2014 Social Work Course Information CONTENTS

2014 Social Work Course Information CONTENTS Working with People 2 Careers in the Social Work 3 Pathways to a Professional Qualification 4 Application and Enrolment 5 Bachelor of Social Work Regulations 5 Schedule of papers 6 Bachelor of Social Work with Honours Overview 8 Regulations 8 Features of the Programme 10 Papers offered in 2014 11 Standard University Grading Scale 14 1

WORKING WITH PEOPLE Social workers seek to promote well-being and develop potential by working with individuals, families, groups and communities to create positive change in people s lives. The challenge of social work lies in its complexity and diversity. It is seldom routine and involves working with people all of whom are unique, in situations which are complex, frequently messy and obscure, rarely easy to understand, and almost never amendable to standardised or prescribed responses. (Yelloly and Henkel 1995:8) A recognised professional qualification in social work is a crucial step in becoming a social worker. The Department of Sociology, Gender & Social Work offers a Registration Board accredited social work qualification. 2

CAREERS IN SOCIAL WORK The term social work is used to describe a broad range of occupations. It includes not only those occupations traditionally associated with the term social work, such as probation officer, child protection worker, and medical social worker, but also occupations like community development advisor, youth advocate, and policy analyst. Individuals with a wide range of specialist skills and areas of expertise are in demand for social work roles in the health sector, in justice, in government agencies, and community agencies. Social work involves working with individuals, families, groups and communities; creating positive change in people s lives. It aims to develop people s potential; access support, resources and information; advocate for those whose voice is not usually heard; and promote the development of people s power and control over their lives. It seeks to go beyond work with individuals by changing systems that have a negative impact on people s lives, seeking justice where there is injustice, and encouraging people to take collective action to improve the quality of their lives. Welfare Justice Iwi Development Researcher Youth Justice Coordinator Policy Advisor/Analyst Probation Officer Social Worker Advocate School Social Worker Community Health Youth Worker Worker Social Work Graduate Careers Counsellor Health Educator Family Support Social Worker Family Violence Coordinator Community Development Advisor Community Social Services Agencies Health Community 3

PATHWAYS TO A PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION The Department offers a qualification approved by the profession of social work and recognised by the Social Workers Registration Board as qualifying graduates as social workers in New Zealand. It is also recognised and accepted overseas. We also offer a post-qualifying advanced programme for experienced practitioners. Criteria for admission Social Work registration requires students to take a prescribed course of study that establishes that students admitted into the social work programme develop key attributes around: Māori language and tikanga Treaty of Waitangi Human development Critical social issues and New Zealand society Research methods Skills in critical analysis and literacy 1. The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is a four-year degree offered on campus and through distance education (third and fourth year only). There are two pathways for admission into undergraduate social work. The first is enrolling in a BA for two years, undertaking the prescribed papers and achieving at least 234 points. The second pathway is through completion of a BA degree (or equivalent) in a cognate discipline (or BTheol, BSc in Psychology or BEdSt) that must also include all the above listed key attributes required for social work registration. Extra points may be required. Once students have completed either pathway one or pathway two, they may apply for admission into the BSW at 300-level. Applications close on 1 October each year. 2. The Master of Social Work (MSW) degree is an advanced specialist programme, requiring at least two years of full-time study or its equivalent in part-time study. The degree is intended for practitioners who wish to develop their professional knowledge and skills through specialised study, consistent with principles of applied professional training. It prepares graduates for senior level and specialist practice in social services, research and policy analysis. The MSW is a post-registration qualification. Applications close on 15 January of the year applicants intend to begin study. 4

