Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) [Embedded]

Handbook year

Course code

112509

Course type

Bachelor Honours Degree (AQF level 8)

Professional accreditation status

This is an AASW-accredited qualification. It is an entry qualification into the social work profession and has been determined to meet the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards.

Owner

Academy

Arts, Society and Education

Course pre-requisites

• English (Units 3/4,C)
• Current enrolment in the James Cook University Bachelor of Social Work pass degree with completion of all core subjects in levels 1, 2 & 3 and approval to undertake the Honours stream, and
• Achievement of an overall grade point average of 5 (i.e. credit average) across the core subjects in levels 1, 2 & 3 of the Bachelor of Social Work course, with distinction or higher in SY2005 or WS2009 or SS2222 AND WS3513 or WS3005

Minimum English language proficiency requirements

Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 3c – Schedule II of the JCU Admissions Policy.

(Note: this requirement is met by students entering directly from the JCU Bachelor of Social Work – 112510, courtesy of their admission to that award and subsequent study in English)

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

Clinical placement/professional practice:

This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements. Students may be required to undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense. (Note: health professional courses generally involve extensive professional or clinical placements).

Further information about placements can be found at Coursework Enrolment Procedure.

Additional selection requirements

Entry to the program is by application and approval from the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) Course Coordinator

Post admission requirements

The Honours Thesis subjects need to be completed as chained subjects in the same academic year starting in Trimester 1.

On-campus attendance requirement:

The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) requires all students to demonstrate that they have attended 20 days on campus face to face through their entire course.  Students need to be aware that meeting the AASW attendance requirements does not mitigate the attendance requirements for specific subjects within this course.  Throughout this course more than 20 days attendance face to face on campus may be required.

Suitability to Work with Children Card (Blue Card):

This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements that may involve contact with children under 18 years of age. Students are required to obtain a Suitability to Work with Children Card (which involves a criminal history check undertaken by the Queensland Police) before the start of the first placement. Students must retain a current Suitability to Work with Children Card for the duration of their course, as failure to do so will result in the termination of their admission to the course

For more information, refer to: Blue Card Services

Credit points

96 credit points as per course structure

Additional course rules

A maximum of 30 credit points may be taken at level 1

Course learning outcomes

The graduates of James Cook University are prepared and equipped to create a brighter future for life in the tropics world-wide.

JCU graduates are committed to lifelong learning, intellectual development, and to the display of exemplary personal, professional and ethical standards. They have a sense of their place in the tropics and are charged with professional, community, and environmental responsibility. JCU graduates appreciate the need to embrace and be acquainted with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of Australia. They are committed to reconciliation, diversity and sustainability. They exhibit a willingness to lead and to contribute to the intellectual, environmental, cultural, economic and social challenges of regional, national, and international communities of the tropics.

On successful completion of the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)[Embedded], graduates will  be able to:

1. Conduct themselves as social workers according to the professional values, Code of Ethics, and principles of social justice and human rights
2. Identify the unique, complex, historical, and contemporary relationship between social work and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and practice in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to support their aspirations and priorities
3. Critically appraise the impact of social, political, economic, and historical issues on environmental and social sustainability in Australia and internationally
4. Critically review and analyse social systems, institutions, structures, processes, practices, and inequities to practice inclusively and respectfully with regard to culture and diversity
5. Consolidate, synthesise, and evaluate social work theory, research evidence and social policy to make professional decisions addressing the holistic needs, strengths, goals and preferences of people and communities
6. Communicate social work research, knowledge processes, practice and ethics clearly and coherently through well-developed literacy, numeracy and technological skills to a range of audiences
7. Evaluate the application of evidence-informed practice in social work
8. Apply professional values, knowledge and skills, autonomously and in collaboration with others, to strengthen and promote the identity and standing of the social work profession
9. Demonstrate initiative and well-developed judgement in engagement, planning, decision-making, problem-solving and provision and evaluation of specialist advice and functions, to achieve practice, organisational and/or policy outcomes
10. Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for own learning, and professional development and supervision
11. Design, plan, and execute a research project with some independence.

Inherent Requirements

Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University's learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please visit: Bachelor of Social Work.

Reasonable adjustments

All JCU students have the opportunity to demonstrate, with reasonable adjustments where applicable, the inherent requirements for their course. For more information please visit: Student Disability Policy and Procedure.

COURSE AVAILABLE AT

NOTES

JCU Cairns

Internal and mixed-mode attendance

JCU Townsville

Internal and mixed-mode attendance

Expected time to complete

4 years full-time or part-time equivalent delivered in trimester study periods

Maximum time to complete

10 years

Maximum leave of absence

2 years

Course progression
requisites

Nil

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

Clinical placement/professional practice:

This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements. Students may be required to undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense (Note: health professional courses generally involve extensive professional or clinical placements).

Further information about placements can be found at Coursework Enrolment Procedure.

Special assessment requirements

Refer to Review of a Student’s Suitability to Continue a Course Involving Placement policy

Professional accreditation requirements

Graduates will be eligible for full membership of AASW.  Student preliminary membership is available.

Supplementary exam for final subject

Not applicable

Honours grade

The grade of Honours (I, IIA, IIB, III) will be determined by the relevant College Examiner’s meeting after a student has completed the credit point requirements for their degree, by consideration of both the Grade Point Average earned by the student in the level four research components of the program and the Grade Point Average achieved by the student over all four levels of study

Eligibility

Students may apply for credit transfer for previous tertiary study or informal and non-formal learning in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure

Maximum allowed

48 credit points

Currency

Credit will be granted only for subjects completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course

Expiry

Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 20 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the student has not completed this course.-

Other restrictions

Diploma: Maximum 24 credit points at various year levels

Advanced Diploma:  Maximum 27 credit points at various year levels

Credit will not be granted for Field Education 2 subjects WS5605 and WS5607

Credit will not be granted for studies or work experience used to gain admission to the course towards the core subjects of the course.

Award title

BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK (HONOURS)

Approved abbreviation

BSW(Hons)

Inclusion of majors on
testamur

Not applicable – this course does not have majors

Exit with lesser award

Students who have completed 24 credit points of their course award requirements, and withdraw from or fail to meet the requirements for progression in the later years, may be eligible for the award of Diploma of Tertiary Studies.

Course articulation

Not applicable

Special awards

Students may receive an Award of Recognition in accordance with the Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure