Report |
6 |
Note: Department permission required for enrolment |
Semester 1 Semester 2 |
| SCWK6917 Practice Development |
6 | Semester 1 Semester 2 |
|
| SCWK6918 Debates in Human Services Management |
6 | Semester 2 |
|
| SCWK6920 Mental Health: Practice and Theory |
6 | Semester 2 |
|
| SCWK6927 Professional Practice Supervision |
6 |
Note: Department permission required for enrolment |
Semester 2 |
| SCWK6948 Social Policy Frameworks |
6 | Semester 1 |
|
| SCWK6949 Global Social Policy |
6 | Semester 2 |
|
Capstone units |
|||
| EDPZ6730 Special Project 1 |
6 | P submit a proposal Note: Department permission required for enrolment Approval is contingent upon a staff member with relevant interests being available to supervise the proposed project. |
Semester 1 Semester 2 Summer Late |
| EDPZ6724 Dissertation Part 1 |
6 | P submit a proposal and have it approved prior to enrolling Note: Department permission required for enrolment |
Semester 1 Semester 2 |
| EDPZ6725 Dissertation Part 2 |
6 | P EDPZ6724 Note: Department permission required for enrolment |
Semester 1 Semester 2 |
| EDPZ6720 Dissertation |
12 | P submit a proposal for dissertation and have it approved prior to enrolling Note: Department permission required for enrolment |
Semester 1 Semester 2 |
Units of study listing
Master of Social Work
Core Units
SCWK6902 Social Research
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Fran Waugh/Professor Gabrielle Meagher Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Assessment: 1x2000wd class presentation (35%) and 1x4000wd research proposal (65%)(
This unit of study introduces students to a range of research methods and focus on quantitative and qualitative methods. Many other research issues in developing a research proposal will be addressed through the semester. It is intended that, at the conclusion of this unit, students will have developed a research project able to implement through either further study or in workplaces. It will include a focus on research in relation to violence against women and children.
SCWK6943 Practice: Theory Development
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Ms Denise Lynch Session: Semester 1 Classes: block mode - 4x6 hr seminar Assessment: 1x1000wd presentation (20%) and 1x5000wd essay (80%)
Students will have the opportunity to examine current practices and practice theories in light of competing ideas espoused and employed in social work and community services. This unit will take an interdisciplinary approach to professional practice issues. It aims for the development of knowledge for reflexsive practice in contemporary sites of social work and community services endeavours.
Elective Units
SCWK6908 Authorised Independent Study and Report
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Margot Rawsthorne Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: independent study - meet with supervior 3 times Assessment: 1x1000wd proposal (20%) and 1x5000wd research essay (80%)
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
This unit of study is designed to provide students with the opportunity to integrate their learning over their degree working with a supervisor. This unit forms the capstone for social work masters level students. Students must initially develop a short proposal and discuss this with the unit coordinator, who will organise a suitable supervisor. Approval from coordinator is required prior to enrolling in this unit. It must be taken in the final semester of study.
SCWK6917 Practice Development
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Margot Rawsthorne Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: independent study - meet with supervisorr 3 times Assessment: 1x1000wd proposal (20%) and 1x5000wd research essay (80%)
This unit of study is designed to provide students with the opportunity to undertake in-depth, guided study with a supervisor. It provides students to explore a specific practice issue such as working with women experiencing violence or effective policy advocacy in-depth. Students must initially develop a short proposal and discuss this iwth the unit coordinator. A suitable supervisor will then be appointed to work intensively with students. This unit provides students with flexibility, enabling them to tailor study around practice issues of interest. Field based learning can be arranged for students enrolled in this unit.
SCWK6918 Debates in Human Services Management
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Roslaie Pockett/Professor Gabrielle Meagher Session: Semester 2 Classes: block mode - 3x8hr seminar Assessment: 1x2000wd class presentaion (35%) 1x4000wd essay (65%)
This unit targets social workers and other human service professionals who are thinking about moving into leadership and management positions. The unit engages with both policy and practice debates concerning human services management. Organisations that deliver human services are crtitical to the process of social policy implementation. In recent decades, theory and practice in the design and implementation of human services have changed significantly. This unit explores debates about how human services should be organised and managed, as a means to engage some central questions in policy implementation. The unit also aims to encourage reflection and understanding of individual leadership styles and abilities and how they may be used effectively within their organisation context.
SCWK6920 Mental Health: Practice and Theory
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Professor Barbara Fawcett Session: Semester 2 Classes: on-line Assessment: Participation (15%); 1x case study re. two practice standards (35%); 1x academic essay (50%)
This unit of study focuses on: the Fourth National Mental Health Plan, the Revised National Standards for Mental Health (2010 ) and the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce (2002). It looks at theoretical underpinnings; the policy framework and the implications for practice. It adopts a constructively analytical approach and enables students to make links with their workplaces. This unit is also available as a single unit of study to professionals who wish to undertake this as a stand-alone unit.
SCWK6927 Professional Practice Supervision
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Rosalie Pockett Session: Semester 2 Classes: (4 x 6 hr sessions) Fridays Assessment: presentations and paper
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
This unit will examine and critique different approaches to professional supervision in the human services. It will identify the key features of a working environment that can enhance or inhibit supervision. In doing this it will explore ethical issues, conflicts of interest, power differentials and outcomes for the client. It will also identify the strategies and skills required in the application of both staff and student supervision.
