Course details : UWA Handbook 2020 : The University of Western Australia

Master of Social Work (coursework or coursework and dissertation)

The Master of Social Work (coursework or coursework and dissertation) prepares beginning social work practitioners for employment in local, State, national and international human services agencies. The course is accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and is regarded as a qualifying master's degree course.

Note: The dissertation stream will not be available for new students commencing in 2020.

Course overview

Course title: Master of Social Work (coursework or coursework and dissertation)
Award abbreviation: MSW
Course code: 11550
Course type: master's degree by coursework or by coursework and dissertation
Status: current / 2020
Administered by: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
CRICOS code: 065091K

Course details

Intake periods: Beginning of year only
Attendance type: full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
Credit points required: 96
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester.
Professional accreditation: Master of Social Work (coursework or coursework and dissertation) is accredited by: Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
Standard course duration: 2 years
Time limit: 5 years
Delivery mode: internal
Locations offered: UWA (Perth)
Domestic fee type: Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP
Course Coordinator(s): Dr Susan Young
Fees: Visit the fees calculator.

Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.

Course structure

Key to availability of units:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2020; NS = non-standard teaching period

All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.

Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2021 or 2022.

Take all units (72 points):

Availability	Unitcode	Unitname	Unit requirements	Contact hours
NS	SWSP5301	Social Work Knowledge, Theory and Values		3 hours per week
NS	SWSP5306	Indigenous People and Social Work		interactive lectures: 3 hours per week
NS	SWSP5309	Field Education 1: First Placement (12 points)	Prerequisites: SWSP5306 Indigenous People and Social Work (formerly SWSP8306 Indigenous People and Social Work); SWSP5630 Introduction to Psychosocial Theory (formerly SWSP8630 Developmental Practice); SWSP5301 Social Work Knowledge, Theory and Values (formerly SWSP8301 Social Work Knowledge, Theory and Values); and SWSP5631 Introduction to Social Work Methods (formerly SWSP8631 Introduction to Social Work Methods)	440 hours over 13 weeks full-time
S2	SWSP5409	Social Work in Health and Human Services Contexts	Prerequisites: Successful completion of all Year 1 MSW units -SWSP5301, SWSP5630, SWSP5306, SWSP5309, SWSP5631, SWSP5633 and SWSP5632	3 hours per week
NS	SWSP5429	Field Education 2: Final Placement (18 points)	Prerequisites: Successful completion of all Year 1 MSW units SWSP5301, SWSP5630, SWSP5306, SWSP5309, SWSP5631, SWSP5633 and SWSP5632.	560 hours (ie 16 weeks full-time)
NS	SWSP5630	Introduction to Psychosocial Theory		30 hours
NS	SWSP5631	Introduction to Social Work Methods (12 points)		72 contact hours.56 hours during the 27th of May to the 7th of June 2019. 6 hours during wk beginning the 15th of July 2019 & 6 hours during the wk beginning the 19th of August 2019. 4 hours the wk beginning the 16th of September 2019. Interactive lectures and workshops.
NS	SWSP5633	Counselling and Ethics	Prerequisites: SWSP5306 Indigenous People and Social Work, SWSP5631 Introduction to Social Work Methods, SWSP5309 Field Education 1: First Placement SWSP5301 Social Work Knowledge, Theory and Values.	6 hours per week for 6 weeks

Take unit(s) to the value of 24 points from Group A or take unit(s) to the value of 24 points from Group B:

Group A

Availability	Unitcode	Unitname	Contact hours
S2	SWSP5406	Policy and Community	3 hrs per week
S2	SWSP5407	Research Methods	3 hours per week
NS	SWSP5632	Organisational Practice and Law	6 hours per week for 6 weeks
S2	SWSP5634	Social Work and Mental Health Practice	3 hours per week

Note: Note: The dissertation stream will not be available for new students commencing in 2020. Students should complete all units in Group A. Re-enrolling students who commenced prior to 2020 can contact their Student Advising Office for enrolment advice.

Group B

Availability	Unitcode	Unitname	Unit requirements	Contact hours
S1, S2	SWSP4536	Dissertation (12 points)	Prerequisites: enrolment in the Master of Social Work (11550)	seminars: 2 hours per week; individual supervision: 8 hours
S2	SWSP5406	Policy and Community		3 hrs per week
N/A	SWSP5635	Organisational Practice, Law and Research		9 hours per week for 6 weeks

See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.

Rules

Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures

1.(1) The http://handbooks.uwa.edu.au/postgraduate/student-procedures'>student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

Academic Conduct Essentials module

2.(1) Except as stated in (2), a student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module).

(2) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACE module is not required to repeat the module.

English Language competency requirements

3.(1) To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

(2) Applicants presenting with the IELTS Academic require an overall score of at least 7.0 and no band less than 7.0 at time of application.

Admission requirements

4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—

(a) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA.

and

(b) the equivalent of a UWA grade point average of at least 5.0.

Admission ranking and selection

5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on—

(a) the grade point average;

and

(b) the intake quota for the year

Articulations and exit awards

6. This course does not form part of an articulated sequence.

Course structure

7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 96 points.

(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.

Satisfactory progress

8. To make satisfactory progress in a calendar year a student must—

(a) pass units to a value of at least half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal with academic penalty;

and

(b) pass all practicum units in their enrolment.

[(b) is an approved addition to University Policy]

9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACE module when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.

Progress status

10.(1) Students who fail to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 after being enrolled at the University for one or two semesters only are assigned a progress status of 'On Probation' by the Faculty.

(2) Unless the Faculty determines otherwise in exceptional circumstances, students who fail to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 and who have been enrolled at the University for more than two semesters are assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' by the Faculty.

(3) Unless the Faculty determines otherwise in exceptional circumstances, students who have previously been allocated a progress status of 'Suspended' and fail again to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 are assigned a progress status of 'Excluded' by the Faculty.

11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.

Award with distinction

12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—

(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;

(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;

and

(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.

Additional rules

Prerequisites

13. Unless the Faculty permits otherwise in exceptional circumstances, before being permitted to enrol in SWSP4536 Dissertation and SWSP5406 Policy and Community a student must—

(a) have achieved a mark of at least 70 per cent in SWSP5635 Organisational Practice, Law and Research;

and

(b) have completed the other core units of the course at a sufficiently high level as determined by the Faculty;

and

(c) not have failed any unit undertaken for the course.

Time limit

14.(1) Unless the Faculty approves an extension, the time limit is five years from the beginning of the semester in which the first unit is credited towards the course.

(2) Where a student is permitted to credit a unit or units from a completed degree course, the credit dates from the year of first enrolment in the course for the degree of Master of Social Work (by coursework or by coursework and dissertation).

(3) Where a student is permitted to credit a unit or units from an incomplete degree course, the credit dates from the year in which the unit or units concerned were passed.

Enrolment in practicum units

15. Unless the Faculty, in recognition of exceptional circumstances and on the recommendation of the Head of the School of Allied Health, approves otherwise, students must undertake both practicums on a full-time basis.

Withdrawal from practicum units

16. A student who withdraws from a practicum unit after confirmation of placement with the host organisation is declared to have failed the unit unless the Faculty, having considered the advice of the Head of the School of Allied Health, is satisfied that there were exceptional circumstances to justify withdrawal.

[Approved addition to University Policy]

Failure of practicum units

17. The Faculty will consider the case of a student who fails a practicum unit and, after considering the advice of the Head of the School of Allied Health, will—

(a) permit the student to repeat the practicum;

(b) permit the student to repeat the practicum following satisfactory prior completion of specified additional relevant work;

(c) exclude the student from re-enrolment in the course.