HSW316 - Critical Social Policy
Unit details
| Year: | 2024 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Waterfront (Geelong), Online^ with significant campus requirements, Community Based Delivery (CBD)* |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: John Fox |
| Prerequisite: | HSW314 (or substantial relevant human service workplace experience as negotiated with the unit chair) |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 2 hour lecture per week supported by weekly online independent and collaborative learning activities. |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | Online students only: Online independent and collaborative learning activities will support learning across the trimester. NIKERI-CBD students only: Online independent and collaborative learning activities including online practical experiences (workshops). |
| In-person attendance requirements: | Online students only: All online students must attend a compulsory 1 day intensive at the Geelong Waterfront Campus at which core practical learning requirements will be taught. NIKERI-CBD students only: there are compulsory intensives for all students at the National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation (NIKERI) Institute, Geelong-Waurn Ponds Campus. These intensives are arranged by year-level. Please contact the NIKERI Social Work Course Team for more information on 1800 063 383 |
Note:*National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation (NIKERI) Institute students only. | |
Content
In the present climate of the redistribution of resources, many individuals, groups and communities experience powerlessness and inequality. Underlying this is a dominant discourse that has marginalised social policy in favour of economic rationalism. The aim of this unit is to present an approach to social policy in Australia which critically addresses the dominance of the economic over the social and highlights ways in which social policy responds, or fails to respond, to diversity. The unit also aims to demonstrate the links between social policy and social work practice, so that graduates may be better informed about the policy contexts that influence their practice.
| ULO | These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Distinguish between a range of social policy discourses and discuss their influence in social policy processes and outcomes. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Identify and critique implications of social policy for social work practice. | GLO3: Digital literacy |
| ULO3 | Explain how to engage in the policy process to effectively use, implement, influence and, where necessary, change social policy in the context of social work practice. | GLO2: Communication |
| ULO4 | Demonstrate skills in applying social policy theories to analyse and interpret social policy with a focus on difference and diversity, equality and oppression. | GLO3: Digital literacy |
| ULO5 | Understand and analyse how diversity and difference are implicated in social policy processes and outcomes. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
Trimester 2:| Assessment description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Critical Policy Analysis and Implications for Practice | 2000 words | 50% |
|
| Assessment 2: Written assignment | 2000 words | 50% |
|
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Hurdle requirement
Online students only
- Attendance at a 1 day intensive held during trimester at Waterfront (Geelong) campus.
Click here to view intensive dates and locations.
Learning Resource
The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: HSW316 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
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