Extended Major Overview

Description

Social workers are concerned with psychosocial problems; their causes, their solutions and their human impacts. Social workers work with individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities, and are committed to social justice and human rights.

Students should be aware that this major does not provide a pathway to an Honours.

Outcomes

Students are able to:

  1. effectively use a range of communication and interpersonal skills in diverse settings with diverse groups and individuals
  2. apply evidence-informed and research knowledge in practice.
  3. articulate a comprehensive understanding of contemporary social work practice and its contribution to the creation and maintenance of a more just and equitable society which respects the inherent dignity, worth and autonomy of every person and community
  4. appraise understandings of social welfare and social policy in the Australian context emphasising origins, functions, ideological bases and power relations.
  5. critique, synthesise and apply theories, knowledge and values of social work and related bodies of knowledge with a particular emphasis on critical social work and the goal of social change.
  6. apply social work knowledge, values, research and intervention skills to intervene and respond to the needs of diverse individuals, groups and communities.
  7. demonstrate ethical and critically reflective professional conduct using skills, knowledge, power, and professional authority in ways that serve humanity.
  8. exemplify readiness for beginning social work practice and display collaborative and inclusive professional work and learning behaviours.
  9. demonstrate cultural humility, value diversity among peoples and engage in decolonising practices that acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Traditional Owners of Australian lands..
Broadening guidelines
All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. As the Bachelor of Social Work is a professionally accredited degree, there are certain units which align with the discipline and so the range of broadening units is designed to assist you in the subsequent years of social work study. We offer the following suggestions for your consideration as possible avenues to broaden your degree.
Suggested units to broaden your study area, are:
(1) PSYC1101 Psychology: Mind and Brain
(2) GEND1901 Beyond 'Gender Wars'
(3) PHIL1001 Ethics for the Digital Age: An Introduction to Moral Philosophy
(4) POLS1101 Understanding Politics and Policy
(5) LING1001 Language and Communication
(6) PUBH1101 Health and Illness in Human Populations
(7) BMED2001 Humanities in Health and Medicine
(8) BMED3001 Narrative Medicine for research, education and practice
(9) SVLG1006 Making a Difference: Civic Participation and Social Change
(10) HUMR1001 Human Rights in Global Perspective
(11) IMED1108 Issues in Women's Health Across the Lifespan
(12) POLS1102 Understanding Global Politics
(13) PUBH1102 Health and Globalisation
(14) SVLG1002 McCusker Centre for Citizenship Internship
(15) HIST1901 Environmental History
(16) ANTH2406 Society, Law and Politics
(17) ANTH3001 Ethnography
(18) ANTH3601 Indigenous Australia
(19) INDG1150 Aboriginal Encounters: Strangers in our Backyard
Courses

Social Work can only be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

No study plans found for this major. See study plans for more information.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
N/A
not available in 2025 – may be available in 2026 or 2027
NS
non-standard teaching period

Students undertaking the honours stream take Option B. Students undertaking the coursework stream take Option A and C.

Level 1

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (36 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 SWSP1001 Professionalism, Values and Ethics in Human Services None
S2 SWSP1002 The Relationship Between Welfare States and Australian Social Work None
S2 SWSP1003 Human Rights and Social Justice None
S1 SWSP1004 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History, Policy, and Culture None
S1 SWSP1005 Human Development in Social and Cultural Contexts None
S1 SWSP1006 Introduction to Critical Thinking in Social Work None

Level 2

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (48 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 SWSP2001 Knowledges and Skills for Working with Indigenous Peoples
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
48 points
S1 SWSP2002 SW Methods 1: Psychosocial Theories and Practices for Working with People
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
48 points
S2 SWSP2003 Social Work in a Global Context
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
48 points
S1 SWSP2004 Foundations of Social Work Thinking and Identity
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
48 points
S2 SWSP2008 SW Methods 2: Relational Practices for Working with People
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
48 points
S1 SWSP2009 Policy and Practice for Working with Vulnerable Groups
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
48 points
NS SWSP2010 Social Enquiry for Social Work Practice
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
48 points
S2 SWSP2012 Trauma, Violence, Healing and Recovery
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
48 points

Level 3

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (36 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
N/A SWSP3001 Field Education 1: First Placement
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
96 points
and SWSP1001 Professionalism, Values and Ethics in Human Services
and SWSP1002 The relationship between Welfare States and Australian Social Work
and SWSP1004 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History, Policy, and Culture
and SWSP1005 Human Development in Social and Cultural Contexts
and SWSP2001 Knowledges and Skills for working with Indigenous Peoples
and SWSP2002 SW Methods 1: Psychosocial Theories and practices for working with people
and SWSP2004 Foundations of Social Work Thinking and Identity
and SWSP2008 SW Methods 2: Relational Practices for Working with People
and SWSP2009 Policy and practice for working with vulnerable groups
and SWSP2012 Trauma, Violence, Healing and Recovery
Incompatibility
SWSP5309 Field Education 1: First Placement
N/A SWSP3002 Social Work and Mental Health Practice
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
96 points
and SWSP3001 Field Education 1: First Placement
N/A SWSP3004 SW Methods 3: Participatory Practices for Working with People
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
and SWSP3001 Field Education 1: First Placement
N/A SWSP3007 Decolonising Social Work: Anti-Oppressive Practices
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
144 points
and SWSP3001 Field Education 1: First Placement
Degree-specific major units

Group A—take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

Take as per sequence notes

Take as per sequence notes

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
NS SVLG3008 Approaches to Wicked Problems
Prerequisites
Permission/approval is required to enrol.
Students must have completed at least 48 points and have Good Standing Status.

Level 4

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (36 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
N/A SWSP4002 Social Work Methods 4: Advanced Evidence-Based Practice
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
144 points
and SWSP3001 Field Education 1: First Placement
N/A SWSP4004 Social Work Methods 5: Consolidating Theory and Practice
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
Co-requisites
SWSP5409 Applied Social Work Practices SWSP5634 Social Work and Mental Health Practice SWSP5632 Legal and Organisational Contexts for Social Work
Incompatibility
SWSP5406 Social Work Methods 4: Consolidating Theory and Practice
N/A SWSP4005 Field Education 2: Final Placement
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
144 points
and SWSP3001 Field Education 1: First Placement
Incompatibility
SWSP5429 Field Education 2: Final Placement
N/A SWSP4010 Legal and Organisational Contexts for Social Work Practice
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
96 points
and SWSP3001 Field Education 1: First Placement
Degree-specific major units

Group B—take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:

Take as per sequence notes

Take as per sequence notes

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
N/A SWSP4006 Social Work Honours Proposal
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
96 points
and SWSP3001 Field Education 1: First Placement
N/A SWSP4007 Social Work Honours Project
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
144 points
and SWSP3001 Field Education 1: First Placement
and SWSP4006 Social Work Honours Proposal
Degree-specific major units

Group C—take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

Take as per sequence notes

Take as per sequence notes

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
N/A SWSP4003 Applied Social Work Practices
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
and Successful completion of
144 points
and SWSP3001 Field Education 1: First Placement