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Course and Subject Handbook 2024

Course and Subject Handbook 2024 Courses Postgraduate Courses Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Handbook year

Information valid for students commencing in 2024

Course code

103804

Course type

Masters Degree (Coursework) (AQF Level 9)

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

College

Arts, Society and Education

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Course pre-requisites

Completion of an approved AQF level 7 bachelor degree in a relevant discipline other than an Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) recognised social work degree that contains at least one year, or the equivalent, of full-time studies in social and behavioural sciences.

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.

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.

Post admission requirements

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.

Students commencing in Study Period 1 (SP1) are required to attend either Cairns or Townsville campus for up to 5 days of compulsory workshops within the first 4 weeks of the semester and up to 5 days of compulsory workshops during the scheduled Lecture Recess.  Students commencing in Study Period 2 (SP2) are required to attend Townsville campus for up to 5 days of compulsory workshops during the third week of lectures and up to 5 days of compulsory workshops during the scheduled Lecture Recess.

For Cairns based students who commence in SP2, any additional costs incurred to attend the Townsville campus will be at the students own expense.

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:

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

48 credit points as per course structure

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of the Master of Social Work (PQ), graduates will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate understanding of an advanced and integrated body of knowledge, with depth in the underlying values, ethics, theories, research principles and methods, professional practice and workplace contexts in the social work discipline
  2. Reflect critically on the unique, complex and contemporary relationships between social work and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and their diverse histories and cultures
  3. Reflect critically on the impact of complex social, political and historical issues on environmental and social sustainability in Australia and internationally, with a focus on the tropics
  4. Investigate, analyse critically and transform complex social systems, institutions, structures, processes, practices and inequities
  5. Consolidate, synthesise, research and evaluate recent developments in social policy and evidence to devise practical and knowledge solutions that reduce social barriers, inequalities and injustice
  6. Interpret and communicate, to specialist and non-specialist audiences, theoretical propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions in the social work discipline through advanced literacy, numeracy and technological skills
  7. Design, plan and execute a substantial research based project
  8. Manage service provision and professional practice to engage with and enable individuals, groups and communities to achieve social and environmental justice
  9. Apply and adapt expert and specialised professional practice knowledge and skills, autonomously and in collaboration with others, to address social barriers, inequity and injustice across diverse contexts
  10. Demonstrate creativity and initiative, and expert judgement and adaptability in engagement, planning, decision-making, problem-solving, provision and evaluation of specialist advice and functions, to achieve practice, organisational, policy and/or system level outcomes
  11. Demonstrate high-level responsibility and accountability for own learning and professional development.

Inherent Requirements

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: Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying).

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 Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

WS5517:06 Foundations for Social Work Practice

WS4503:03 Social Work and Mental Health

WS2121:03 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Skills and Frameworks for Practice

WS4514:03 Advanced Social Work Theory

WS5304:06 Field Education 1

WS3027:03 Working with Children and Families

WS5103:03 Community Development

WS5005:03 Social Policy Analysis

WS5020:03 Advanced Research Methods

WS5021:03 Advanced Contemporary Practice

WS5611:03 Professional Development for Social Work Practice

WS5605:09 Advanced Social Work Practicum

Location

COURSE AVAILABLE AT

NOTES

JCU Cairns

Mixed-mode Attendance

JCU Cairns-based and External students who commence mid-year will be required to travel to JCU Townsville twice during their first Study Period to attend compulsory workshops, as described in the Post Admission Requirements.

JCU Townsville

Mixed-mode Attendance

Candidature

Expected time to complete

2 years full-time or part-time equivalent

Maximum time to complete

5 years

Maximum leave of absence

1 year

Progression

Course progression requisites

Nil

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

Yes

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

Students may be required to undertake placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled at their own expense.

Special assessment requirements

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

Professional accreditation requirements

Nil

Supplementary exam for final subject

A student who has failed the final subject towards the award and who gained 40% or more of the marks for that subject, may be granted a supplementary examination in that subject. However if that subject is required for accreditation, then the criteria specified by that accreditation will apply.

Credit

Eligibility

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

Maximum allowed

24 credit points* for students applying for credit from another AASW accredited Masters AQF level 9 program.

12 credit points* for students entering from an AQF 7, three year social welfare program.

Currency

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

Expiry

Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 15 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

Nil

Award Details

Award title

MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK (PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING)

Approved abbreviation

MSW(PQ)

Inclusion of majors on testamur

Not applicable - this course does not have majors

Exit with lesser award

Not applicable

Course articulation

Not applicable

Special awards

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