APPLICATION AND ENROLMENT All professional programmes offered by Social Work are subject to limitation of entry. All applicants must complete the e:vision enrolment process and application processes. REGULATIONS FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK (BSW) 1. Admission to the Programme (a) Admission to the programme shall be determined by the Pro-Vice- Chancellor (Humanities) on the advice of the Social Work Admissions Committee. (b) To be admitted to the programme at the Third Stage, an applicant must have passed papers worth 234 points from the First and Second Stages as specified in the schedule of papers for the degree, or have completed the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Theology, Bachelor of Science (majoring in Psychology), or Bachelor of Education Studies, or have completed a degree at another tertiary education institution (in the same, or similar, subject areas) and have taken an approved course in Māori language and tikanga. (c) Candidates will be selected on the basis of their academic record, personal suitability and proven experience in the social services. The Social Work Admissions Committee must be satisfied that applicants meet the requirements of the Social Work Registration Act 2003. 2. Structure of the Programme (a) Every programme shall consist of papers worth not less than 480 points, as prescribed in the programme requirements above. (b) The Head of the Department of Sociology, Gender and Social Work may approve variations from the normal sequence of papers. 3. Prerequisites, Corequisites and Restrictions Every programme of study shall satisfy the requirements for prerequisites, corequisites and restrictions set out in the Prescriptions (published in the Guide to Enrolment). 4. Duration of the Programme A candidate shall follow a programme of study for not less than four years of full-time study, or the equivalent in part-time study. 5. Cross Credits A candidate who is enrolled for the degree of Bachelor of Social Work concurrently with another degree, or who has completed one of the two degrees and is proceeding with the other, may cross credit 100- and 200-levels papers which are common to both degrees up to a maximum of 180 points. 6. Variations The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities) may in exceptional circumstances approve a course of study which does not comply with these regulations. 5

Notes: 1. Student numbers may be limited by the capacity of the social services to manage the fieldwork placements. 2. The due date for applications for enrolment in the Third Stage in the BSW programme is 1 October in the year before admission to the Third Stage. 3. Applicants with appropriate previous qualifications or prior learning and experience may be eligible for ad eundem credit or RPL (recognition of prior learning) credit towards the programme. BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK (BSW) PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS Note: 1. For information on prerequisites, corequisites and restrictions, refer to the Prescriptions in the Guide to Enrolment. 2. Prospective BSW students should initially apply for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) programme. 3. Any SOWK paper may be replaced with the corresponding Distance Learning SOWX paper. First Stage Compulsory Papers SOWK 111 Working with People: The New Zealand Context 18 SOCI 101 Sociology of New Zealand Society 18 MAOR 102 Māori Society 18 MAOR 110 Introduction to Conversational Māori 18 EDUC 102 Human Development 18 or PSYC 112 Human Thought and Behaviour 18 Second Stage Compulsory Papers SOWK 201 Fields of Practice 18 SOWK 236 The Treaty and Social Services 18 SOCI 201 Sociological Research in Practice 18 SOCI 205 Social Inequality 18 SOCI 206 Crime, Justice and Society 18 SOCI 207 Families and Society 18 First and Second Stage Elective Papers Additional approved papers from Arts and Music Schedule C and PAST or PASX papers to make a total of at least 234 points Third Stage Compulsory Papers SOWK/X 301 Theories and Methods of Social Work 18 SOWK/X 302 Social Work for Children and Families - Analysis and Theory 18 SOWK/X 303 Communities and Organisations - Analysis and Theory 18 SOWK/X 304 Kaupapa Māori, and Indigenous Approaches to Social Work 18 SOWK/X 320 Introduction to Professional Practice 18 SOWK/X 392 Fieldwork Practice 1 36 6

Fourth Stage Compulsory Papers SOWK/X 402 Social Work for Children and Families: Advanced Practice 20 SOWK/X 403 Communities and Organisations - Advanced Practice 20 SOWK/X 480 Research Project 40 SOWK/X 492 Fieldwork Practice 2 20 One of these papers: SOWK/X 406 Social Problems: Policies and Practice Models, or SOWK/X 411 Special Topic: Kaupapa Māori Social Work Practice Please note: Students are required to complete one Special Topic paper from a range of two or three options and these change from year to year (406, 410, 411). 7

BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK WITH HONOURS (BSW(Hons)) OVERVIEW The Bachelor of Social Work with Honours (BSW(Hons)) degree was introduced in 2012. This degree provides an advanced option at 400-level for students completing the BSW degree. BSW(Hons) students complete the main requirements of the BSW degree but complete a research dissertation as well. Achievement of a BSW(Hons) provides either an excellent pathway into social work practice (particularly where a strong research element is required) or establishes students with foundational skills in postgraduate-level social work research as a basis for continuing on to further postgraduate study. Students are selected for entry into the BSW(Hons) at 400-level based on academic achievement in 300-level BSW papers. REGULATIONS 1. Admission to the Programme (a) Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro- Vice-Chancellor (Humanities). (b) Admission to the Honours programme will be based upon an applicant s academic performance in the third year of the programme for the degree of Bachelor of Social Work. 2. Structure of the Programme (a) A candidate admitted to an Honours programme shall complete the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Social Work as set out in the Schedule for that degree except that the final year s papers must comprise SOWK 402, SOWK 403 (20 points each), SOWK 492, (40 points), and SOWK 490, (40 points). (b) The final year s course for the Honours programme should be taken by full-time candidates in one year, but may be taken by part-time candidates over more than one year. (c) The dissertation prescribed for the final year s course must be submitted no later than 1 November of that year. 3. Prerequisites, Corequisites and Restrictions Every programme of study shall satisfy the requirements for prerequisites, corequisites and restrictions set out in the Prescriptions (published in the Guide to Enrolment). 4. Withdrawal from the Programme (a) A candidate whose results are not satisfactory may be required to withdraw from the Honours programme. (b) When a candidate withdraws from an Honours programme, voluntarily or otherwise, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities) may recommend that the ordinary degree of Bachelor of Social Work be awarded or determine the papers which shall be credited towards that degree. 8

5. Level of Award of the Degree (a) The degree may be awarded with First Class Honours, with Second Class Honours (Division I), with Second Class Honours (Division II), or with Third Class Honours. The class of Honours awarded shall be determined by the examiners primarily on the performance of the candidate in the fourth stage of the programme. (b) (c) A candidate who fails to obtain Honours may, on the recommendation of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities), be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Social Work. A candidate who fails to obtain Honours may not resit all or part of the final year s course for the Honours programme in a subsequent year, unless the Senate has determined that his or her performance in those examinations was seriously impaired. 6. Variations The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities) may in exceptional circumstances approve a course of study that does not comply with these regulations. 9

FEATURES OF THE PROGRAMME Treaty of Waitangi The Bachelor of Social Work seeks to acknowledge the challenge of biculturalism and the Treaty of Waitangi in its response to the critical issues and problems faced in social work. As mature students, course participants are expected to add their own experience in comparing the different value and political positions involved in the social services, so that they might develop their own perspectives and approach to practice. Social Work staff strive to offer their courses from a Treaty-based perspective relating to Aotearoa New Zealand. Programme Scope The course is planned on the basis that general social service skills involve both community and institutional settings in which work is undertaken with individuals, families, small groups, the community, and organisations. Students are expected to develop skills in all these areas. Fieldwork Practice A crucial component of a professional qualification for the social services is fieldwork. Besides exposing students to social service work practice, fieldwork papers are expected to allow students to develop a greater awareness and understanding of the different levels and contexts of social service work, and through instruction, build a value base for practice, and apply acquired knowledge and skills to actual situations. Underpinning all of this is the development of bicultural practice. Through instruction and supervision, fieldwork provides an opportunity for students to draw together theory and knowledge, apply this in practice, and work on the discrepancies. The backdrop for fieldwork includes the expectation that students address the social, cultural, political, and economic contexts in which social service work is practiced, and personally account for the application of knowledge, skills, and attributes in institutional, organisational, and professional settings. In particular, the guidelines require the implications of the Treaty of Waitangi to be addressed, and for social workers to demonstrate this in their practice. NB: A current full driver s licence is an essential requirement for fieldwork placements. Some fieldwork placements, particularly in the health area, require medical tests. In applying to this programme you agree to cover the cost of those tests should they be required. 10