SCWK6948 Social Policy Frameworks
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Sue Goodwin Session: Semester 1 Classes: 2hr seminar/week - evening Assessment: 1x2000wd essay proposal and presentation (40%); 1x4000wd major essay (60%)
This unit aims to provide students with a sound understanding of the key institutional components of the Australian welfare system and the key issues and debates associated with the theory and practice of contemporary social policy. The target audience for this unit includes participants from a diverse range of organisations involved in human service provision. All human service work takes place in the context of social policy: social policy provides the mandate and the resources for human service work, and the activities of workers are extensively defined and shaped by social policy. In turn, human service workers are increasingly involved in the shaping of policy, or policy action. The rationale for this unit is to provide an opportunity for students to develop an advanced understanding of social policy frameworks in order to inform policy action.
SCWK6949 Global Social Policy
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Ruth Phillips Session: Semester 2 Classes: 2hr seminar/week - evening Assessment: tutorial presentation and paper (40%); global social policy research exercise (60%)
There is a well-established scholarship and governmental interest in both the impact of globalisation on social policy and the emergence of what is increasingly termed 'global social policy' which is a direct response to global social problems. It is a field that is growing in the areas of social policy and social work research and practice and can be clearly linked to increased employment opportunities for social workers and social policy graduates in the international/global arena. A key perspective of this unit of study is from non-government organisations' partcipation in the development of a global civil society and their contribution to global social policy. It also examines the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and how NGOs have contributed to both the ambitions of the goals as well as the outcomes for different countries. This unit provides opportunities for students to deepen their understanding and knowledge of core global concerns such as poverty, health, education, environment, NGO corporate engagement and gender equality and make links to the vital role of NGOs in these areas.
Capstone units
EDPZ6730 Special Project 1
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr David Hirsh Session: Semester 1,Semester 2,Summer Late Classes: several sessions with supervisor Prerequisites: submit a proposal Assessment: 1x6000wd report (100%)
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
Note: Approval is contingent upon a staff member with relevant interests being available to supervise the proposed project.
Special Project is a capstone unit, semester length independent investigation of a personally chosen topic in an educational context, the result of which is a 'product' of approximately 6,000 words such as a written report, review, account of the development of a resource, analysis of action or critique of research. All 'products' should be demonstrably informed by relevant theory and research. The satisfactory completion of this unit provides an alternative to the regular face-to-face classroom unit of study for candidates enrolled in a graduate coursework award.
EDPZ6724 Dissertation Part 1
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr David Hirsh Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: several meetings/discussions with supervisor Prerequisites: submit a proposal and have it approved prior to enrolling Assessment: satisfactory progress during semester; students then must enrol in EDPZ6725 Dissertation Part 2 the following semester.
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
The Dissertation is a piece of academic writing of approximately 12,000 words and represents a substantial original work. The Dissertation serves two different purposes in a student's progress through a Masters degree program, being a way for a student to study an area of interest in depth, or as a path to further research. Students seeking progress into a research higher degree, such as a doctoral program, are required to complete an empirical study, drawing on primary data. Note that for direct entry into a doctoral degree, an average of at least 80% across the Masters degree is needed. Students not intending to progress to a higher research degree may choose from a range of types of study. The Dissertation must incorporate an appropriate form of critical analysis and have as its basis a clearly structured conceptual framework. It is recommended that students complete a Research Methods unit of study prior to undertaking the Dissertation, which will support the proposal development. This unit is part one of the Dissertation which runs over two semesters; therefore, students must also enroll in EDPZ6725 Dissertation Part 2 in the following semester..
EDPZ6725 Dissertation Part 2
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr David Hirsh Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: several meetings/discussions with supervisor Prerequisites: EDPZ6724 Assessment: 1x12000wd report (100%)
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
The Dissertation is a piece of academic writing of approximately 12,000 words and represents a substantial original work. The Dissertation serves two different purposes in a student's progress through a Masters degree program, being a way for a student to study an area of interest in depth, or as a path to further research. Students seeking progress into a research higher degree, such as a doctoral program, are required to complete an empirical study, drawing on primary data. Note that for direct entry into a doctoral degree, an average of at least 80% across the Masters degree is needed. Students not intending to progress to a higher research degree may choose from a range of types of study. The Dissertation must incorporate an appropriate form of critical analysis and have as its basis a clearly structured conceptual framework. It is recommended that students complete a Research Methods unit of study prior to undertaking the Dissertation, which will support the proposal development. This unit is part two of the Dissertation which runs over two semester; therefore, students must have also enrolled in EDPZ6724 Dissertation Part 1 in the previous semester.
EDPZ6720 Dissertation
Credit points: 12 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr David Hirsh Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: several meetings/discussions with supervisor. Prerequisites: submit a proposal for dissertation and have it approved prior to enrolling Assessment: 1x12000wd report (100%)
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
The Dissertation is a piece of academic writing of approximately 12,000 words and represents a substantial original work. The Dissertation serves two different purposes in a student's progress through a Masters degree program, being a way for a student to study an area of interest in depth, or as a path to further research. Students seeking progress into a research higher degree, such as a doctoral program, are required to complete an empirical study, drawing on primary data. Note that for direct entry into a doctoral degree, an average of at least 80% across the Masters degree is needed. Students not intending to progress to a higher research degree may choose from a range of types of study. The Dissertation must incorporate an appropriate form of critical analysis and have as its basis a clearly structured conceptual framework. It is recommended that students complete a Research Method unit of study prior to undertaking the Dissertation, which will support the proposal development.