SOCIAL WORK PAPERS OFFERED IN 2014 SOWK 111 Working with People: The New Zealand Context Semester One This paper provides students with an introduction to the integration of social science concepts and their application to the social services from a Treaty-based perspective. Students will gain knowledge of, and the ability to critically analyse the historical conditions which have shaped the relationship between the tangata whenua and tauiwi. In addition, students will gain knowledge of the development of social services in Aotearoa, an understanding of the ecological model and its relevance to the social services, an understanding of their own cultural origins and the way in which these shape attitudes and values, as well as the skills necessary to access and present information. Coordinator: Shayne Walker SOWK 201 Fields of Practice Semester Two This paper provides students with an introduction to the challenges of human service practice in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It covers the fundamental knowledge and values bases underlying human and social services, introducing a range of fields of social service practice. Objectives for the paper include gaining knowledge of the history of social services in Aotearoa/New Zealand, and an understanding of professional issues in human service practice such as values and ethics, working across difference, theory in practice. Students also gain knowledge of selected fields covered by social/human services work and an understanding of how a holistic (ecological) perspective is required for practice within each field. Coordinator: To be advised SOWK 236 The Treaty and Social Services Semester One Students will gain knowledge of current theories and explanation that seek to implement a Treaty-based practice approach and will be able to apply that knowledge to a practice situation, as well as be able to discuss the impact of the Treaty on current service provision. Coordinator: Shayne Walker SOWK/X 301 Theories and Methods of Social Work Semester One An introduction to the main theoretical traditions informing the practice of social work in the Aotearoa/New Zealand context, their expression in Social Work methods, and the location of these theories and models within an overview of theoretical perspectives. Coordinator: Nicola Atwool 11

SOWK/X 302 Social Work for Children and Families: Analysis and Theory Semester One Selected social issues commonly affecting children and families in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Social work responses and related conceptual issues in social work assessment. Coordinator: Emily Keddell SOWK/X 303 Communities and Organisations: Theory and Analysis Semester One Organisational and community theories, patterns and change and their application within community and social services in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Coordinator: Peter Walker SOWK/X 304 Kaupapa Māori and Indigenous Approaches Semester Two The application of Kaupapa Māori, Pacifica and indigenous approaches, including cross-cultural contexts, to social work practice. Coordinator: Anaru Eketone SOWK/X 320 Introduction to Professional Practice Semester One This paper is designed to competency in practice skills. This knowledge will be assessed through the satisfactory completion of a 'readiness for practice' test. Coordinator: Claire Perry/Mary Maykind/Liz McCafferty SOWK/X 392 Fieldwork Practice 1 Full Year Introduction and orientation in social service and community settings and supervised practical work in the field. Coordinator: Claire Perry/Mary Maykind/Liz/McCafferty SOWK/X 402 Social Work for Children and Families: Advanced Practice Semester One This paper offers advanced application of interpersonal theories, develops intervention skills, and explores current issues in practice with children and families in social work settings. This paper is an advanced study of selected theoretical models and the development of clinical problem-solving, counselling and resolution skills in professional practice with families. During the course of study students will learn to assess specific family situations and develop intervention plans, be able to identify ethical dilemmas and appropriate strategies for resolution. Coordinator: Emily Keddell SOWK/X 403 Communities and Organisations Advanced Practice Semester One Professional frameworks of organisational and community change and development practice. By the end of this paper students will have an understanding of the processes and methods of organisational change and the roles of the social change worker in relation to such change. In addition, students will learn skills for initiating and 12

managing organisational change in the New Zealand social services and can apply this understanding to social change work and the social services. Coordinator: Peter Walker SOWK/X 406 Social Problems: Policies and Practice Models Semester Two Methods and theories of social, personal and organisational change in response to social problems. These are developed in relation to applied practice outcomes in social work. Co-ordinator: To be confirmed *SOWK/X 411 Special Topic: Kaupapa Māori Social Work Practice Semester Two Special topic considering an advanced case study in Social Work practice. Coordinator: Shayne Walker/Anaru Eketone SOWK/X 480 Research Project Supervised individual research on a topic in Social Work. Full Year Coordinator: Patrick Vakaoti SOWK/X 490 Dissertation (Honours only) Supervised individual research on a topic in Social Work. Full Year Coordinator: To be confirmed SOWK/X 492 Fieldwork Practice Full Year In Fieldwork Practice 2, the student is expected to demonstrate that (s)he has formed an integrated practice framework for working in the social services. This is expected to be realised through supervised practical work in the field. Coordinator: Claire Perry/Mary Maykind/Liz McCafferty * Special Topic papers don t necessarily stay the same each year. 13

STANDARD UNIVERSITY GRADING SCALE % BA BA (Hons) DipArts MA 90-100 A+ 85-89 A First Class Distinction Distinction 80-84 A- 75-79 B+ 70-74 B 65-69 B- 60-64 C+ Second Class Division I 73 72 Second Class Division II Credit Pass Credit Pass 55-59 50-54 40-49 <40 C C- Fail D Fail E Third Class Fail Fail Fail 14